# Attacked and robbed on Bristol-Bath Railway Path heading through Easton



## linds (Aug 12, 2020)

So...Coming back from a nice evening ride shortly after 8pm on Saturday (8th) on the Bristol-Bath Railway Path heading through Easton (at Chelsea Park exit) when one of a group of 5-6 youths hanging around on the track punched me as I rode past. Hit the deck hard at 32kph or so but got up and started picking up my bike. At this point the guy who punched my (6ft 3 plus I'd say) put his arm round my neck from behind and squeezed until I passed out. When I came round, they'd gone and taken my (favourite) bike with them. Some locals who'd heard the noise were there pretty quick + police were on scene soon after. A night in BRI A+E revealed: broken jaw, broken collar bone, bleeding from ear (jaw break pierced the ear canal, thankfully outer only) big lacerations to tongue and lower lip that required stitching (tongue stitches are no fun, I promise), three front teeth knocked up into gum requiring ongoing dental work for x-months.

Shitty end to a nice evenings ride. I knew there had been a few incidents like this years ago but I was under the impression the path had got safer in recent years. I've certainly ridden this section dozens of times with no problems. Kicking myself because I usually leave at the previous exit and just stayed on for a change.

It's a long shot, I know, but I've attached full details of the bike here. It's fairly distinctive. If anyone does come across it or sees it around, a call to the police quoting incident number 5220178452 or information posted here would be greatly appreciated. I'm fairly resigned to not getting it back but I'd like to think there's at least a chance of at least one or two of this lot getting their collars felt.


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## JimW (Aug 12, 2020)

Best of luck and sorry this happened to you.


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## editor (Aug 12, 2020)

linds said:


> So...Coming back from a nice evening ride shortly after 8pm on Saturday (8th) on the Bristol-Bath Railway Path heading through Easton (at Chelsea Park exit) when one of a group of 5-6 youths hanging around on the track punched me as I rode past. Hit the deck hard at 32kph or so but got up and started picking up my bike. At this point the guy who punched my (6ft 3 plus I'd say) put his arm round my neck from behind and squeezed until I passed out. When I came round, they'd gone and taken my (favourite) bike with them. Some locals who'd heard the noise were there pretty quick + police were on scene soon after. A night in BRI A+E revealed: broken jaw, broken collar bone, bleeding from ear (jaw break pierced the ear canal, thankfully outer only) big lacerations to tongue and lower lip that required stitching (tongue stitches are no fun, I promise), three front teeth knocked up into gum requiring ongoing dental work for x-months.
> 
> Shitty end to a nice evenings ride. I knew there had been a few incidents like this years ago but I was under the impression the path had got safer in recent years. I've certainly ridden this section dozens of times with no problems. Kicking myself because I usually leave at the previous exit and just stayed on for a change.
> 
> It's a long shot, I know, but I've attached full details of the bike here. It's fairly distinctive. If anyone does come across it or sees it around, a call to the police quoting incident number 5220178452 or information posted here would be greatly appreciated. I'm fairly resigned to not getting it back but I'd like to think there's at least a chance of at least one or two of this lot getting their collars felt.


Really sorry to hear this and I hope you get your bike back and the cowardly filth who attacked you get what's coming to them.


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## two sheds (Aug 12, 2020)

jesus  so sorry to hear that, I hope the fuckers get caught 

(I've added a bit more detail to the title which I hope will help)


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## linds (Aug 13, 2020)

two sheds said:


> jesus  so sorry to hear that, I hope the fuckers get caught
> 
> (I've added a bit more detail to the title which I hope will help)


Thanks. Yes that does make it clearer. Don't want to scare people of the whole path and drive the cafe at Warmley out of business or some other unintended consequence!


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## two sheds (Aug 13, 2020)

two sheds said:


> jesus  so sorry to hear that, I hope the fuckers get caught
> 
> (I've added a bit more detail to the title which I hope will help)



I think ed must have added the bit between brackets  

(I have no such powers  )


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## BristolEcho (Aug 13, 2020)

Sorry to hear this will share around. Unfortunately there were a spare of robberies last year too. It's a shame as I tend to avoid it after rush hour mainly.


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## strung out (Aug 13, 2020)

My running club runs on the cycle bath regularly between Warmley and Staple Hill. Unfortunately there have been quite a few attacks there over the last year or so.


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## Chilli.s (Aug 13, 2020)

That cycle path is like a crime highway. Sorry about your bike and all the bother.


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## sovereignb (Aug 14, 2020)

I dont know what to say other than im sorry that happened


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## gentlegreen (Aug 14, 2020)

You might want to post on some local facebook groups ...









						Bristol & Bath Railway Path - OnePath | Facebook
					

“We are committed to a Bristol and Bath Railway Path that is a safe space: a park, path and place for all users, by foot or by wheel, enabling healthy lifestyles in a green and biodiverse corridor...




					www.facebook.com
				












						Bristol Cyclists | Facebook
					

If you cycle in Bristol this group is for you.




					www.facebook.com


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## linds (Aug 14, 2020)

sovereignb said:


> I dont know what to say other than im sorry that happened


Thanks. The words of sympathy are more than enough (this goes for everyone). I very much appreciate that there isn't a lot people can "do" about something like this, other than in the very remotely possible scenario that they come across the bike in some context. I've heard of a few cases where just getting the details out there via as many channels as possible has got results.


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## linds (Aug 14, 2020)

gentlegreen said:


> You might want to post on some local facebook groups ...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks. Did take a quick look at those yesterday and thought I should try to get in touch with them. I'm not on FB myself but might see if I can get someone who is to post something on my behalf or even crumble after all these years and sign up. Looking at the Bristol Bath Railway Path group, this sounds sadly familiar:


Just over two weeks earlier and very much the same MO. This is probably about 1.5-2km further towards Bath than my attack.

Also somewhat bemused to see in the Post today:

*Serious attack on man next to Bristol cycle path*
Police believe it was an "isolated incident"

Turns out this was about 600-700m towards Bristol from where I was so "unrelated" probably a better choice of words than "isolated" (to be fair, the suspect's description doesn't sound like any of those in my case).


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## beesonthewhatnow (Aug 14, 2020)

Sorry to hear this. It comes to something when we’re safer on the bloody roads dodging cars.


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## kalidarkone (Aug 14, 2020)

Sorry to hear about this. I hope you make a swift recovery, the scum get caught and you get the bike back. I know quite a few people over the years that have been attacked and their bike stolen. 
I live in Easton and at the time I was with my bf I would beg him not to cycle on the railway path after dusk. How shit.


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## girasol (Aug 14, 2020)

I hope those cowards who did this to you get what they deserve!


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## sovereignb (Aug 15, 2020)

linds said:


> Thanks. The words of sympathy are more than enough (this goes for everyone). I very much appreciate that there isn't a lot people can "do" about something like this, other than in the very remotely possible scenario that they come across the bike in some context. I've heard of a few cases where just getting the details out there via as many channels as possible has got results.


Here's hoping something comes through. The whole experience must have been frightening as well as frustrating. I didn't know targeting cycle paths was a thing, at least not here in London.


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## gentlegreen (Aug 15, 2020)

The Railway path is a rather particular thing - a green corridor - not just a convenient transport route, but effectively a park and green gym for thousands of people - you can more or less roll gently downhill from Bristol into something close to countryside - and it's a decent starting point for some longer rides ...but it's also a magnet for dodgy people - and with the recent increased attractiveness of cycling as transport, local bike theft has increased massively - though it was already high.
Doubtless bikes stolen from sheds and gardens along the path are transported away using it.

It's making me a bit nervous because I'm retiring this year and need it to continue to be my main form of exercise - though instead of a daily 5 minutes each way during rush hour as part of my commute, it will be up to 45 minutes each way several times a week - hopefully if I'm using it during the quiet hours of 10am to 3 pm, there won't be much incentive for criminals ...

Hopefully once the present situation is resolved, things will improve on the path.


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## BristolEcho (Aug 15, 2020)

gentlegreen said:


> The Railway path is a rather particular thing - a green corridor - not just a convenient transport route, but effectively a park and green gym for thousands of people - you can more or less roll gently downhill from Bristol into something close to countryside - and it's a decent starting point for some longer rides ...but it's also a magnet for dodgy people - and with the recent increased attractiveness of cycling as transport, local bike theft has increased massively - though it was already high.
> Doubtless bikes stolen from sheds and gardens along the path are transported away using it.
> 
> It's making me a bit nervous because I'm retiring this year and need it to continue to be my main form of exercise - though instead of a daily 5 minutes each way during rush hour as part of my commute, it will be up to 45 minutes each way several times a week - hopefully if I'm using it during the quiet hours of 10am to 3 pm, there won't be much incentive for criminals ...
> ...



I've ridden it extensively during the days over the years and never had any problems. Like anywhere slightly off track there's always the risk. Definitely recommend insurance if bikes worth it. Doesn't make up for being robbed, but does make it easier to claim back.


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## kalidarkone (Aug 15, 2020)

sovereignb said:


> Here's hoping something comes through. The whole experience must have been frightening as well as frustrating. I didn't know targeting cycle paths was a thing, at least not here in London.


Crime on the railway path in the last decade has risen and increases in the summer holidays.


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## Jay Park (Aug 15, 2020)

Fuck is wrong with our society?


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## gentlegreen (Aug 15, 2020)

kalidarkone said:


> Crime on the railway path in the last decade has risen and increases in the summer holidays.


... and this year the "holidays" have been interminable ...


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## linds (Aug 15, 2020)

BristolEcho said:


> I've ridden it extensively during the days over the years and never had any problems. Like anywhere slightly off track there's always the risk.


Me too. I use it as the return leg for a lot of my regular rides up to the bottom of the Cotswold edge in the Hawkesbury / Acton Turville / Marshfield general direction. Usually join the path at Shortwood or Warmely rather than going on roads through Kingswood. I've never previously had any trouble - main hazards have been sudden unnanounced changes of direction by other users and dogs on those extending leads. 

On reflection, should probably have read the danger signs better here in that it was approaching dusk (by no means dark, although I have previously ridden the path at night with lights), I was suddenly in a quiet section with nobody else around (although there had been plenty of other riders around a few hundred metres further up) and there was an obvious group clustered on the path. They appeared to move apart to let me through as I approached but I expect this was just to force me to take a particular line so the big one could take a swing at me as I passed. There may have been a "spotter" further up the path - I do recall someone hanging around under the Devon Rd bridge for no obvious reason.

Looking at the recorded crime data it doesn't seem that easy to separate incidents on the path from those in it's general area, I don't know how accurately the recorded lattitude+longitude reflect the location where incidents took place and obvious key phrases like "cycle path" don't seem to make it into the published summary. Generating some sort of heat map would take more time and energy than I have right now. There was an "All the crimes reported on the Bristol-Bath Railway Path in the last year" article in April in The Post (sorry - private window if you want to avoid all their tracking guff) but it isn't massively informative.


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