Greetings Forum,

This is my first post, so please accept my apologies for any ettiquete breaches.

I would like to warn and inform of an incident that occurred to my wife this morning (AT) 28/3/2009

Whilst in training for the Busselton IronMan triathlon, she was riding northbound on the Kwinana freeway bicycle path.

At around 6am, she rode into a series of 3 tripwires that were waist height, made from strewn fencing wire that ran the width of the cycleway in between Berrigan & Beeliar drive, Cockburn Central.

Fortunately she was going slow ~30kph and suffered lacerations to her forearm and from falling, a broken radial which is now in plaster.

Had she - or another cyclist been travelling faster, it would not be inconceivable to imagine greater harm, and if it were a 'trap', that an assault could have taken place.

My wife cleared the tripwires from the cycleway and simply had to get back on her bike to get to the train station to get medical attention, in doing so she also passed another cyclist who was southbound, and she warned him to be careful of the wires. Anybody know him ?

So - with 4 weeks in plaster, no Busselton Ironman Triathlon, loss of work as a swimming teacher and aerobics instructor, distraught family with 2 kids upset at the harm inflicted on their mum, thanks to the morons who malicously set a trap for a random victim.

Thankyou
Jason

Unbelievable!

My sympathy to your wife, what a horrible thing to do!

Hopefully you have reported this to the authorities - even if the chances of catching these d**che bags is limited - so they can follow this up. Best of luck with your wifes recovery!

I'm appalled Jason. I hope you've reported this to the police and that they are able to catch the idiots who did this.

Graeme

That date was meant to be 2010 right? just want to check.. also 6am in the morning must of been done the night before.

Wish her the best of a speed recovery to good health. And dam to those who did this, bored childish people out there I tell you.

oops 2010 - yes, this morning..

Our theory is that the tripwires could've only been setup overnight too - that stretch is not an uncommon spot to cycle - the apparent randomness of a victim (who just happened to be my wife in this incident) has simply stunned us.

We have informed the police, who were very responsive and they witnessed at our home, my wife's injuries from the idiocy.

We're not confident of a 'result' as such, so my message is to warn cyclists riding along that stretch, to be careful and vigilant to prevent any further harm to other cyclists, and report to the police suspect activity (we phoned 131 444 after the hospital)

Thankyou again for your best wishes.

Jason

Thanks for the warning. That same stretch has had two other reported wire incidents in the last 5yrs. I also remember in 2007 coming across black tape strung in the shade between the trees at the cycleway exit onto one of those side roads near Cockburn Station (no biggee for me, I was on a recumbent lowracer and had to look up to notice), and now make a habit of using the same road to keep a bike prescence (even if the neighbours look like something out of Deliverance).

The best thing that can happen to the louts who do this sort of thing is they lose their cars or licences and are forced to pedal or walk the same paths (although the odd lashing wouldn't go astray). So if you see anything suspicious take a picture, write down licence plates and details, it might help. Apparently it did for one of those earlier wire incidents.

Is it possible to indicate exactly where the site of this trip wire was located?
googlemap

the.j wrote:oops 2010 - yes, this morning..

Our theory is that the tripwires could've only been setup overnight too - that stretch is not an uncommon spot to cycle - the apparent randomness of a victim (who just happened to be my wife in this incident) has simply stunned us.

We have informed the police, who were very responsive and they witnessed at our home, my wife's injuries from the idiocy.

We're not confident of a 'result' as such, so my message is to warn cyclists riding along that stretch, to be careful and vigilant to prevent any further harm to other cyclists, and report to the police suspect activity (we phoned 131 444 after the hospital)

Thankyou again for your best wishes.

Jason

Thanks for reporting the incident to the police and on this forum. What a horrid accident.
There is no way to avoid a wire like that. I hope your wife makes a rapid recovery.
+1 for knowing the exact location as I rode that section of path on Sunday at about 10:30am and then on the way back at about 12 noon.

That is a sickening attack. I hope your wife recovers well. I ride that section of PSP at night so I would have no hope of seeing tripwires if they are set up again. I hope the police can track down the perpetrators

Hi Jason,

Thanks for notifying the police/this forum. A deplorable action on the part of the unknown assailents. Best wishes to your wife in her recovery.

the.j wrote:My wife cleared the tripwires from the cycleway and simply had to get back on her bike to get to the train station to get medical attention, in doing so she also passed another cyclist who was southbound, and she warned him to be careful of the wires.

So this rider had already passed your wife after she had cleared the trip wires and returned south bound to the station?

Regards
Perry

When encountering wire across a path with a camera handy it would be a good idea to quickly take some photos before removing the wire. You would need to be extra cautious to ensure nobody hits it in the interim, perhaps by obstructing the path with your bike. Photographic evidence gives the police something to work with and would also inform the cycling community what to look out for.

Sorry for your wife and family jason, makes my blood boil there are morons like that out there.
Hoping for a speedy recovery and hope your wife doesnt give riding away because of this.
All the best

Unbelievable....like throwing rocks off overpasses....what thought process have these clowns got that makes them think it is harmless fun.
Problem is that with so little to go on the police will natrually give it low priority.
However that is not all you need to look out for in that area, and south through to Thomas Rd.
I am a runner and forced by injury to be a newby bike rider( wife and I are loving it).
We have not riden that section for a few months, and my last run in that area was 6 months ago, but decided on Saturday to do a long run through there.
Nothing has change in that section with the motor bike riders. A good deal of times running through there at 1600 to 1800hrs I would have to deal with a trail bike rider.
On Saturday, at 1645, just south of Cockburn Central, heading north I heard a bike closing from the rear.......3 bikes in fact that forced me off the path, 3 bikes that were traveling in excess of 60km/h....
I've been around long enough to see it all, but it was still a shock, especially as there were a couple of families with kids out and about on the path, given also that pedestrians. runners, and cyclists at times blend in with the landscape.
Not much evidence,...happened too quick, just very powerfull trail bikes and the 3 riders in black.
I have reported the incident to police, mainly so it is on record. The more incidents and/or reports, the more they may have to patrol the area.....they sometime take the mounted sections to hard to patroll trouble spots such as this.
I am going to sit in that area for an hour or two next Saturday with my camera...

GregW wrote:Unbelievable....like throwing rocks off overpasses....what thought process have these clowns got that makes them think it is harmless fun.
Problem is that with so little to go on the police will natrually give it low priority.

On Saturday, at 1645, just south of Cockburn Central, heading north I heard a bike closing from the rear.......3 bikes in fact that forced me off the path, 3 bikes that were traveling in excess of 60km/h....
I've been around long enough to see it all, but it was still a shock, especially as there were a couple of families with kids out and about on the path, given also that pedestrians. runners, and cyclists at times blend in with the landscape.
Not much evidence,...happened too quick, just very powerfull trail bikes and the 3 riders in black.
I have reported the incident to police, mainly so it is on record. The more incidents and/or reports, the more they may have to patrol the area.....they sometime take the mounted sections to hard to patroll trouble spots such as this.

I ride this section daily. For me it's mainly 50cc scooters with no rego plates. One threw a rock at me as they passed, and I have the scar on my leg to prove it. Reported it to the Police, but nothing. This section is ideal for these morons as it's isolated and sheltered from view of the road. The scooter cowards had no plates so what to do? I think it will take a death before anyone will bother doing anything.

At the risk of getting flamed for blaming innocent parties....

I was particularly interested in this section of path as I was on it at around 6am on Saturday and it could've quite easily been me writing the OP. I noticed today that there was a one of those travelling circus's set up near Cockburn Central.

There is no easy way to say this - so I'll just dive in... In my experience there is a co-relation to these things and a spate of vandalism and other anti-social behaviour. It certainly gave me an "ah-ha" moment when i saw it set up. I don't know how long it's there for but I'll be keeping an eye out for it's departure.

Take care - nobody deserves to be caught up in wires across a path. Even those pricks on moto's who insist on using the path. Or the bastard on a petrol-powered trike that passed me doing more than 50kph the other day.

Madrapper, the circus people don't use fence wire, they use garden hoses.

Not good news on the trip wires. This is just WRONG.

I've emailed the Cockburn Council to ask them to at least remove the lengths of loose wire along this section. Be careful if you ride this section, there are long lengths around the Southern Cross Retirement Village, and just after the Cockburn Station overpass. Someone will do this again as the wire is sitting there waiting for these room temperature IQ criminals.

Hi Jason
Could you check your message box and call me please?

Its a shame about your wife, wishing her a speedy recovery & if she wants to go for a ride down that way when she is up to it & doesn't want to go on her own i'm sure there are others out there including myself that would be glad to jump on board for the company until she is feeeling confident to go it by herself.
SOME ONE IS A BIG TOSSER!
I was doing a LSD run down the same path last week (23/03/10) and noticed living quarters in the bush on the left if you are heading North just before Gateways Shopping Centre. It may be totally harmless but maybe worth a look at.
Also did a TT ride Southbound yesterday and got a bit spooked by a guy walking on the track (he never did anything wrong it was just an uneasy feeling) so i sped up to go past on the way back there were a few smashed botlles on the path that weren't there on the way down, we were basically the only traffic at that time.
"STAY SAFE & HAPPY RIDING TO ALL"

Dear Forumites,

Your sense of community both online and cycling is an asset to be proud of.

On behalf of my wife, and my family, we really appreciate your empathy and best wishes.

Radio 6PR managed to make contact with my wife, and she spoke of the incident in a radio interview that was broadcast today. (http://www.6pr.com.au/ "Cyclist injured by trip wires" )

Again, thankyou, thankyou, for your best wishes and mcsweetie summed it nicely
"STAY SAFE & HAPPY RIDING TO ALL"

Best regards
Jason

Direct link to the radio broadcast here. Currently it is sitting in the latest news area, so will disappear in the next couple of days.

Good interview and positive ending to the interview. I may have to start to listen to 6PR.

PS the forum also got a mention, at least, almost.

rolandp wrote:Direct link to the radio broadcast here. Currently it is sitting in the latest news area, so will disappear in the next couple of days.

Good interview and positive ending to the interview. I may have to start to listen to 6PR.

ya dont want to be tunned in when H Satler is on, he is total ANTI CYCLIST

Slightly off topic in relation to Mr Sattler, but he recently gave a well balanced interview for the BTA. Details here.

Now is 6PR a FM station as I don't have an AM radio .

882 6pr is a digital am station...owned by the fairfax group