On Wednesday evening a bicyclist who claims to have been accosted by two teenagers allegedly fired shots at them as they were heading away from the scene near the ArcelorMittal Steel Plant between Norristown and Conshohocken. KYW Story - Times Herald
The trail is made safer if more people are using it. Its incidents like this that makes it important for the community to take steps to ensure that the trail is made as safe and inviting as possible.
We applaud the Montgomery County Sheriff and Norristown Police for stepping up patrols and to Montgomery County Parks and volunteers from the bicycling community for taking steps to build a positive relationship between trail users and Norristown residents. We hope ideas such as a community bike center similar to Neighborhood Bike Works takes hold and enables the young people of Norristown to take advantage of this wonderful resource in their own back yard.
This is the legacy blog of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. It is an archive of posts from 2003 to 2014. Making your ride better since 1972. https://www.bicyclecoalition.org
8 comments:
More information on a Norristown Neighborhood Bike Works can be found at:
http://www.neighborhoodbikeworks.org/blog/how-you-can-help-donation-information/support-nbws-norristown-program/
If you see anything happen on the trail, please post it at:
http://www.trailreporter.com/
Given the most recent incident I would hope the the BCGP could arrange for a public meeting with the Norristown D.A.. To find out what her new plan of action is, since the last meeting seems to have done very little given all the incidents list at the Trail reporter website.
I think she is more concerned about vigilante action on the part of cyclist then she is about the kids causing "mischief" on the trail. Because we are easier to prosecute than a bunch of underage minors.
From The Times Herald article:
"DePaul, a previous victim of violent crime, has been charged with criminal attempt at murder, criminal attempt at voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault and related offenses and is being held in Montgomery County Prison on $250,000 cash bail."
Now if DePaul tried to "defend himself" with his car instead of a gun what would he be charged with?
... Probably nothing!
Still, I bet this guy packs heat to protect himself more from automobile drivers than a random encounter with a bunch of miscreants.
Not a ride goes by up here in Central Jersey where at least one driver toys with my life and make it known that he or she could maim or kill me with a simple flick of their wrists or a twitch of their ankles. It happened to me on my Saturday morning ride this weekend!
I was actually planning on riding that way tonight...I think I might take Perkiomen going North instead. What's the point in taking the extra risk?! Tragic....
For the last 3 years, I've ridden the SRT from Port Royal Ave to Oaks, and back, and rarely had any problems, and never any serious problems. Now, I'm debating whether to ride someplace else, and let the thugs take over the path, or if I should just keep riding as a presence. I'm a girl on a recumbent, both factors make me an easy target, IMHO.
Any advice ? (No, i don't want to have to get a bunch of people together just so i can ride my bike !)
the last time i used that trail i left from the art museum and rode to valley forge, it was getting towards dusk on the way back. just as i left norristown there was a group of people on either side of the trail, one of them stepped in front of my bike and made a gab at the handle bars, i had a pretty good head of steam going and i wasn't going to stop for nothing, i was totally prepared to run the guy over. i made it throught the gauntlet but i can easily see how someone not prepared would have stopped and been jumped. keep your head down and ride hard through norristown is all i can tell you
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