N1 City Road Basin teen gang harassing cyclists

I once got called a fat cunt by a copper for riding my bike no hands...

"Ride your bike properly, or get off and push, you fat cunt"

That was very unprofessional of that officer. Clearly it should have been "Ride your bike properly, or get off and push, you fat cunt, sir"

Where the canal goes under the bridge by the lock at Vicky Park I've seen kids lobbing stuff at riders. I stopped and shouted and they slouched off, I was going to grab the chucker and call the cops but thought that could lead to all sorts of unpleasantness.

what sort of times of day are these incidents happening, evening or in broad daylight ?

Shit, I've been riding down that canal every day during the day time for the past few months. Don't fancy getting murked, someone tell me this all happens at night?

The younger, who still dream of NVQ (4 GCES equivalent) in grime music production, are at school till 3.30 PM. The older or excluded don't get up before 3 PM.

Yep early evening not day time. I've been cycling the same route for months and it's only this week it happened. Maybe fluke, maybe avoid canal for the rest of the winter...

During the Autumn/Winter 2013 season you can always ride wearing a wetsuit.

Yep, best avoid. No need for aggro. If you kick off with some kids, you will end up with a police caution or worse. Or get stabbed yourself. Not worth the stress. Can't imagine police chasing yoots around the estates when they can get by issuing on the spot fines for cycling on the pavement in the meantime.

Canal cycling: do not want.

Yep, best avoid. No need for aggro. If you kick off with some kids, you will end up with a police caution or worse.

IF they can be fucked to find evidence, unlikely.

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OOOH IM GONNA KICK SOME ASS NOW

Has anyone else been harassed by a group of teens on the canal towpath along City Road Basin?

They're on bikes and stop you going past, swearing, being intimidating. I've been stopped 2 nights in a row.

Would be useful to know if anyone else has encountered them and/or done anything about it.

Kids (of successive generations) have done this for as long as I can remember. The best thing is usually not to acknowledge them and to seek a way past that doesn't make physical contact. They usually mean no harm.

The local Safer Neighbourhood Team will be aware of the issue. While I don't like penalising kids for being kids, it technically counts as 'anti-social behaviour', and as most SNTs tend to have this as a priority for action, they may be able to do something about it. The best action is usually to give kids somewhere to go and something to do rather than punitive action.

If you still worry, take to the streets around there. Not as quick and direct as the towpath, but various projects by the Canal and River Trust working with local boroughs are underway to improve other connections in the area. After dark, it is generally advisable to stick to main streets.

Canal cycling: do not want.

This!

New route plz.

City road basin is full of 15 year old berks. I'd jut cycle round the back on the cycle lanes - new north road way etc.

Maybe try fitting a super loud, 100db+ horn to your bike and then sound it when they try and stop you. They will, in all likelihood, shit themselves and you can cycle off... until they catch up with you and kick the shit out of you. Sorry, train of thought suggestion, bad idea.

Give tham something to do. Buy few ounces and make them sell it for you. Be inspirational.