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The City Council has been looking at closing an access gate on the Ballona Creek Bike Path because in the vicinity of the 405 Freeway of crime. One such incident just happened. Via an e-mail sent to Streetsblog LA, here are some highlights:
Under the 405 two gang members (this is what the police believe) threw another bike in my path, causing me to crash, and then sprayed me with pepper spray and took my backpack...The attackers then used my backpack (which had a heavy On-Guard lock in it as well as several books) to assault at least two other cyclists (and possibly more, according to the detective I spoke with), pulling a knife on one (this is also what the police told me). My backpack was recovered by one of the victims who turned it in and called me. It turns out this is the second time he has been attacked in this manner on the BC path, this first time being left unconscious for nine hours....
The officer who took my report did not even know what I meant when I said I was riding on the Ballona Creek bikepath under the 405 (he kept repeating the question, "but what STREET were you on?").
So if this gate gets closed permanently, what happens when someone is a victim of crime and is trapped on the path? Open or not, there are positives and negatives either way.
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Just to clarify the motion and action being taken to close the gate is being done strictly as a measure to deter alleged crimes occuring in the neighborhood adjacent to the bikeway (as if somehow improperly motivated thugs can scale a four-foot-high chainlink fence. In making that decsision there was little consideration to the closure's impact on bikeway user safety.
thanks, Will!
The LAPD doesn't even know about this path. I was assaulted and robbed on the trail once and the police didn't even respond after the 911 call. Even the lawmakers who I complained to didn't know that the public could access these bike trails! Between the lawlessness and the crack smokers and the hookers, it's not worth traveling anywhere near there.
so i ride this trail all the time and I haven't even ever seen anything shady. lots of bikers and occasionally some moms and child in stroller, or teenagers making out. and i go right by the 405? is all of this crime happening after sunset?