A CYCLIST has said he worries for children’s safety after being stopped and threatened by a group of youngsters wielding a lifelike plastic knife.
Christopher Lang was cycling along Langlands Road in Govan, Glasgow yesterday when one of the boys stepped out in front of him, holding the realistic-looking weapon.
The group start kicking his bike and shouting obscenities, but back off when they realise Christopher is filming them.
He reportedly informed the police when he later spotted a marked car while sitting at a junction, who said they would speak to the youths.
The footage shows Christopher’s view as he rides along the cycle path next to blocks of flats.
The group of four youths can be seen loitering ahead when suddenly, one steps out in front of the bike, causing Christopher to screech to a halt.
What appears to be a long silver blade flashes in front of the camera and clattering noises can be heard as the boys kick his bike.
One of them comes in to shot raising his fists, in some sort of pose meant to imitate a boxer’s stance.
Muffled swearing can be heard in the background as Christopher warns them off, saying: “I’ve got a camera here wee man.”
Laughter rings out behind him as he cycles off, with a separate camera angle from behind him showing a clearer shot of one of the boys landing a hard kick on the bike.
Christopher shared the clips to social media yesterday with the caption: “No words, I know they are kids but for f**k’s sake, old enough to know this is too much.
“Slightly worried about their safety too, if I’d have had my hands free earlier, I might not have had time to notice the reality of the situation. Travelling back from Govan.”
The post has since received a host of likes and comments from social media users sharing their thoughts on the incident.
One said: “Hope you can report that, the knife is very worrying.”
Christopher replied: “Plastic, not sure if I hit it out of his hand or he just fumbled it, but I did think it was real for a second, thankfully I had my hands on the brakes and didn’t strike out myself, threw it onto the grass.
“Told the police at the lights, said they’d have a word.”
Another commented: “My God I’m so glad you’re okay. I used to walk and cycle that bit to my office but I now cut in through the flats to Elder Park, not sure if it’s safer to be off that bit or not to be honest.”
A third wrote: “Wee anchors. That is dangerous as bleep, if you see a blade you are going to react and if on a bike that can mean losing control.
“The wee bleep pretend boxing you. Send the video to the community police and make sure that they do get telt.”
Another said: “That is truly horrifying. What on earth is going on in the world?”
Speaking today, Christopher said: “I got a bit of a fright when the plastic knife was pulled, for a moment thinking it was real.
“From their body language I knew something was happening, but never thought it would be this.
“Was braking at the time to come to a controlled stop to avoid falling off, the chap either fumbled and dropped the knife or I might have hit it out of his hand.
“I picked it up and threw it onto the grass, which seemed to get them a bit angry, with the one chap jumping up and down like he was in a boxing match.
“Thankfully it ended without major drama, I genuinely don’t think they had thought what they would do once the knife was pulled and the police in the clip said they would have a word.
“I am relatively happy with that and hopefully will have some impact.”
