Dalston / de Beauvoir Road attacks on cyclists

[Sergeant Pluck]

I've read elsewhere of frequent violent robberies of cyclists in the de Beauvoir Rd / Northchurch Road area over the last few months - thought I'd post this in case any of you ride in this area (it is a designated cycle route).

Just one of many:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/ethicallivingblog/2009/aug/17/bike-blog-robbery

Another:

http://www.lfgss.com/post1669751-4666.html

[Julian]

Scumbags were doing that - albeit just nicking the bike rather than getting all excess violence into the bargain - back when I was living near there, and that was three years ago

[red marley]

I was wondering whether or not to post about this when I saw it on the LCC Hackney list and LFGSS. I commute past that spot twice daily every day. It's worrying that latest incident (which happened several weeks ago by the way, and the Guardian article is a report of an incident over two years ago) appears, according to the police to be one of 15 in recent months. After getting routine hassle from the teenagers nearer the Northchurch road end a few years ago, I altered my evening and late night commute to come straight up De Beauvoir from the Old St/Pitfield St. This sounds much more organised and serious though.

However, I know that fear of crime can sometime be more damaging than crime itself, so it is also worth remembering that many hundreds of cyclists use that route every day without any problem. I have cycled along there what must be several thousand times in the last decade and never had any serious incident.

[cometworm]

That area is always a good idea to avoid, whatever time it is. It's the only part of London I've ever had any trouble, when I lived in Hackney (Homerton, to be exact) for a few years. Complete shithole, not worth going anywhere near there.

[red marley]

Complete shithole, not worth going anywhere near there.

As I said, several thousand bike journeys though that area suggest that might be an overly cautious approach to take. However, I find it difficult not to be fearful when you hear of attacks like this that would be pretty much impossible to avoid were they to happen.

[Julian]

I'm not sure it is overly cautious.  Towards the end of my time there, the local pizza place refused to deliver to us because their pizza boys were being routinely knocked off their bikes and their pizza stolen.  For context, I was 2 streets away from Northchurch Road.

[Biggsy]

I pride myself in not being afraid to cycle anywhere in London - but 15 attacks in 2 months is so bad that I will make a note to avoid that particular area (at least the side roads).

That is disgusting and terrifying.  People are being badly beaten up, not just having their bikes snatched (which would be bad enough).

What are the police doing about it?

[αdαmsκι]

The Guardian article doesn't make nice reading and it is made worse by the fact I know exactly which street is being refereed to having cycled along that route hundreds of times having lived in Hackney. (However, I never felt it was that bad an area, tho made I was just lucky or things have changed since I left London.)

[red marley]

It's a question of matching perceived with actual risk. The incident reported in the Guardian sounds terrible and utterly terrifying, but it happened over two years ago. According to Islington and Hackney LCCs two or three years ago there was a period of cyclists being targeted, but police action had subsequently reduced this.

The recent spate of attacks is worrying, but the only one we have details of happened at 2:00 in the morning. It would be useful to know from the police the time of day/night when the other attacks have been happening. During the day, at commute times at least, there is a near constant flow of cyclists, children being walked to school and a friendly atmosphere. The last thing we want is everyone being scared off the street so that the whole area really does become no-go.

I think this raises a larger question about how we respond to perceived risk to ourselves when out on a bike. We know that when it comes to risk of traffic injury on a bike, perceived risk is far higher than actual risk of injury, and as a result we have people being deterred from riding. This results in fewer bikes on the road and a slightly increased risk to all. I would suggest that we have a similar pattern when it comes to street crime.

[Biggsy]

I generally agree with you, Jo, but the report of 15 attacks in 2 months was posted yesterday.  That indicates a serious problem in this particular small area at this particular time.  It would be wise at least for people to avoid the area if it's not part of their regular route or if travelling at off-peak times.

While I generally like to encourage people not to be afraid of cycling, I would not encourage anyone to use a known current serious trouble spot unnecessarily, regardless of how many thousands of people pass through it every day - just to keep the numbers up.  It's not fair on the individuals who do get attacked.

The area needn't turn into a no-go zone permanently if policing is increased in the short term, and social improvements or whatever are made in the long term.  People can be encouraged back into the area once the number of attacks per year has reduced to a more normal level.

Fortunately, this sort of thing at this level of concentration is rare, so no one should be deterred from cycling altogether.

[handcyclist]

 People can be encouraged back into the area once the number of attacks per year has reduced to a more normal level.

The 'normal' level being what?

I hate to sound picky on your rational and reasonable post, but suggesting there is a 'normal', which might be interpreted as 'acceptable', level for violent street robbery is not a great position to take. Like sexual attacks, there is no tolerable level for such life changing brutality.

[red marley]

Clearly there is a problem at the moment and I believe Hackney LCC are in touch with the police over this. However, if for example it, turns out that all the attacks have occurred between midnight and 4am, then keeping away from the area during commute time might be an overreaction.

This is far from an abstract theoretical discussion for me since I have to chose how to make my daily route through the area. I am definitely going to keep away during the small hours, but I see no evidence that normal daylight commuting times are a problem.

I don't want to be fearful when riding a bike so this is a struggle I and others are having to deal with. The commuting alternative for me is to cycle via either Essex Road or Kingsland Road, neither of which are particularly pleasant during rush hour (or safe for that matter).

[Biggsy]

 People can be encouraged back into the area once the number of attacks per year has reduced to a more normal level.

The 'normal' level being what?

I hate to sound picky on your rational and reasonable post, but suggesting there is a 'normal', which might be interpreted as 'acceptable', level for violent street robbery is not a great position to take. Like sexual attacks, there is no tolerable level for such life changing brutality.

"Normal" being a London-wide average, perhaps.  Anything more than no violent street robery isn't morally acceptable, but we do actually accept a certain level in order to get on with our daily lives.  The question is about that level.

We can't expect everyone to avoid a place just because there's one violent robbery per hundred years, but 15 in 2 months within a tiny little area is beyond practical acceptance, I think.

[Biggsy]

Clearly there is a problem at the moment and I believe Hackney LCC are in touch with the police over this. However, if for example it, turns out that all the attacks have occurred between midnight and 4am, then keeping away from the area during commute time might be an overreaction.

It may turn out to be an overreaction, but I think still it would be wise not to use the area unnecessarily while waiting for furrther information, given the exceptional news so far.

I'm not sure main roads are more dangerous than side roads, despite the extra traffic, due to there being fewer junctions per mile, and more junctions controlled by signals, for a start.  I feel at less risk of personal attack on them as well.

[red marley]

For those choosing to stay well away from the de Beauvoir/Dalston area until they get further information, here's some.

Two people were arrested and remanded in custody in relation to the recent spate of attacks. It's also worth noting that the attacks occurred late at night, and not during the rush hours.

[Biggsy]

Thanks for the update.  I'm glad that the police have, and are doing, so much in this area, and hope that the caught suspects were responsible for all/most of the attacks on cyclists in the area (which I guess is quite likely).