I was almost bike jacked on Finchley Road at about 2:15 yesterday. 2 scooters, lad on the pillion of one pulled out a gun. Anyone on the A41 stretch, please be extremely careful and don’t ride if you don’t have to.
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Was that during the day?
Struth and there’s me thinking the Kent kitchen knife episode was as bad as it gets in London
Glad to hear your a survivor
Fuck, I take it you reported it to the police?
Yeah 14:15-ish.
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Yes reported to police, tho I’m likely to lose my license for all the red lights and cameras I ran through. Police have said the courts won’t hear the reasons as valid.
Thanks mate.
Geez that’s bad ,did you report it to,police as an attack against you and get a crime number or whatever they give you…might help if get any summons or tickets?..if not I would be getting back down to police station stating you want to report a very serious attack and want paperwork to back up the report.
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Hey mate, all good points. I did report it and do have a crime number, and also my gf’s dad (ex copper) said the same thing: write up a report, detail a map of where it happened, where i rode, etc, and go make an official report. I’ll be doing that.
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Well done to get away. Hope you don’t get stung with the red light runs or anything else.
What went through your mind? Did you just escape at random - or did a good route to escape down pop into your head as you went?
Second i saw the gun, I thought 'ok, if you stop at these lights, you’re getting jacked;. So i opened the throttle and went. Immediately I knew if i stayed on Finchley Road there are too many junctions i couldn’t run through without getting hit. So i took the left down to Kilburn. I know the area pretty well as I used to live in Kilburn, Maida Vale and Notting Hill. i also knew that the only chance I had was to make a gap as quickly as possible (and I was on a FireBlade). So those roads felt like they had fewer central reservations, more turn offs, etc… and gave me a better chance. At the first lights I stopped but saw them coming in my mirrors so i shot off again through the lights. Same at the next set. i did know where I was going and took the best routes I could, knowng that if they got me they’d be mad. I also went straight to Kilburn police station… only to find it’d be closed!. So I shot off again, thinking ok, i’m committed to escaping now so head down and keep going. Stop for nothing. And I knew if i got to the north circular then I’d get to the M1 without them able to catch me. Throughout the ordeal i felt like i was going to have a heart attack, such was the level of fear of a) being caught b) crashing into car or pedestrian and c) losing control of the bike, as I was absolutely ragging it. (Probably helps that I’ve got a lot of years of club racing under my belt).
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Jeez, pleased you’re ok bud! cannot being to imagine how you felt. I was pretty nervous when I thought I was gonna be jacked by someone which turned out to be nothing, god knows what it was have been like in that situation.
stay safe out there…
Nasty. I hope you don’t get a ban. Great that you schooled the scrotes in road craft.
Bloody hell. That’s crazy. Thanks for sharing. Really hope you don’t have a nightmare with the Police. That’s enough to make your stomach turn.
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Utterly, utterly shocking. I’m glad you are okay - apart from the trauma - and had the presence of mind to make good your escape.
I’m often riding through Maida Vale at that sort of time. I never imagined someone pulling a gun on me. I shall be doubly on the alert in future, thanks.
Good luck with the speed cameras, traffic light cameras. I’m confident if you are taken to court there isn’t a magistrate in the country that wouldn’t understand your story. Make sure you keep as much evidence as you can. Make a statement and keep a copy.
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And if can, get in front of a jury if that’s possible? Fall all way they’d find you guilty imho
(Not sure it is for minor offences?)
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Did you consider just leaving the bike and running away? Thanks for sharing. In reading the thread it has made me think I need a plan in advance if this ever happens to me so I can be decisive at the time, and I think I would just give it up.
It also makes me wonder whether a bike tracker is a very good idea to make it easier to just give the bike up? (I already have it on my KTM)
I dont think it is worth risking your life, either because of them, or if you crash, or a pedestrian or anyone else. Having said all of this, I would assume they would give up though rather than pursue as surely like all thieves they go for the easiest situations?
Is there anything else we can do to lower the risk here? Can’t you get off the bike and immobilise it? Or stop quickly when you spot it and grab the key and run? What if we wear cameras? I know they have balaclavas on and no number plate, but something to make less of a target? I do wonder if some sort of weapon on the bike would help if you ever got into a life or death situation? I ight try and see if you can get pepper spray or whatever it is called (which I know would be illegal but would but I dont care if its what i would need to protect myself) I think having an awareness of where and how far police stations are from you are a good idea on our usual routes.
EDIT: Also makes you wonder if its better to wear a packpack with certain things in it, or especially important things like house keys on your person, rather than on bike
Personally I’d just have to judge it as it happens, too many things to take into account. Do you think you can actually escape, how much fuel in the bike, what bike are they on compared to yours, what time of day is it, are there many people around you, is the traffic busy and many more.
The only key I have on the bike is the one the starts it. I wouldn’t have any others attached, mainly as they’ll scratch the area around the ignition barrel but also if you left them in by accident you’ve lost more than one key.
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Yeah I did consider it, but once i’d run off I thought if i stopped it’d be more violent if they caught me. So i did consider if they get close or i get blocked in I’ll jump off the bike and run (and call cops), but ONLY if they got close enough. I also knew i had enough fuel, and knew thet if i got to faster roads with no lights I’d be ok.
I’ve since purchased a tracker, which i think would make the odds of recovery slightly higher.
I also think wearing a camera MAY reduce their desire a little, but in general they’ve got helmets on and fake plates so I’m not sure that’d deter them any.
i did ride to a police station on the route, but it was closed. i also thought if i SEE a police person I’ll stop and grab them.
I also did consider getting a weapon, but we all know they are tooled up and there were three of them, so odds are you’l get more harmed doing that. So that’s a no.
I’ve been thinking that actually riding in packs might help. Usually do-able at rush hours, as there are so many bikes around. just sticking with other bikes as a ‘safety in numbers’ thing.
Having said all that, I’ve not managed to get myself to ride in since.
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The thing everyone needs to know there is normally only one 24h police station in each London borough these days.
I’ve considered going into 24h petrol stations or supermarkets or if it’s early enough a busy pub.
Better chance of someone helping you get assistance if the worst happens.
Though as said, if you’re on a decent open road gas the fuck out of there!!!