Peril in the Park

[XFool]

Just been attacked in the park...

Having a nice rest on a bench after my late afternoon 'constitutional', playing Snake on my trusty Nokia 1100! (Such are the simple pleasures of we techno-retards) Not paying the slightest attention to anything around me.

Suddenly, out of the blue, a male launches himself at me: my first notion is effectively "Is this someone I know playing a prank?" My second notion is "No it isn't". I strike out with my leg and arm, pushing him away abruptly "Go away!".

Turns out he is not entirely well and one of the people with him apologises. No harm done. Least it wasn't a dog this time...

[ukmtk]

Hopefully you're OK?

It seems a bit sad that almost anybody could be attacked for no apparent reason.
Especially if drugs or abnormal mentality issues are the cause.

I remember a question on a US cycling board asking how many members carried a gun whilst cycling.
The answer was 1 in 3!

Mind you I recently read that 93% of female cyclists in London suffer frequent abuse or unwanted attention.
I think it was in a recent Cycling Plus.

[bungeejumper]

It seems a bit sad that almost anybody could be attacked for no apparent reason.
Especially if drugs or abnormal mentality issues are the cause.

Drugs or abnormal mentality are usually at the root of the problem, and it's probably more common than one might suppose because most victims don't report it. I had an incident in a square off a swanky shopping street, when somebody who was not in control of his mind (for whatever reason) started following me around, swearing and screaming at me. I walked away, but shaking him off took longer than I expected. In fact the shoppers were also avoiding me! Presumably they thought I'd helped to create the altercation? Talk about feeling alone in a crowd.....

Still, at least that one didn't make physical contact with me like the OP's assailant did. Nor did the very big but well-spoken mugger in another well-heeled town, who backed me into a shop doorway in broad daylight and demanded cash. Reasoning that he probably needed finance for his next fix, I offered him a fiver, and he took it and vanished. He might even have said thank you - I was too shocked to notice.

BJ

[UncleEbenezer]

Mind you I recently read that 93% of female cyclists in London suffer frequent abuse or unwanted attention.
I think it was in a recent Cycling Plus.

That kind of report typically arises from a leading question. So it probably lumps in serious incidents, trivial incidents, and non-incidents like "well, I suppose he might have been ogling me".

I'm male, and have had some incidents that would surely qualify - though doubtless less often than if I'd been a lady. And to be fair, the most potentially-serious was cycling back to Girton late at night, and the attacker might've expected a cyclist doing that journey at that hour to be female. I've had offensive-but-non-serious incidents - like a van pulling in alongside me and shouting and wolf-whistling - in broad daylight when they couldn't possibly have mistaken my sex.

[UncleEbenezer]

Nor did the very big but well-spoken mugger in another well-heeled town, who backed me into a shop doorway in broad daylight and demanded cash. Reasoning that he probably needed finance for his next fix, I offered him a fiver, and he took it and vanished. He might even have said thank you - I was too shocked to notice.

BJ

Do you suppose they accept card payment now that many of us have gone cashless?

[AuroraAbyss]

Woah intense, You did well to respond fast by pushing the person away. And it's good that it was not something serious, just a person who was confused. Credit to the individual accompanying him for offering an apology, that's quite considerate. However, experiencing such a sudden attack must have been rather unsettling. I hope you are fine following that incident. Certainly, it is better than being pursued by a dog.

[scotia]

Certainly, it is better than being pursued by a dog.

Way back in the distant past, I was at my first day in a new job in a (new to me) Scottish City. At lunch time I set out across a nearby park, working out my best route to the bus station, when I was greeted by a friendly dog who insisted in accompanying me wherever I went. I headed back to my workplace, but I hadn't the heart to leave it whining outside, so I returned to the park where I introduced it to the fun of chasing ducks at the pond, but as soon as I tried to escape, it followed me. A kindly old lady guessed what the problem was, and told me that there was a branch of the Scottish SPCA on the other side of the park, so I headed there with the accompanying dog. They explained that it was probably a dog that had been abandoned in the park by an owner who possibly looked like me. The asked if I could look after the dog - but I explained that my newly rented flat in a high rise block was not suitable. They then told me that I should really take the dog to a police station, however (rattling a collection box in front of me) they could possibly handle the problem. So I paid up - and scampered, minus the dog. I wrote off the park as an appropriate route to the bus station

[bungeejumper]

Way back in the distant past, I was at my first day in a new job in a (new to me) Scottish City. At lunch time I set out across a nearby park, working out my best route to the bus station, when I was greeted by a friendly dog who insisted in accompanying me wherever I went. I headed back to my workplace, but I hadn't the heart to leave it whining outside, so I returned to the park where I introduced it to the fun of chasing ducks at the pond, but as soon as I tried to escape, it followed me. A kindly old lady guessed what the problem was, and told me that there was a branch of the Scottish SPCA on the other side of the park, so I headed there with the accompanying dog.

Hold it right there. There just happened to be an SPCA branch right beside the park where this dog just happened to choose you as its hostage? And the SPCA ended up getting ransom money out of you?

You've been the victim of a sting, sir. Although the dog itself deserves credit for its own role in the scheme. It's a lot more impressive than endlessly wuffling "sausages".

By the way, did you make it back to work on time?

BJ

[didds]

Hold it right there. There just happened to be an SPCA branch right beside the park where this dog just happened to choose you as its hostage? And the SPCA ended up getting ransom money out of you?

You've been the victim of a sting, sir.

BJ

That was my exact first thought.

[scotia]

Way back in the distant past, I was at my first day in a new job in a (new to me) Scottish City. At lunch time I set out across a nearby park, working out my best route to the bus station, when I was greeted by a friendly dog who insisted in accompanying me wherever I went. I headed back to my workplace, but I hadn't the heart to leave it whining outside, so I returned to the park where I introduced it to the fun of chasing ducks at the pond, but as soon as I tried to escape, it followed me. A kindly old lady guessed what the problem was, and told me that there was a branch of the Scottish SPCA on the other side of the park, so I headed there with the accompanying dog.

Hold it right there. There just happened to be an SPCA branch right beside the park where this dog just happened to choose you as its hostage? And the SPCA ended up getting ransom money out of you?

You've been the victim of a sting, sir. Although the dog itself deserves credit for its own role in the scheme. It's a lot more impressive than endlessly wuffling "sausages".

By the way, did you make it back to work on time?

BJ

Surely they wouldn't have played such a dastardly trick on a young impressionable youth from another Scottish city
However recounting my story caused much mirth, and my late return to work was forgiven.

[WickedLester]

Being serious for a moment, I was walking along London Wall on the way to the station after work one evening when I noticed a card wallet on the floor. I picked it up and found a bank card, driving licence and £10 cash. I thought I'd hand it in to the Police, I guess the bank card would have been cancelled as soon as the owner realised he lost it but buying a new driving licence would be aggravation.

When I got to Liverpool St. station I found some Bobbies and offered it to them, telling them I'd found it on London Wall and they told me to give it to lost property as if that's somewhere the owner would think to check. I went to lost property and it was closed so I went out of my way and handed it in at Bishopsgate Police station, leaving the £10 cash in it (in case there's still an unsolved theft on file).

I expect by now the bank card and driving licence have been destroyed, the wallet sold at a Police auction and what £10?

Twas it ever thus?

[1nvest]

Being serious for a moment, I was walking along London Wall on the way to the station after work one evening when I noticed a card wallet on the floor. I picked it up and found a bank card, driving licence and £10 cash. I thought I'd hand it in to the Police, I guess the bank card would have been cancelled as soon as the owner realised he lost it but buying a new driving licence would be aggravation.

When I got to Liverpool St. station I found some Bobbies and offered it to them, telling them I'd found it on London Wall and they told me to give it to lost property as if that's somewhere the owner would think to check. I went to lost property and it was closed so I went out of my way and handed it in at Bishopsgate Police station, leaving the £10 cash in it (in case there's still an unsolved theft on file).

I expect by now the bank card and driving licence have been destroyed, the wallet sold at a Police auction and what £10?

Twas it ever thus?

Huh! Bank card or driving licence should point to or indicate a actual home address

[1nvest]

It seems a bit sad that almost anybody could be attacked for no apparent reason.
Especially if drugs or abnormal mentality issues are the cause.

Drugs or abnormal mentality are usually at the root of the problem, and it's probably more common than one might suppose because most victims don't report it. I had an incident in a square off a swanky shopping street, when somebody who was not in control of his mind (for whatever reason) started following me around, swearing and screaming at me. I walked away, but shaking him off took longer than I expected. In fact the shoppers were also avoiding me! Presumably they thought I'd helped to create the altercation? Talk about feeling alone in a crowd.....

Still, at least that one didn't make physical contact with me like the OP's assailant did. Nor did the very big but well-spoken mugger in another well-heeled town, who backed me into a shop doorway in broad daylight and demanded cash. Reasoning that he probably needed finance for his next fix, I offered him a fiver, and he took it and vanished. He might even have said thank you - I was too shocked to notice.

BJ

What - no walking stick?

Not the blatant obvious

But something a little more sophisticated

(collapsible and with a hidden compartment within which to store some readies should your wallet get lifted).

"Four" pounds would likely be enough - don't be over generous as that could land you in over-done territory.

[tjh290633]

But something a little more sophisticated

(collapsible and with a hidden compartment within which to store some readies should your wallet get lifted).

"Four" pounds would likely be enough - don't be over generous as that could land you in over-done territory.

I have one of those, it contains a small phial for a restorative drink if needed.

Maybe offer a drink?

TJH