Saturday, November 5, 2011
Safety on the American Tobacco Trail
During the day, the scene at the 2-mile mark on the American Tobacco Trail is occasionally dicey, but rarely dangerous. I once had to sidestep a scrum between an angry man and woman to avoid a wayward punch, but in general, I just smile at the guys getting lit on Stack at 11 in the morning. I mentally note the colorful bikini underwear lying trailside as if it were an exotic leaf. It's the city. I expect a certain grit. No big deal.
Saturdays are usually my day to hit the trail, walking (briskly—I’m trying to preserve my knees) seven to 13 miles, depending on my level of hydration. Yet lately, I've backed off from the ATC, and not because of anything that has happened at Mile 2, which is near Fayetteville and Pilot streets. I question the overall safety of the ATC.
I'm troubled by the recent reports of a man exposing himself, again in the daytime, on the ATC—a weenie waver, as my mother calls such people. He's been spotted, in one case, wearing only a small hat, farther south, down by Woodcroft between Mile 5 and 6.
And in late September, I had to call the police from Mile Marker .25, at the bridge downtown. This was at 5:30 in the afternoon when a guy on a trick bike yells, "Goddamn bitch." I didn't answer. So he biked in front of me and continued to accost me, "Hey, Goddamn bitch, why didn’t you answer? Why are you getting all white on me?"
Silence. But I was thinking, "I didn't answer because my name's not Goddamn bitch."
So after an unpleasant exchange of words, I finally had to dial 9-1-1 because this guy just wasn't going to let it go.
Now I know it's impossible for police to surveil the entire trail; from downtown to Southpoint mall it's essentially a 6.5-mile linear park. And if you choose to travel the trail at night, then don't complain when you are relieved of your wallet. But Durham boasts of the ATC being among its crown jewels, and if people are to enjoy its beauty, then they need to have a basic sense of security, even by urban standards.
Should it have call boxes like Duke University has installed on the Al Buehler Trail—in case, for example, you should be robbed of your cell phone? Are beefed up police patrols enough? I urge the City Council and DPD to address the issue.
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Comments (6)
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I found this thread by searching "American Tobacco Trail teenagers" because I had a handful of gravel thrown at me on the trail by some teenagers today and wanted to see if it was an isolated incident.
This was my first ride on the ATT.
Having had my ass kicked by a group of teens in NYC, I saw familiar signs of trouble to come as I headed back towards downtown. 5-6 young teens huddled around on a bridge and watched me as I approached, right before Riddle Rd, I believe. As I passed them, one kid threw a fistful of rocks at me, hitting the side of my face. I said "thanks," since I was sure these guys understood and appreciated sarcasm. Right past them was a large branch on the path, neatly placed to block the entire paved area. I rode over it slowly, just in time for 3 older teens, maybe 18 or so, to approach me, one of whom said something, which I lost in the wind I generated hauling ass towards town.
Like I said, I've had worse assaults from kids in my life, and this was relatively harmless, but it really makes me think twice about taking a second trail ride on this supposed gem of Durham.
Isn't this the most tolerant city in America?
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Several years ago I encountered a group of teenagers on the trail at the spot where the bridge used to be over the trail (near Carolina Circle). They were crowded onto the pavement and only left a narrow sliver for me to cycle through. I didn't slow down much which might have prevented my being attacked. It was probably just a show of bravado and/or contempt on their part though.
I also carry pepper spray in case of attack. It's a larger canister than some I've seen, I bought it at The Bicycle Chain a few years ago when they were still near 9th Street.
Other than that, my experiences on the trail have been drama-free (knock on wood). My biggest gripe so far is cyclists who don't announce "passing on your left" or something similar before suddenly appearing beside you going Mach 2.
Lisa, I thought your story might include this recent recount on the Bike & Ped listserv:
Yesterday (Halloween), around 7:15pm, I was biking home from work on the
ATT when I was attacked by someone with a knife.
I was headed toward downtown, and just before Enterprise St. I was struck
in the head. I was wearing a helmet and was fine, but startled. I looked
behind me and did not see anyone, but heard someone running off through the
woods on the right side of the trail.
Almost immediately after, I had to stop for trick-or-treaters walking down
Enterprise. They paused in front of me and stared. I greeted them and
they walked on. It sounded like they were muttering something about me,
and as I crossed Enterprise, I figured there must be egg all over my
helmet. So I stopped on the other side of the road and took my helmet
off. A kitchen knife with a 6 inch blade fell out of my helmet.
I called the police when I got home, and they were quick to respond. I had
taken the knife with me, but in my shock, I did not think to mind the
fingerprints. The police did not offer to take fingerprints from the
knife, but I doubt that if they had, they would have found any but my own
by that point.
In case folks need another reason for wearing a bike helmet, there you go.
I am glad you have brought this up... thankfully I have not run into the streaker. Years ago, there was one near the Duke Forest and the police caught him by having a sting operation (female police officer dressed in running outfit). Taken care of, end of problem. I hope that consider this here on the ATT.
I do run with friends some, but that is not always feasible.
Oddly, I think I might have experienced the screaming guy, though. I was wrapping up a run late afternoon, Saturday a week ago, and was picking up the pace. A man on a bike yelled something while biking by me. I didn't respond and instead picked up the pace even more, to which he yelled, "Speedy bitch (or something to that effect)!" I ignored him.
I will say that I always carry pepper spray, hold it upwards and with finger on nozel when I pass people (of all races, ethnicities, sex, etc). It is very clear to people I see that I would use it instantly if they try anything.
Although I do greet people with a confident smile and even wish some folks well (Have a good run! Nice weather out! etc), it is still very clear that I mean business in terms of insuring my personal safety. I don't always carry a cell phone because frankly I don't know how quickly I could even dial 9-1-1. Standing tall, being aware of my environment and carrying my pepper spray seems to have kept unpleasant interactions to a minimum. Also, I try to run when I think there will be a "high traffic" pattern of runners/walkers/bikers. (As for pepper spray, you have to go to a gun store; no longer carried at Walmart, etc).
Hope these simple tips might be of help. And, I agree with the other suggestions, too!
@Bill: Thanks for the info. I don't have a dog, but I do have friends I can corral to go on the trail.
I would disagree about the likelihood of being robbed of your cell phone, though.
Call boxes on the ATT and other greenways have been discussed by city staff and trail advocates for many years. The challenges are they are expensive and are seldom there exactly where you need them. With everyone (or almost everyone) having cell phones these days, they aren't worth it. As writer suggests, one could be robbed of your cell phone, but this would be highly unlikely.
Durham Police can do a lot simply by filling out their reports in view of the ATT at road intersections at random times. This random police presence worked wonders for concerns at Otis Street several years back.
The best thing trail users can do is enjoy the ATT - or any public space - with a friend - or a dog. The latter seems to work wonders on city greenways.
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