The Chainlink

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140326/humboldt-park/machete-wield...

I'm not a violent guy, but, these idiots need a beating.

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Here is a write up in the Sun Times They are calling it the "Knockout Game".

And anyone saw the Reddit comments?

http://www.suntimes.com/m/26465386-773/cyclist-punched-by-man-wield...

Welp, guess I should get started on a holster for a baseball bat, or at the very least one of my old seatposts.  I ride through there a lot and I'm always wary of everyone, but this is taking it to the next level.

I am trying to recall and dig up news stories about prior attacks on people cycling in Humboldt Park. I found a report on Chicago Fixed Gear forum (no news story) but that was in 2011. I remember one earlier, closer to when I moved to Chicago, in 2006 or 2007, where a guy was cycling down California Avenue and was hit from behind (with a bat?). 

Where was the woman who was hit by a guy who reached out of the passenger seat of an SUV? California north of North?

I can't find anything about the attack on California near Hirsch but I found this:

http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/attacked-sunday-at-845pm

Unfortunately when you put "California" in the search terms it makes a mess out of the results.

Not good, not good!

I think you are talking about Jana Kinsman.  Chainlink thread here.

Alex Z said:

Where was the woman who was hit by a guy who reached out of the passenger seat of an SUV? California north of North?

Yes I think that's who you are talking about.  I saw her sunday.

I know she was overwhelmed with the amazing support the bike community gave her after the horrible event.

Lisa Curcio 4.1 mi said:

I think you are talking about Jana Kinsman.  Chainlink thread here.

Alex Z said:

Where was the woman who was hit by a guy who reached out of the passenger seat of an SUV? California north of North?

Does Division and Kimball count as Humboldt Park?

If so, then this thread from a 2009 attack is appropriate for this thread. Graphic pictures warning!

http://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/529404-ever-have-clean-blood-of...

Steven Vance said:

I am trying to recall and dig up news stories about prior attacks on people cycling in Humboldt Park. I found a report on Chicago Fixed Gear forum (no news story) but that was in 2011. I remember one earlier, closer to when I moved to Chicago, in 2006 or 2007, where a guy was cycling down California Avenue and was hit from behind (with a bat?). 

Here is the link to the reddit discussion where this all started.

http://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/comments/21ck6c/remember_the_socall...



Davis Moore said:

The "Knockout Game" is a media myth created to generate fear and sell advertising revenue. Teenage boys in cities have been roaming around in small groups and randomly jumping individuals for as long as there has been teenage boys in cities.

Well Slate said it, so I'm convinced.

Good article.  On this:

"An important clarification: the game definitely exists, and has been around for at least a couple of years. I'm not claiming the game doesn't exist. But the idea that it's reached epidemic levels, or that it's only being played by young black people, is a fallacy. As Alan Noble convincingly writes, "Analyzing data is not as simple as watching some YouTube videos and Googling 'knockout game.'" And when it comes to the knockout game's supposed popularity, the data is almost entirely anecdotal:"

The problem is definitely more than a few years old, I think social media just makes it look more organized than it is, as a video can go viral and then you get the copycats, the media blow it up, and so forth.

I never heard of anything like this when I was growing up in Chicago, but when I was delivering pizzas 20 years ago in Urbana-Champaign a few pizza drivers got sucker punched, with no attempt made to take their money (or the pizza).  I was told it was because some black teens had formed a "Polar Bear Club," but I'm quite certain that aspect was a bunch of hooey one of the drivers made up. You can see the kind of racist nonsense that these isolated incidents always bring out in the comments at the article Julie linked.

Regardless, anyone hitting someone moving quickly on a bike is potentially committing a premeditated act of murder.  And the kind of person who would not only do this but then also have a friend film it is a sick, sick puppy.  I hope the punk is stupid enough to post the video on facebook so they get caught. 

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