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UK: Cyclist shot in Surrey in an epidemic of cyclist shootings
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by Beaulieu | August 21, 2009 at 01:46 am
728 views | 36 Recommendations | 30 comments
A gunman shot a cyclist in the neck, a few days ago, whilst he was cycling and minding his own business.
Cyclists are being targetted by young yobs who have have easy access to air rifles in the UK.
I think that shootings of this nature ought to be under an 'attempted murder' charge but they appear to be 'reduced to Firearm Offences', with just a fine, even though a number of cyclists have been shot in the head. In other countries, such as the US, one cyclist received up to 100 pellets.
The story does not surprise me as this does happen in the UK, and other parts of the world, more frequently than people think and the punishments are also lax.
In fact, to be harrassed by yobs or mindless idiots, either by being shot at or being thrown things from cars such as glass bottles, is part and parcel of being a cyclist but little is being done to protect the cyclists from these yobs, police not being around or no CCTV and the weak laws where people go in jail if they burgle someone's property but not if they shoot people in their head.
There is no UK Government awareness campaign to help prevent these types of shootings.
Often these people are doing this with 'friends' in cars or from windows from housing estates, if they are young, their parents have no idea what they are up to.
I know a cyclist who has been shot by an air rifle twice in different parts of the UK, once in the head. It missed his eye by an inch. Several armed police did come round but they never find the gunman or 'gunboy' so they could be out there doing the same again.
Despite reporting these issues to the Police and Cycling Touring Club, these gunman often get away with it because they are difficult to catch, and the CTC just ignore this issue despite various correspondence on this subject, after all, they 'promoting cycling' and don't want to put people off.
It is interesting how cyclist Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, doesn't talk about cyclists being harassed or shot at when he talks about cycling either.
It doesn't help that air rifles are being given to 18-year-old who clearly are unable to act responsibly, despite this kind of thing happening on many occasions. Surely, their criminal records have to be checked too before they issue one.
Air rifles don't have to be locked if they are out of use, unlike shotguns, so you can imagine who can help themselves with them. Why aren't they being locked? It is not just cyclist these people will shoot but anyone.
Source from thisiskent.co.uk:
"The 44-year-old man was cycling along Pilgrims Lane when he was struck in the neck with what he believed was a pellet shot from an air rifle.
He was then passed by a burgundy and black car containing three men who he heard laughing.
The victim believes the car was a small hatchback, perhaps a Peugeot 206, with a D-reg licence plate, which then headed in the direction of Westerham Hill.
The men in the car were described as white, in their late teens or early 20s, with brown hair.
The incident happened at around 2.50pm on August 8.
Anyone with information should call Surrey Police on 0845 1252222 quoting TD/09/4303 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111."
Our streets appear to be becoming a 'war zone'.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (30)
at 02:00 on August 21st, 2009
="http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/news/cyclist-shot-air-rife.article-1258815-detail/article.html" (this is the link although the coding is not working despite removing the formatting)
at 02:07 on August 21st, 2009
In the US a cyclist was shot by a motorist but the sentence was reduced to felony:
Source: road.cc
at 02:24 on August 21st, 2009
And over in Australia, many of these yobs seem to think shooting a cyclist is a 'prank':
(July 2009)at 02:32 on August 21st, 2009
In Texas, a lawyer was shot at whilst on his morning ride:
at 02:38 on August 21st, 2009
These air riles are a menace, yet another cyclist shot at in Britain, this time in the face (this particular incident happened last year)
.
at 02:41 on August 21st, 2009
A couple of weeks ago, I managed to get the registration number of a vehicle in which four people were in. They had carried a gun like shape (of course it could be a snooker cue) but the police were happy to check it out. Just shows that people need to keep vigilante for 'youths and gun like objects' as they go into their cars at night.
at 02:56 on August 21st, 2009
Even in the Tour de France, there was an air-rifle attack:
at 02:57 on August 21st, 2009
Should cyclists start wearing bullet proof gear?
at 03:26 on August 21st, 2009
Due to new UK Goverment Legislation, all Air Guns can only be purchased on a face to face basis from a Registered Firearms Dealer and people should provide ID and be over 18.
When I spoke to an air rifle dealer, I asked him if air rifles are 'locked' like shotguns are, but they aren't.
It is not law to lock up air rifles so anyone can get hold of them.
at 03:35 on August 21st, 2009
And another, this time, multiple shootings of a cyclist, in Toronto.. it's becoming like an epidemic:
From Canada.com
at 03:43 on August 21st, 2009
Another 'isolated incident' in the UK of a cyclist being shot at, this time in Leamington Spa. This incident happened in May this year.
Source CoventryTelegraph
Source: coventrytelegraph.net
at 03:57 on August 21st, 2009
In June 2009, a cyclist in South Africa was shot at, but this time at least, the gunman was caught:
Source: News24.com
at 04:16 on August 21st, 2009
In the UK, when these types of yobs are caught (with the help of a cyclist who took a photograph), it was not taken as attempted murder, they were just given a fine.
Source: Runcornandwidnessworld.co.uk
The article does not state whether the gun was confiscated.
at 04:25 on August 21st, 2009
We are encourage to cycle and to keep fit and healthy but the roads aren't safe from drive by style type of shootings. However, it is good that cyclists are taking photographic equipment along with them. I always take mine with me, and it has a good zoom to get the registration number.
at 05:16 on August 21st, 2009
Yobs are idiots who have nothing better to do than do anti-social crime.
at 06:18 on August 21st, 2009
For a second there I though you were talking about Surrey, British Columbia, but as I read your story I realised it was England, cause if it happened in Surrey, British Columbia, the Victims bike would have been stolen by some CrackHead.
at 06:26 on August 21st, 2009
There's just too much scum in the world.
Never fear, Beaulieu, is on 'the warparth.
at 06:34 on August 21st, 2009
One of the things that cycling organisations need to do is to push for better punishments and raise awareness of this. People should look out for airguns being put into vehicles.. that kind of gives people a clue. Maybe more police 'spotchecks'.
at 06:58 on August 21st, 2009
In Darlington, UK, in fact, there has been a surge of air rife call outs with people 'fooling around with weapons':
Source: news.bbc.co.uk
But many cyclists are being deliberately shot at, even though some they wear Hi-Viz clothing so they be seen easily. It is scary to think that there is a surge of this going on.
People who are 'fooling around with weapons' are not the types of people who should have having guns.
at 07:06 on August 21st, 2009
If this were the United States, I imagine they would be shooting people with regular guns, since air guns seem to passé in the United States and parents' guns often are not locked. In addition, children here have their own firearms.
I agree that air guns of those involved should certainly be confiscated, the car involved should be confiscated if it can be identified, and offenders ought to ordered to engage in community service, riding bicycles while looking out for others who might be engaged in the crime for which they were convicted.
I don't know about gun arguments in the UK relative to the United States, but it seems to me that toys that are so frequently and seriously misused should be removed from the market. Good luck.
I ride frequently and I'd be furious if someone randomly shot at me.
at 07:31 on August 21st, 2009
I agree with you.
It's interesting that many parent's guns are not locked. That's just asking for trouble.
My brother had an airgun and a shotgun but we are on a farm so they 'were used in the proper way'. In urban areas or houses in the countryside, where they ' have no fields attached', these yobs get bored so they try it out on other things. Mature men can be just as bad as youths when they have a 'gun'. They like to think they're like James Bond.
It would be a lot worse in the United States.
at 07:05 on August 21st, 2009
In our Country Air Rifles are Banned since I think it was 1970. I last saw them in Open Display in a Shop Window since that Time. There was to many Incidents of People Firing them at others that the Authorities Banned them. That does not mean that there are no more Incidents with Air Rifles ,but it is extremely Rare. However Stuff has been fired at Cyclists and Joggers like Bottles and Stones and sometimes it can be A Cross Bow Arrow. I have had Rubbish Thrown at me from Cars like Fast Food Wrappers, Cardboard KFC type Wrappers. When we were on a Social Cycle Spin last Sunday we had Water Thrown at us on the Canal Towpath in Dublin Ireland by some Yobs. Although they might have thought they were doing us a Favour,thinking we were to Hot as in the Tour De France. They looked like Druggies, we just kept going and did not say anything to them.
at 07:50 on August 21st, 2009
Yes, you would think that our Government would ban these considering what effect they're having on the community. People will get them somehow but at there will be a major decrease in incidents, as opposed to a surge we're having right now.
at 07:14 on August 21st, 2009
The 'silent epidemic' 'air gun 'pranks' has been hitting (pardon the pun), scaffolders (and imagine what that's like if they are on top of a building).
There is a whole string of other air gun cases in Britain where people have been it on this link.
www. the missing list .co . uk/category/3/12/268
Why do urban people need airguns anyway?
at 08:09 on August 21st, 2009
Airgun 'pranksters' are a cause for concern, in a country that according to a Now Public member, is a 'cesspit of crime', as they continue to wreak havoc in the community and even target firefighters when they're in an incident.
This particular story was in 2006 from the BBC:
So that story was several years ago; it is still happening and it is getting worse.
Just what is the British Government thinking? When there is an expenses scandal, they seem to suddenly wake up and do something. Despite the numerous incidents, what is the reason why these things are not being banned? It sounds like a country that's not 'in control'.
at 08:24 on August 21st, 2009
I have just looked again at the Cycling Touring Club newsletter, there is nothing on cyclists being shot at by airguns and in their website there is nothing either.
For some reason, this issue is 'not important to the Cycling Touring Club'.
at 19:55 on August 21st, 2009
This needs to be stopped.
at 22:04 on August 21st, 2009
A ban would be a start.
at 01:56 on August 24th, 2009
Cyclists get angry about lax treatment of US gunman:
Source Mountainx:
"Accused gunman released on bond, cycling community outraged');
The release of Asheville firefighter Charles Alexander Diez, charged with shooting cyclist Alan SimonsJuly 26, has the local cycling community "outraged," according to one leader. Facing charges of attempted first-degree murder, Diez was let out on bond.
Around midday on July 26, police say, Diez angrily confronted Simons, who was riding along Tunnel Road with his wife and 3-year-old son, about having the child in a bike seat behind him. Diez, still in his car, then allegedly drew a .38-caliber handgun and "fired one round toward the victim's head, striking his helmet," according to the incident report.
The bullet tore through Simons' helmet, less than an inch from the left side of his head.
Witnesses reported Diez's license-tag number and, about 25 minutes later, Buncombe County sheriff's deputies arrested him at his Swannanoa home.
Diez's bond was originally set at $500,000. But after a judge reduced it to $200,000, he posted bond and was released July 28. He has no prior criminal record and, according to police, was sober at the time of the incident.
Since the incident, said Asheville on Bikes founder Mike Sule, "My e-mail has been flooded. There's a general sense of anger over this. We're simply outraged."
"To just shoot a cyclist in the head like that, that's beyond road rage. I think there's clearly some mental illness involved," Sule told Xpress. "The thing that really worries me is that there's this belief that somehow cyclists shouldn't be on the road."
While confrontations between cyclists and motorists aren't "the sort of thing I worry about every time I get on a bike," he noted, they do occur. Motorists angered by cyclists, said Sule, will use "bully mass" to force them off the road, scream obscenities or throw projectiles "like trash or glass bottles." Such behavior makes the road less safe, he emphasized, given the damage a vehicle can do to someone riding a bike.
"We have occasional reports of civil disturbances between cyclists and motorists," police spokespersonMelissa Williams wrote in an e-mail to Xpress, adding, "This level of confrontation is rare."
Rare??