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Sussex cyclists warned to look out for wire strung across paths in Brighton

Local cyclist believes deliberately-placed traps were borne of anti-cycling sentiment

Sussex police have warned cyclists and pedestrians to look out for wires strung between trees in Coldean Woods, Brighton. Police officers have been working with Brighton and Hove City Council rangers to remove the wires which appear to have been deliberately placed.

Half a dozen wires had been discovered strung across paths, reports The Argus. Sergeant Alison Penny, of the East Brighton Neighbourhood Policing Team, said that they appeared to have been placed deliberately.

“There is a real risk that someone could run into them and suffer serious injury as a result. It is an extremely foolhardy thing to do and those responsible can expect to be dealt with robustly. Extra patrols are on the look-out for offenders.

“Meanwhile, I would urge people using the woods to take care and also to report any suspicious behaviour without delay.”

Mark Strong, a city cyclist and transport consultant with Transport Initiatives, believes that cyclists are the targets and described the culprits as “vigilantes”.

“It is very depressing, very disappointing. It has been a growing issue in the New Forest and some other parts of the country and it is usually linked to anti-cycling sentiment.

“Tripwires can be fatal, it is conspiracy to murder – there is no justification for it especially with the children’s events which can happen in Stanmer – this is at the thin end of a wedge of anti-cycling sentiment.”

Earlier this year, Suffolk cyclists were warned to be on their guard after wire was found stretched at head height across a bike path in Kesgrave. On that occasion, no-one was injured, but in 2011 a cyclist on the Bristol & Bath Railway Path was left unconscious and had his bike stolen after being caught by a clothes line strung across the route, while in late 2013 a cyclist in Edinburgh was left “bleeding and dazed” after coming off his bike due to a clothes line placed across the city’s Roseburn path.

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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6 comments

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wycombewheeler | 8 years ago
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Vigilantes? is cycling a crime now?

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spen | 8 years ago
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Max £1000 fine for stringing a wire across a highway! Unfortunately that's all too believavle isn't it

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don simon fbpe | 8 years ago
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When are cyclists going to learn that they shouldn't go around upsetting people? it's ridiculous to think that tolerance of others is normal.
Take the kids using the local playground. The noise of these little shits is unbearable and I have to have the volume turned right up to hear Britain's Got Talent. A few carefully placed drawing pins sorted them out.  19

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RPK replied to don simon fbpe | 8 years ago
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don simon wrote:

A few carefully placed drawing pins sorted them out.  19

You joke, but a local playground here had this happen recently. Some psycho scattered fish hooks all through the wood chips.

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danthomascyclist | 8 years ago
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"Extra patrols are on the look out for offenders"

Don't bother; it's made headlines so the offenders will stop. Treat this as any other conspiracy to murder case: forensics tests on the wires to try and find potential source / DNA / fingerprints, and I'd probably appeal to cyclists who ride the route to ask if anyone has had a disagreement or upset a pedestrian in recent weeks. That may give some leads.

Sadly, the use of words such as "foolhardy" show how lightly the police really are taking this.

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Housecathst | 8 years ago
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"conspiracy to murder"

Lol, yeah right ! I'm sure it'll just be something like "careless trip wire placement" or "the sun was in my eyes so I didn't know where I was placing my trip wires" which will result in a £50 fine if we're lucky.

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