Was I about to have my bike stolen or am I been silly?

[fuzzymonkey]

Out for a ride today on a normal road. Two cheeky young chaps, were walking on the path in the other direction.
Just before I passed them, one of them walked into the middle of the road and stopped looked at my bike as I was passing and said "No its push bike"
I kind of got the vibe that if I was on an electric bike then they may have tried to knock me off... Or they could just not be a big fan of Fairlight steel bikes...

This seems to have happen a few times in that area over summer. No crime commited but when I got home I got on the police webchat and they logged a detailed intelligence report.

Was I been a little paranoid? I dont normally get people looking at my bike as I cycle along...

[aterribleusername]

You're not being paranoid at all. It's a new thing that's becoming common very quickly, they just push you off the bike and ride away on it. By the time you've managed to get back up they're gone and you're just left there to phone the police.

[axysdesign]

Perhaps I should rethink having my phone in a little saddlebag with essentials. I always figured it was safer there than in my back pocket in the event of a crash. Fairlight rider also!

[irc]

Being paranoid is good. Well, rather than paranoid I would say aware and alert.

Twice while commuting late at night I have seen neds taking an apparent interest in me and my bike. It was a wide 30mph 4 lane road. As I was a bit suspicious I did a shoulder check just before reaching them. So I was able to swerve onto the wrongside of the road as they walked out towards me just before I reached them as I knew there was no following traffic.

I thought a random assault was more likely than stealing my bike. In the same area a woman was knocked off her bike for no reason by a passing drunk. More recently a semi well knowm musician was attacked on the off road bike path which runs near the road I was on.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-wes...

These random attacks are rare but still worth keeping an eye out.

[RGG]

It won't prevent it from being stolen or you getting mugged -

Consider discretely fitting an Apple Tag or similar and it enhances the possibility of it being found or tracked and the "cheeky chappies" having an unwanted visit.

[JoshSm]

RGG said:

and the "cheeky chappies" having an unwanted visit.

Don't expect the police to provide the unwanted visit, you'd likely have to sort that yourself.