Cyclist shot in airgun attack

On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 at 23:49 GMT, Shabby (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

Police said a description of the car, a maroon Ford Fairlane, was
issued and the vehicle was quickly spotted by the operator of a
surveillance camera driving along Russell Street.

The four men were arrested and interviewed and are to be charged on
summons with conduct likely to cause serious injury.

W00!

When are we going to outlaw stupidity, dammit?

--
TimC -- http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/staff/tconnors/
Information wants to be beer, or something like that. --unk

another kilo of chlorine required in the gene pool. 🙁
Jock
"TimC" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
| On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 at 23:49 GMT, Shabby (aka Bruce)
| was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
| > Police said a description of the car, a maroon Ford Fairlane, was
| > issued and the vehicle was quickly spotted by the operator of a
| > surveillance camera driving along Russell Street.
| >
| > The four men were arrested and interviewed and are to be charged on
| > summons with conduct likely to cause serious injury.
|
| W00!
|
|
| When are we going to outlaw stupidity, dammit?
|
| --
| TimC -- http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/staff/tconnors/
| Information wants to be beer, or something like that. --unk

Shabby said:

Police wrap: Cyclist shot in airgun attack
November 17, 2004 - 8:20AM

Four men have been arrested after an alleged "drive-by" shooting of a cyclist with an air rifle in Melbourne.

Police allege a man leant out of the window of a moving vehicle on St Kilda Road in South Melbourne and shot at a cyclist with an air rifle about 4am (AEDT) yesterday.

Was it Gandhi who said that when they get angry with you, you realise that you are challenging their worldview, and that deep down, they know you are right, so to avoid cognitive dissonance, they have to attempt to eliminate you? Or scare you back into line. The status quo MUST BE PRESERVED. No matter how much carnage is HAPPENING SOMEWHERE ELSE to preserve it. No matter how irrational and redneck their actions. Anything but the MAJOR effort of changing their creaky, afraid, sclerotic minds.

It could have been Bill Hicks. No less valid, anyway.

M "Hicksophile" H

"Shabby" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Police wrap: Cyclist shot in airgun attack
November 17, 2004 - 8:20AM

Four men have been arrested after an alleged "drive-by" shooting of a
cyclist with an air rifle in Melbourne.

Police allege a man leant out of the window of a moving vehicle on St
Kilda Road in South Melbourne and shot at a cyclist with an air rifle
about 4am (AEDT) yesterday.

The cyclist was not seriously hurt but suffered a graze to his
shoulder.

Police said a description of the car, a maroon Ford Fairlane, was
issued and the vehicle was quickly spotted by the operator of a
surveillance camera driving along Russell Street.

The four men were arrested and interviewed and are to be charged on
summons with conduct likely to cause serious injury.
--
Shabby

A mate and I had a similar experience in Adelaide in about 1995. We were
staggering up West Terrace after just coming out of the Heaven nightclub (we
were looking for food from memory).........a car went past and there was a
"ping" sound on the fence that we were walking past and as I looked up, a
guy was pulling a gun back inside a crappy old commodore. Despite our best
drunken efforts to run after the car and catch up with them at the next
lights, they got away.....hehe.

It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye.

Gags

Arrrgggg, there's no accounting for stupidity! As for attributing "blame", lets look more towards some the worst excesses of US-style culture that have been imported into Australia for years.

Non-cycling anecdote - Flashback to NYE 2003, caught a No. 19 Tram from Coburg into the city. On the tram was a pair of flash young lads, drinking UDL's (gin & juice?), playing gawd awful 50 cent on the Mp3 & dissin' all hoes on the tram.

Now here's the tragic bit, they were refering to themselves as Fawkner "[censored]" or is that niggaz...sorry, no insult intended to anyone. They looked like very nice young boys from a very nice middle-eastern family. Not forgetting, one of the pair had a crappy replicate pistol. He was aiming the thing & pretending to shoot passengers. The lads alighted the tram at Bourke St Mall. After stifling giggles, I couldn't help but stand up from my seat & watch them swagger up the mall.

Unfortunately the milling NYE crowds obscured my view - I still wonder if they ventured more than 20m without getting a face plant courtesy of the Vic Police, who insidently, do carry real shooters. Hmmm, amazed they didn't receive a 38 hollow point for being STUPID. 😠

I don't get this modern day mindset that is permeating our society. Without being too flippant, but is this where we as cyclists, and furthermore female cyclists are going to be doing what is recommended to our female compatriots in the USA and that riding while packing a hand gun discretely hidden in a jersey pocket.

I can see a collective shaking of heads at the thought of it, but seriously 20 years from now what type of behaviour is going to be occurring and particularly to what extent do we as bystanders observe and passively accept?

Scares the pants off me.....

*Not a bad subject for my first post !!
Heres cheers to more on a lighter note..

Saffi....

Saffi said:

I don't get this modern day mindset that is permeating our society. Without being too flippant, but is this where we as cyclists, and furthermore female cyclists are going to be doing what is recommended to our female compatriots in the USA and that riding while packing a hand gun discretely hidden in a jersey pocket.

Saffi....

I emphasis with your concerns Saffi, but speaking as a Lady Cyclist I don't believe I need to carry a gun, besides it would ruin my profile. Anyway I've decided that a combination of either: 1. loud swearing, 2. AirZound 3. Zen-like calm, is all that's required for dealing with Australian motorists. Not forgetting a pen, paper, mobile & a sense of humour. 😄

cfsmtb said:

Saffi said:

I don't get this modern day mindset that is permeating our society.
Without being too flippant, but is this where we as cyclists, and
furthermore female cyclists are going to be doing what is recommended
to our female compatriots in the USA and that riding while packing a
hand gun discretely hidden in a jersey pocket.

Saffi....

I emphasis with your concerns Saffi, but speaking as a Lady Cyclist I
don't believe I need to carry a gun, besides it would ruin my profile.
Anyway I've decided that a combination of either: 1. loud swearing, 2.
AirZound 3. Zen-like calm, is all that's required for dealing with
Australian motorists. Not forgetting a pen, paper, mobile & a sense of
humour. 😄

--
cfsmtb

When someone hassles you or tries to run you off the road, Saffi, you
must sit up with a massive grin on your face and wave like a lunatic.
This is especially good when they honk because "I honestly thought it
was friendly honk." I've chased people down and then tried to hold an
intelligent, calm discussion with them. They always get very, very
[censored].

Now how are those American ladies going to fire their weapons without
falling off their bikes? R-E-C-O-I-L...? If they have to dismount
anyway, it's probably too late... they might as well learn how to punch
and run.

T

Tamyka Bell said:

When someone hassles you or tries to run you off the road, Saffi, you
must sit up with a massive grin on your face and wave like a lunatic.
This is especially good when they honk because "I honestly thought it
was friendly honk." I've chased people down and then tried to hold an
intelligent, calm discussion with them. They always get very, very
[censored].

came to work on the bus, as it was pouring[0], to witness a cyclist get
off his bike an procede to kick in both headlights[1] on a shiny new
falcon and ride off, battered and bleeding.

but on a good note, i've had a good run with with traffic so far 😉

kim

[0] no i'm not hard core. yet.
[1] @ ~600$ each

Now how are those American ladies going to fire their weapons without
falling off their bikes? R-E-C-O-I-L...? If they have to dismount
anyway, it's probably too late... they might as well learn how to punch
and run.

T[/QUOTE]
watch John Wayne westerns for tips on how to fire rifle while riding horse; then make necessary adjustments to process to be able to fire rifle from bike. For an Australian approach, watch Breaker Morant. I think there is a firing from saddle scene in there somewhere. 😉

SteveA

"cfsmtb" <[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Saffi said:

I don't get this modern day mindset that is permeating our society.
Without being too flippant, but is this where we as cyclists, and
furthermore female cyclists are going to be doing what is recommended
to our female compatriots in the USA and that riding while packing a
hand gun discretely hidden in a jersey pocket.

Saffi....

I emphasis with your concerns Saffi, but speaking as a Lady Cyclist I
don't believe I need to carry a gun, besides it would ruin my profile.
Anyway I've decided that a combination of either: 1. loud swearing, 2.
AirZound 3. Zen-like calm, is all that's required for dealing with
Australian motorists. Not forgetting a pen, paper, mobile & a sense of
humour. 😄

But, as Australians seem to be turning into Americans.. what then?

http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/ccw/selection.htm
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3197/is_5_48/ai_102227973

My brother used to work in a gun shop - maybe I can get you
a deal on a nice figure-hugging "piece"? ;-)

hippy
- doesn't find it all that funny..

Kim Hawtin said:

Tamyka Bell said:

When someone hassles you or tries to run you off the road, Saffi, you
must sit up with a massive grin on your face and wave like a lunatic.
This is especially good when they honk because "I honestly thought it
was friendly honk." I've chased people down and then tried to hold an
intelligent, calm discussion with them. They always get very, very
[censored].

came to work on the bus, as it was pouring[0], to witness a cyclist get
off his bike an procede to kick in both headlights[1] on a shiny new
falcon and ride off, battered and bleeding.

but on a good note, i've had a good run with with traffic so far 😉

kim

[0] no i'm not hard core. yet.
[1] @ ~600$ each

WRT [0] - you're alive and cycling. you're well on your way.
T

SteveA said:

Now how are those American ladies going to fire their weapons without
falling off their bikes? R-E-C-O-I-L...? If they have to dismount
anyway, it's probably too late... they might as well learn how to punch
and run.

T
watch John Wayne westerns for tips on how to fire rifle while riding
horse; then make necessary adjustments to process to be able to fire
rifle from bike. For an Australian approach, watch Breaker Morant. I
think there is a firing from saddle scene in there somewhere. 😉

I'm pretty sure the mass of the horse has something to do with that, and
the fact the horse can move. If my bike weighed that much I'd want it to
be able to run fast too. Then I could just hang on. I'd be much better
off. I could carry passengers too, and stop to drink billy tea and eat
damper. Now I'm confused with that trail ride I went on. It's been a
long week.

T

hippy said:

My brother used to work in a gun shop - maybe I can get you
a deal on a nice figure-hugging "piece"? ;-)

hippy
- doesn't find it all that funny..

Na, I don't find it funny at all. A particularly nasty incident involving firearms in May 1996 is what directly made me get back on the bike. Needed something to take my mind off bad events. Cycling was the spark that changed my life. I hate firearms & will never own any.

On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 at 02:12 GMT, cfsmtb (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

hippy said:

My brother used to work in a gun shop - maybe I can get you
a deal on a nice figure-hugging "piece"? ;-)

hippy
- doesn't find it all that funny..

Na, I don't find it funny at all. A particularly nasty incident
involving firearms in May 1996 is what directly made me get back on the
bike. Needed something to take my mind off bad events. Cycling was the
spark that changed my life. I hate firearms & will never own any.

The author of spike bike mentioned that he came very close to buying a
gun once from a sports store. He persuaded himself he didn't want to
do that, because he was pretty sure he would use it when some driver
deserved it.

--
TimC -- http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/staff/tconnors/
I'm not a procrastinator! I'm temporally challenged! --unk

"Tamyka Bell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Now how are those American ladies going to fire their weapons without
falling off their bikes? R-E-C-O-I-L...? If they have to dismount
anyway, it's probably too late... they might as well learn how to punch
and run.

Recoil that will take you off a bike with, say, a 9mm?

Not all pistols have huge recoil.

You watch too much TV.

"Tamyka Bell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

SteveA said:

Now how are those American ladies going to fire their weapons without
falling off their bikes? R-E-C-O-I-L...? If they have to dismount
anyway, it's probably too late... they might as well learn how to punch
and run.

T
watch John Wayne westerns for tips on how to fire rifle while riding
horse; then make necessary adjustments to process to be able to fire
rifle from bike. For an Australian approach, watch Breaker Morant. I
think there is a firing from saddle scene in there somewhere. 😉

I'm pretty sure the mass of the horse has something to do with that,

Not a thing to do with it. if horse mass were the only thing preventing the
horse going over from a rifles recoil, the rider would either come off
sideways or snap their spine - you are wildly overestimating the recoil of a
rifle, let alone an intelligently chosen pistol.

L'acrobat said:

"Tamyka Bell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

SteveA said:

Now how are those American ladies going to fire their weapons without
falling off their bikes? R-E-C-O-I-L...? If they have to dismount
anyway, it's probably too late... they might as well learn how to punch
and run.

T
watch John Wayne westerns for tips on how to fire rifle while riding
horse; then make necessary adjustments to process to be able to fire
rifle from bike. For an Australian approach, watch Breaker Morant. I
think there is a firing from saddle scene in there somewhere. 😉

I'm pretty sure the mass of the horse has something to do with that,

Not a thing to do with it. if horse mass were the only thing preventing the
horse going over from a rifles recoil, the rider would either come off
sideways or snap their spine - you are wildly overestimating the recoil of a
rifle, let alone an intelligently chosen pistol.

Perhaps. But then there's the fun of trying to aim a pistol with any accuracy whatsoever whilst riding a bike. Add to that the fact that a pistol with a barrel short enough to conveniently stow while riding will be even less accurate and there's more chance of inadvertently picking off pedestrians on the other side of the road than hitting your intended target. Speaking of intended target, what exactly do you consider lethal force a reasonable response to? By the time you realise someone's actually, deliberately, maliciously trying to actually KILL you, I'd venture to say it's a wee bit late to draw, aim and fire. Anything less than someone deliberately trying to actually kill you doesn't warrant lethal force, and I'd defy you to explain otherwise in a court of law. Or here in this forum, actually. Armed vigilates on the streets do NOT make being out in public a safer thing. Fortunately, it's not even remotely legal in this country, and anyone found carrying a firearm in public like that is automatically up for hefty legal penalties.

"Resound" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

L'acrobat said:

"Tamyka Bell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

SteveA wrote:
>
> Now how are those American ladies going to fire their weapons

without

Quoted message said:

> falling off their bikes? R-E-C-O-I-L...? If they have to dismount
> anyway, it's probably too late... they might as well learn how to

punch

Quoted message said:

> and run.
>
> T
> watch John Wayne westerns for tips on how to fire rifle while

riding

Quoted message said:

> horse; then make necessary adjustments to process to be able to

fire

Quoted message said:

> rifle from bike. For an Australian approach, watch Breaker Morant.

I

Quoted message said:

> think there is a firing from saddle scene in there somewhere. 😉

I'm pretty sure the mass of the horse has something to do with that,

Not a thing to do with it. if horse mass were the only thing preventing
the
horse going over from a rifles recoil, the rider would either come off
sideways or snap their spine - you are wildly overestimating the recoil
of a
rifle, let alone an intelligently chosen pistol.

Perhaps. But then there's the fun of trying to aim a pistol with any
accuracy whatsoever whilst riding a bike. Add to that the fact that a
pistol with a barrel short enough to conveniently stow while riding
will be even less accurate and there's more chance of inadvertently
picking off pedestrians on the other side of the road than hitting your
intended target.

That is a matter of aiming and only firing when it is safe to do so, the
fact is you won't always be on the bike when you need to defend yourself.

Quoted message said:

Speaking of intended target, what exactly do you
consider lethal force a reasonable response to?

Threat to life, say for example the classic car swerving at you scenario
that we have all experienced.

Serious dog attack seems another reasonable time to fire.

Quoted message said:

By the time you realise
someone's actually, deliberately, maliciously trying to actually KILL
you, I'd venture to say it's a wee bit late to draw, aim and fire.

Then I doubt you've ever practiced instinctive shooting.

Quoted message said:

Anything less than someone deliberately trying to actually kill you
doesn't warrant lethal force,

You are making it up as you go along, you can use reasonable force to defend
yourself, that reasonable force can include lethal force - the determination
of what is reasonable will involve what you are doing, what they are doing,
your size and skill at self defence, what they are armed with, their size
and what you PERCEIVE to be the threat.

Quoted message said:

and I'd defy you to explain otherwise in
a court of law.

Dog attack, the threat of serious injury to yourself or another.

Quoted message said:

Or here in this forum, actually. Armed vigilates on the
streets do NOT make being out in public a safer thing.

Actually, they do. the stats are quite conclusive on the subject.

Quoted message said:

Fortunately, it's
not even remotely legal in this country, and anyone found carrying a
firearm in public like that is automatically up for hefty legal
penalties.

Lets see, get murdered or face court - which would you choose?