From: txd@ESD.3Com.COM (Tom Dietrich)
Newsgroups: ba.motorcycles
Subject: Re: San Francisco's first scooterjacking
Date: 28 Jan 93 15:44:08 GMT
Distribution: ba

georgew@hspice.portal.com (George Wu) writes:

>In article <txd.727717667@Able.MKT.3Com.Com> txd@ESD.3Com.COM (Tom Dietrich) writes:
>>delorme@garnet.berkeley.edu (Lisa DeLorme) writes:

>>>Today's Chron reports that the first scooterjacking (Honda Elite) occured
>>>yesterday in the Mission district.

>>In reality, I think that my first reaction in such a situation would be
>>to bring up the revs, and drop the clutch.

>> [ . . . ]

>>If you react quickly,
>>even if he actually does have a gun, he's going to have to get the gun
>>out of his pocket, and shoot. The chances that he can actually hit
>>something with a gun that he can hide in his pocket are slim.

>     Actually, I think you're wrong here.  It's generally believed the biker
>who died in Emeryville was shot as he tried to ride away from a hijacking
>attempt.  (To summarize, some months ago a motorcyclist rode into an Emeryville
>gas station and promptly collapsed and died from a gunshot wound.  The police
>believe he was shot in a robbery attempt, and managed to ride as far as the gas

Pure speculation.

>station.  The crime was unsolved the last I heard.)

Well, I don't believe that I'm wrong. There's no telling what the
circumstances were that lead to the shooting that you refer to. It's
my experience that the vast majority of people who have guns can't
shoot. If you really doubt this, go and spectate at at your local
shooting range sometime. Now remember that the folks there are in the
top 30% (approx) of persons that own guns, and 99.999% of them have
_legally owned_ guns. 

They guy that tries to steal a scooter from a person who's riding it
isn't going to risk the $500.00+ pistol that he takes to the range and
practices with. He's going to have a cheap, short barreled pistol that
he wouldn't dare bring out at a range, because it's stolen at the very
least. He's never practiced quick drawing it and hitting a target.
especially a *moving* target. If you need proof to this, I invite you
to come to the range with me and demonstrate your prowess at hitting a
silouette target at 25'. We can rent a 2" barreled .38 to do this
with.

>     As someone contemplating a new ultra-desirable bike, I've been trying to
>figure out a serious counter to hijackers.  Personally, I've decided running
>is pretty risky.  Arming myself is probably more so, even without the legal
>implications of using deadly force.  (Draw and shoot while he's getting on the
>bike?  Sure, but what'll the cops say?)

>     It's fucking pathetic if I'm afraid to buy a nice bike or car because
>someone will steal/hijack it.

Exactly. I pity you if you base the decision of what you chose to ride
on the fear that someone will take it from you.


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'86 Concours.....Sophisticated Lady            Tom Dietrich             
'72 1000cc Sportster.....'Ol Sport               DoD # 055
^^^^^^^^^^^It *LIVES*^^^^^^^^^^^^^              AMA #524245
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e-mail txd@Able.MKT.3Com.COM                   Ma Bell (408) 738-8301
Disclaimer: 3Com takes no responsibility for opinions preceding this.

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Newsgroups: ba.motorcycles