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MathGeek · #1 03-01-2014, 10:58 AM

My favorite place so far is the levee path, but N of LSU, my senses start to tingle a bit when the sun starts to set, and I have some security concerns. Once it gets hotter, we'll need some other good places to go in the cool of the evening.

I like University Lake a lot when it's not so crowded with joggers and pedestrians that safety requires a moderate speed.

BREC has a lot of facilities, but I noticed a sign today that they are unfriendly toward certain civil liberties often exercised by family members.

I'm starting to think more about River Road between LSU and Gonzales. Traffic seems mild enough to minimize near death experiences with careless motorists, and it otherwise seems fairly safe. Thoughts and experiences here? Is there some meth head trouble out there that might create a problem?

There look to be a lot of great roads around Donaldsonville, but that's further than we like to drive to go for a bike ride. What other ideas are there within 30 minutes of LSU?

southern151 · #2 03-01-2014, 11:41 AM

Be very careful on the river road. While there isn't a tremendous amount of traffic out there, the traffic is often times hauling arse! There was a man killed out there a couple of years ago, while riding. Many of your sport bike and, sport car enthusiasts love to push their toys very hard on that road.

eman · #3 03-01-2014, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by southern151

Be very careful on the river road. While there isn't a tremendous amount of traffic out there, the traffic is often times hauling arse! There was a man killed out there a couple of years ago, while riding. Many of your sport bike and, sport car enthusiasts love to push their toys very hard on that road.

I second this^^^

eman · #4 03-01-2014, 12:06 PM

I honestly can't tell you that y'all will be safe anywhere at night. I would stick to the bike paths on the levee if they are lit . The lakes usually have enough folks at night once it warms up to be relatively safe. Either place i would CC to up the odds.

capt coonassty · #5 03-01-2014, 12:21 PM

Every time I would take River road from campus to the La'burge(sp?) I always see at least one arse passing someone doing 80mph in a ridiculous turn. I live on the south side of BR and would take this route at 5pm when I didn't want to get stuck on Nicholson. I wouldn't chance it in the evening.

RickLafayette · #6 03-01-2014, 12:26 PM

How far are you from St. Francisville? They have some of the nicest bike roads in south Louisiana.

MathGeek · #7 03-01-2014, 12:47 PM

I can't thank y'all enough for such high quality and specific feedback. We've experienced some of that high-speed nonsense before in other places, and better a word from friends to avoid it. Sometimes it's just me, and I hear it coming and move off the road entirely if conditions allow, but other times, I'm cycling with family and that could get ugly quick. We'll definitely avoid River Road.

Thanks for the word on St. Francisville. We're not close enough to bike it every day, but we are close enough that it will be a nice change of pace from the levee. I'd be happy to hear any other ideas, too.

eman · #8 03-01-2014, 12:54 PM

Do you and the family mountain bike?

fishinpox · #9 03-01-2014, 01:03 PM

I'd try off gardere lane .....

MathGeek · #10 03-01-2014, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eman

Do you and the family mountain bike?

We do. Not the real high-end challenging stuff, but stuff that is beyond what most middle aged men and middle school boys do. I'm 46. My last downhill crash took six weeks recovery, some stuff still hurts, and it really needs to be my last.

eman · #11 03-01-2014, 01:13 PM

There are some great trails off of hooper road.
http://www.brec.org/assets/Conservat...ilmapflyer.pdf
here is one of their sites

eman · #12 03-01-2014, 01:14 PM

here is another one.
http://www.brec.org/assets/Conservat...rtrailmap2.pdf

eman · #13 03-01-2014, 01:18 PM

Yes they are brec trails but what you have on your person and in your B.O. bag are no ones business.

MathGeek · #14 03-01-2014, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishinpox

I'd try off gardere lane .....

We live out that way for a while when I went to LSU and often played hoops on the local courts. Cruised by recently to show my children the old neighborhoods, and I was shocked by the hood that we saw.

MathGeek · #15 03-01-2014, 02:15 PM

Although I believe in RKBA, I also firmly believe in avoiding trouble as well as being prepared for it. One thing I've always emphasized in self-defense training is not to go anywhere armed that you wouldn't go unarmed. That's one reason I've avoided New Orleans like the plague for the past 25 years. One of our best job offers was in Metairie. No, thanks.

There have been several occasions in my life when use of deadly force was justified but I managed to escape and evade instead. It may be better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6, but better still to avoid a six figure legal battle and get outta Dodge (or stay outta Dodge in the first place). I by no means aspire to be the next George Zimmerman. Many men fantasize about that stuff, but in real life there are not many marriages and families that survive that kind of prosecution.

Even in Colorado when we had run-ins with neighborhood bears and dogs, we had contingency plans for avoidance and deterrence that were effective short of bringing a firearm into play.

For me, part of a good security plan is avoiding criminal empowerment zones.

bmac · #16 03-01-2014, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MathGeek

There have been several occasions in my life when use of deadly force was justified but I managed to escape and evade instead.

How many is several times? I am 41 and only once have I ever been in a situation like that. Mine came when I awoke to find an intruder in my house.

capt coonassty · #17 03-01-2014, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishinpox

I'd try off gardere lane .....

Every few months i'll see a mother pushing a stroller down the road at night. Just makes you wonder what the hells is wrong with people.

MathGeek · #18 03-01-2014, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmac

How many is several times? I am 41 and only once have I ever been in a situation like that. Mine came when I awoke to find an intruder in my house.

Best not to go into details here. I have a Hispanic background and I grew up on the streets of New Orleans. Both immediate and extended family members dealt drugs, and I saw and experienced a lot of ugly things in life.

Our home was broken into multiple times and we were the victims of other crimes as well, including significant bodily harm. A family member gave me a pistol at a very young age which I kept in my nightstand. Looking back, there were several situations where deadly force was justified and where many young men would have justifiably used deadly force, but it is as if an angel of God made me invisible and I was able to walk, ride, or drive away without having to hurt anyone.

As a believer, I am very much conscious of the meaning of shedding human blood and very reluctant to cross this line. I believe hell is very real, and I am not eager to send someone there, even someone intent on harming me. Threaten my wife or children however ...

I was well into adulthood before I fully appreciated the importance of avoidance, so I ended up in situations where escape and evasion was necessary.

Don't get me wrong, I do not think there should be a duty to retreat, but there are cases when given the present risks, escape and evasion may be the best tactical choice.