Lompoc is said to be a nice place to go biking. It has a lot of beautiful views, especially at around 6:30 on a sunny day in summer when you can see a beautiful gold sunset. Lompoc also has a lot of places to go for views, and from hills to flat land, but is this really worth the risk of getting your bike hijacked, stolen, and even risk your own safety?
As we know, Lompoc has a lot of people who don’t have a home, and who live in the streets. Some are drug addicted, and somehow even some carry guns. People who unfortunately went down this path and have a drug addiction, when they run out of money to feed their addiction, what are they going to do? Steal and resell is the most common response to them running out of money, and bikes are really easily stolen. At a meeting where Lompoc residents attended to talk about their problems with these people, a “…woman, who asked that her name not be used, said that some of her friends were recently biking near the riverbed when a presumably homeless person pulled a gun on them and attempted to rob them” (lompocrecord.com).
Not only are you risking getting your bike stolen, but your life could potentially become threatened. Even when going to stores, and locking your bike securely, people sometimes dismantle the wheels, handlebars, and even the petals! This has happened to me also. Why do you think there are a lot of random bike pieces scattered around town? If anything, you have to keep an eye open and on your bike when you go to the stores, or lock your bike anywhere, because even if you think it won’t happen to you, it can.
While this can happen, it might not be ALL bad. Like I said, there are beautiful spots and routes you can take to have fun and relax on your bike, but lately, incidents of theft with homeless people have been occurring more than they used to. A spot that is so beautiful to go to is the trail near the west river of Lompoc, which is now crowded with homeless past 5 P.M.
Not only homeless people are the problem, but as some people know, Lompoc can be quite dangerous past a certain time if you bike around some areas of town, where you can get jumped, chased and even more. This is because Lompoc is considered a ghetto town compared to other cities in Santa Barbara County, and not the safest place to live in. If you are not careful where you go biking and at what time, you can be in danger. “Although 2022 crime rates aren’t available yet, in 2021, the city saw five homicides… and 760 assaults.” These crime rates increased more and more starting in the 1990s when drug smuggling and the rise of gang activity began. And it can be really dangerous depending on where you are in town (Santa Maria Sun).
Even with all these risks, if you truly love biking, it will probably not stop you from doing so. So be aware of where you are, where you decide to leave your bike, and if you feel like a homeless person, and even sometimes a suspicious looking person eyes your bike, keep an eye on it. Always trust your gut.
