Cyclist warns of ‘deliberate’ tyre punctures (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Cyclist warns of ‘deliberate’ tyre punctures
7:00pm Tuesday 9th November 2010 in News By Stephen Bailey
CYCLE OF DESPAIR: Cyclist Michael Atkinson with one of the punctured inner tubes which he says were caused by metal tacks left on Bournemouth prom
A CYCLIST suspects someone is deliberately sabotaging bikes on Bournemouth seafront.
Dentist Michael Atkinson said his tyres were punctured three times in five days by unusual tacks.
The 49-year-old said they even punctured the Kevlar tyres of his mountain bike.
“It’s like they have been designed specifically to take tyres out,” said Mr Atkinson, from Lytchett Matravers.
“When you touch them they roll up with the points sticking up.
“To have three of exactly the same type is just too much of a coincidence.”
He added: “This isn’t good news either for dogs or people out walking.
Mr Atkinson said he is not sure of the exact location but believes the tacks were put around Bournemouth Pier.
He collects his bike from Parkstone Yacht Club each day and cycles from Shore Road to Southbourne and works at Tuckton Medical Practice.
“I’ve been cycling along the seafront for at least five years and only had two other punctures in that time,” he said.
The tacks are shaped like a crescent moon, have a little depth, and are around 8mm long.
Bournemouth council said it had not received any other reports of problems or experienced it with its own seafront vehicles.
Comments(11)
twoofdiamonds
says...
10:28pm Tue 9 Nov 10
MikeFrench
says...
8:41am Wed 10 Nov 10
Unbelievable!!
Derf
says...
9:24am Wed 10 Nov 10
Perihelion
says...
11:15am Wed 10 Nov 10
soapboxdave
says...
3:30pm Wed 10 Nov 10
Azphreal
says...
3:47pm Wed 10 Nov 10
poolereader
says...
4:42pm Wed 10 Nov 10
captsanders
says...
4:48pm Wed 10 Nov 10
Kiki73
says...
9:39pm Wed 10 Nov 10
downfader
says...
9:47pm Fri 19 Nov 10
soapboxdave wrote:Not quite. The usual tactic is for someone to smash glass bottles on well known routes. Though it seems in this case someone has gone heavy duty, perhaps they realise that modern cycling tyres are pretty sturdy and need more of a point to puncture.
Paranoid cyclists again.
.
The same tactic was used in Scotland:
http://news.bbc.co.u
k/1/hi/scotland/tays
ide_and_central/8054
215.stm
Peggy Babcock says...
8:18pm Tue 9 Nov 10
The prom is bad enough to cycle on now with the sand without this sort of thing going on.