London - Attempted mugging of cyclists, College Road Dulwich

Tiesetrotter

For anyone in that area, be aware now the nights are drawing in. This was posted on several local clubs forums by a member:

...tonight i was witness/victim to an incident whilst ascending College Road/Fountain Drive (Dulwich, London) and felt the need to warn others. i know a lot of members use this hill so i hope you will post this on your forum for me please.

Whilst climbing nearer to the top where it turns into Fountain Drive i noticed something ahead...there was about 8 young kids all with hoods all surrounding a guy on a bike....he had got off his bike and was holding it up and protecting himself with it...I caught up with him and the same happened to me, the young kids ran from both directions and grabbed my bike. With safety in numbers we both cycled and walked up the hill away and they seem to get spooked and ran off. Anyway the guy ahead of me said they had pulled a knife on him and were obvious after his bike/bag/wallet etc..

we were quite shaken and i personally was very surprised..i have been cycling up there every day for 10 years without any problems of this sort.

we waited at the top and a few other cyclists joined us and said the same happened to them, including a guy with his wife.

I phoned the police and they turned up pretty quickly and took some details etc.....not sure what they will do but hopefully something.

They were hiding about 100m from the top of fountain drive on both sides of the road so it was like a double pronged attack. I spoke to the police lady and she said there had been a few muggings recently between Sydenham hill station and the top of the hill. Apparently the residents have asked the council for better lighting with no progress.

Anyway, just keep your eyes peeled or even better avoid this hill in the dark...maybe take the right turn where it splits and carry on up college road rather than fountain drive....

Depressing.

veronese68

I've posted a link to this thread over in the commuting section as there are a lot of Londoners over there.

rick_chasey

Do report it.

I know it's a PITA, but it might prevent it getting worse.

adam0bmx0

Thanks for the heads up! Not on my commute home but is 10 mins south of where I live and do use it for hill repeats for a quick session after work.

jonny_trousers

Wow! Thanks for that! I ride up there regularly.

There is that horrible Kingswood estate just around the corner.

bernithebiker

Terrible!

Maybe use that hill as a Zone 6 flat out training session from now on to minimize risk?!

bobinski

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Wow! Thanks for that! I ride up there regularly.

There is that horrible Kingswood estate just around the corner.

By and large its not the local thugs that carry out the muggings etc. in the area-the police know them too well and easily arrested-but kids, often gangs, coming in from other areas. There were a spate of muggings around Sydenham hill station a year or so back and then it all died down after arrests. Hopefully the police can trace and arrest this time and a similar thing will happen.

Awful and scary experience for the cyclists though.

pippi_langsamer-2

I carry a Genuine Innovations co2 kit with me- not as a weapon, but to inflate my tyres.

It did occur to me recently how In the heat of the moment, this could be brandished and taken as a pepper spray device. Further to this, I reckon a blast of co2 towards an assailant would be enough to buy you time. Shock n awe LOL Further to that still, I reckon a blast of co2 in the face of an assailant would probably do some damage, and at least incapacitate them momentarily. No doubt I'd be the one in the dock accused of submitting some pond life's eyeballs to frostbite...

damocles10

bobinski wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Wow! Thanks for that! I ride up there regularly.

There is that horrible Kingswood estate just around the corner.

By and large its not the local thugs that carry out the muggings etc. in the area-the police know them too well and easily arrested-but kids, often gangs, coming in from other areas. There were a spate of muggings around Sydenham hill station a year or so back and then it all died down after arrests. Hopefully the police can trace and arrest this time and a similar thing will happen.

Awful and scary experience for the cyclists though.

I agree...it's not good to jump to conclusions. Gangs tend to cross postcodes.

However, this is terrible...is there no cctv in that area?

MrSweary

damocles10 wrote:

bobinski wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Wow! Thanks for that! I ride up there regularly.

There is that horrible Kingswood estate just around the corner.

By and large its not the local thugs that carry out the muggings etc. in the area-the police know them too well and easily arrested-but kids, often gangs, coming in from other areas. There were a spate of muggings around Sydenham hill station a year or so back and then it all died down after arrests. Hopefully the police can trace and arrest this time and a similar thing will happen.

Awful and scary experience for the cyclists though.

I agree...it's not good to jump to conclusions. Gangs tend to cross postcodes.

However, this is terrible...is there no cctv in that area?

Nope the road is poorly lit to begin with. No chance of CCTV.

VmanF3

Unfortunately I think this can only get worse. Bikes worth ££££'s, plus smartphones, credit cards, cash, electronics, often solitary on quiet roads...all openly discussed on places such as this and even linking their routes and profiles on strava.

It shouldn't be this way, but some folk need to display a little more sense when posting details.

Sad sign of the times.

ben@31

It would be a pity if a cyclist hid in a bush with an air-rifle and scope. His finger were to accidentally slip on the trigger as the kids came out.

Or leave your metal framed bike outside unattended, accidentally wired upto the 240V mains.

I'm sure I saw a Youtube video of an American road cyclist who in his Jersey back pocket had some energy gels, puncture repair kit and a Glock 9mm pistol ! (I wonder if it comes in Carbon Fibre?)

MrSweary

VmanF3 wrote:

Unfortunately I think this can only get worse. Bikes worth ££££'s, plus smartphones, credit cards, cash, electronics, often solitary on quiet roads...all openly discussed on places such as this and even linking their routes and profiles on strava.

It shouldn't be this way, but some folk need to display a little more sense when posting details.

Sad sign of the times.

I very much doubt any of these muggings were the result of anyone posting details anywhere. The hill in question has been a favourite with cyclists for years as it is relatively car free, wide and is on the natural route of many going by Crystal Palace and to the lands beyond. Also it is a short distance from Herne Hill velodrome and makes a good training repeat.

It wouldn't take a genius to work out that there are rich pickings there even amongst the pond scum muggers.

VmanF3

MrSweary wrote:

VmanF3 wrote:

Unfortunately I think this can only get worse. Bikes worth ££££'s, plus smartphones, credit cards, cash, electronics, often solitary on quiet roads...all openly discussed on places such as this and even linking their routes and profiles on strava.

It shouldn't be this way, but some folk need to display a little more sense when posting details.

Sad sign of the times.

I very much doubt any of these muggings were the result of anyone posting details anywhere. The hill in question has been a favourite with cyclists for years as it is relatively car free, wide and is on the natural route of many going by Crystal Palace and to the lands beyond. Also it is a short distance from Herne Hill velodrome and makes a good training repeat.

It wouldn't take a genius to work out that there are rich pickings there even amongst the pond scum muggers.

I doubt it too, I'm familiar with the place in question - I was merely pointing out that sometimes a little discretion wouldn't go amiss.

ben@31

VmanF3 wrote:

Unfortunately I think this can only get worse. Bikes worth ££££'s, plus smartphones, credit cards, cash, electronics, often solitary on quiet roads...all openly discussed on places such as this and even linking their routes and profiles on strava.

It shouldn't be this way, but some folk need to display a little more sense when posting details.

Sad sign of the times.

Are you suggesting those hooded chavs on them badly fitting BMX's with the saddle too low, really use Strava ???

It would be embarrassing if we lycra clad brethren on our expensive road bikes got beaten by a chav on his rusty bmx up the hill, on Strava.

I don't think they're that road cycling savvy or even remotely intelligent, just opportunist.

VmanF3

ben@31 wrote:

VmanF3 wrote:

Unfortunately I think this can only get worse. Bikes worth ££££'s, plus smartphones, credit cards, cash, electronics, often solitary on quiet roads...all openly discussed on places such as this and even linking their routes and profiles on strava.

It shouldn't be this way, but some folk need to display a little more sense when posting details.

Sad sign of the times.

Are you suggesting those hooded chavs on them badly fitting BMX's with the saddle too low, really use Strava ???

It would be embarrassing if we lycra clad brethren on our expensive road bikes got beaten by a chav on his rusty bmx up the hill, on Strava.

I don't think they're that road cycling savvy or even remotely intelligent, just opportunist.

Since you ask, no - I'm not suggesting that at all.

chris_bass

ben@31 wrote:

VmanF3 wrote:

Unfortunately I think this can only get worse. Bikes worth ££££'s, plus smartphones, credit cards, cash, electronics, often solitary on quiet roads...all openly discussed on places such as this and even linking their routes and profiles on strava.

It shouldn't be this way, but some folk need to display a little more sense when posting details.

Sad sign of the times.

Are you suggesting those hooded chavs on them badly fitting BMX's with the saddle too low, really use Strava ???

It would be embarrassing if we lycra clad brethren on our expensive road bikes got beaten by a chav on his rusty bmx up the hill, on Strava.

I don't think they're that road cycling savvy or even remotely intelligent, just opportunist.

they might not use it to record rides but could quite reasonably use it to find where people ride expensive bikes and popular routes, why do you think there is a privacy area from starting and end points?

http://www.adventure-journal.com/2013/0 ... your-bike/
http://road.cc/content/news/73213-manch ... b-websites
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/blo ... iend-44149