The way this is reported seems suspect. Large gang of youths surrounding a cyclist. Boy walks past and get's hit in the head...
Hope the lad is ok and everything but perhaps more to this than meets the eye?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
cyclist saught for assaulting boy
(23 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
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Also on evening news: http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/hunt-for-cyclist-after-schoolboy-hit-with-bike-lock-1-3889482
Warning, usual anti-cyclist comments below
Posted 9 years ago # -
I prefer the way the Edinburgh Reporter reported it:
Schoolboy injured during large disturbance in Stockbridge http://goo.gl/fb/6nYwOi
Posted 9 years ago # -
"large"!
Posted 9 years ago # -
"believed to be from a nearby high school"
Broughton High, presumably? To think I was planning on sending my boy there, that is before the catchment was full.
Posted 9 years ago # -
39-42 years old! Now that's witness accuracy!
Posted 9 years ago # -
@crowriver I don't know if you intended it to, but your comment reads as "Phew! Thank goodness my son didn't go there." What do we know? We know that a 15 year old boy was allegedly injured by an adult cyclist. We know that prior to that there was an altercation between the same cyclist and a group of school kids. We don't know who initiated that or why. We shouldn't assume it was the school kids and even if it was, it's a small proportion of the hundreds of young people who go to what is a very diverse school. It's an up and coming school and, as you know, they've had to cap the intake this year.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Sarcasm doesn't come across well on the internet.
Indeed we don't know what happened, however that hasn't stopped the media jumping to conclusions.
Having had my share of "altercations" with groups of teenagers around the city and beyond over the years while cycling, I'd say it's a fair bet the "youths" started it. Hurling abuse, throwing stones, trying to put sticks in the spokes, I've seen it all. Such behaviour is perceived to be socially sanctioned due to the "out group" status of cyclists in general in this country. If you're a male adult and don't drive a car, you're fair game.
Don't think I'd ever brandish a D-lock in these situations but maybe that depends on the level of threat to the person. Tends to be two ways to react: try and ignore it or confront one of the pack in an attempt to get them to back down. Tricky either way.
.Posted 9 years ago # -
"Having had my share of "altercations" with groups of teenagers around the city and beyond over the years while cycling, I'd say it's a fair bet the "youths" started it"
"Having had my share of "altercations" with groups of cyclists around the city and beyond over the years while driving, I'd say it's a fair bet the "cyclists" started it."
Let's tar up that brush and sharpen the pitchforks!
(if anyone wants some fun with this kind of thing, visit the Porty People Facebook page and suggest that youths shouldn't be hanging round parks being anti-social, sit back, and watch it all kick off).
I guess we're all guilty of personal perception driven bias in reaching conclusions - I'm always more wary of BMWs than most other cars - and if I'm honest I brace myself a bit if I'm approaching a large group of kids (though have only twice in my life had any bother, once having an orange thrown at my back, another time a snowball in my face (with a bus right behind me - the school got a letter about that and apparently knew exactly who I was talking about from my description, while a load of folk on another forum had a go at me cos they were just kids being kids)).
Posted 9 years ago # -
"I guess we're all guilty of personal perception driven bias in reaching conclusions"
I suspect there's not much rigorous research been done on the topic, but if you can point me to any peer-reviewed academic papers which deal with groups of "youths" vs. lone cyclist conflagrations, I'll put my personal experience/prejudices aside and keep an open mind.
If not, then it's just devil's advocate.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Oh while I'm in anecdotal mode, my son told me the other day that a favourite topic of conversation amongst other boys in his P5 class is "What's your dream car?" He said he had no idea what they were talking about (we don't own a motor vehicle).
When talking of perception bias, we need to bear in mind also groupthink, social norms and peer pressure. Especially when it comes to teenagers...
Posted 9 years ago # -
First time I've ever heard "innocent till proven guilty" described as devil's advocate... Doesn't real need peer reviewed examination, rather just the facts of this case, of which we have none.
Posted 9 years ago # -
crowriver - my family never owned a car, but when I was in P5 it never stopped me ardently wishing they had an electric blue Ford Capri! My pals would have choked on their Wham bars (technically I should be dead, given what I used to eat as a kid).
Posted 9 years ago # -
I take it various people on here haven't cycled past Broughton High at school kicking out time & experienced the little scamps at first hand?
Posted 9 years ago # -
"First time I've ever heard "innocent till proven guilty" described as devil's advocate..."
We are not trying the case here.
Also, I said "it's a fair bet". In my opinion. Burden of legal proof not required for that, surely?
Posted 9 years ago # -
@Morningsider, fair dos. My son would rather have discussed "What's your dream bike?" but it seems few were interested.
It was Curly Wurlys when I were a lad. I recall being transported in the back of a Mini van with home made foam seats at around the P5 stage. The lack of a view coupled with petrol fumes was conducive to motion sickness.
Posted 9 years ago # -
If I'm cycling past the secondary school at lunchtime, kids deliberately running out in front of me, trying to block the way and shouting stuff is the norm.
Posted 9 years ago # -
6.30pm today on Telford path by the new spur to Drylaw playing area, a group of 6 adolescents with a football were walking on the spur towards Drylaw. As I passed on the main path, one of them turned round and kicked the ball with some force at me. It hit my rear wheel but fortunately no damage and I thought it wiser just to carry on. I've twice had stones thrown at me recently on the NEPN, once at 5-ways and once from Boswall Drive bridge.
There are times when male youths are around when I think twice whether or not to use the NEPN.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I had a pair of oaves hoof a football at me going along Joppa Road/Abercorn Terrace in the early 2000s, but then according to the Portobello pages on FB it's a fair hotbed of delinquency these days.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I have a friend who experienced the youths sticking a stick in his spokes. IIRC this was on the Drylaw spur. I cycled it for years and never had any bad experience.
I guess it's like traffic, fine most of the time but every now and again someone goes and does something unpredictably stupid.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Most intimidating situation I've been in on the NEPN was approaching a group of young adults at 5.30 in the morning. Several of the hooded lads were carrying hockey sticks and other assorted blunt instruments. I sped up and passed at speed before they even noticed me and I sure didn't stick around to have a chat.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Several of the hooded lads were carrying hockey sticks
Probably just some of the younger 1st XI chaps heading to the Grange for an early rendez-vous ahead of an away fixture? ;-)
Posted 9 years ago # -
Not to cast aspersions on the younger generation these gentlemen could well have been in the 1st XI. From their general gait and dulled reflexes I would have said they had been up all night so not the best match preparation!
Posted 9 years ago #
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