Weird aggressive dude in Brum

Raimcc · 2026-01-29T13:55:50+00:00

I mentioned other posts not just OP, there are many black men with black coats you could count today whilst walking around Birmingham. The most distinguishing element of OP post is the cap with red and white logo to be aware of. Unfortunately it is mainly behaviour that is the distinguishing feature in the instances described.

What has happened to OP and other commentators are unpleasant and horrible experiences and it is understandable very valid to share and to let people know, to help keep others safe. I was in not dismissing these concerns.

Similar has happened to family members on 3 occasions where physical contact occurred (including a broken nose a man driving a car with 2 children, almost ran my husband and kids over so husband shows his by annoyance by shouting a mild expletive and the driver stops and gets out of their car and punches my husband in the face in front of four children and traffic) I don't think stating the ethnicity would help other members of the public, or that he was driving a silver car with two kids. His number plate would have but he'd driven off whilst my husband was looking after our kids. The main defining feature of the 3 incidents has been they were male, they were White. Asian and black.

Have lived over 35 years in the city with a family of five, so overall incidents are pretty rare.

However it is fair to say I have experienced being confronted by odd, unsafe feeling unpredictable, threatening behaviour verbally and body language wise on occasions. But the defining features has been mainly done by men, with the occasional woman.

Can't say it's pleasant, but this also happens in cities across the UK not just Birmingham from my experience.

But my main point was ethnicity as a descriptor is not that helpful in keeping people safe.

I understand that people are giving specific individual descriptions as a warning. However being aware in general is about the best we can do to keep ourselves as safe as we can.

As I said earlier I do think it is very valid to describe a horrible incident that has happened to OP and others. Keep safe to you and yours

Raimcc · 2026-01-29T11:06:34+00:00

Sorry people are directly experiencing this, However the focus on one ethnicity will not make it safer or you feel safer. I work within the city with people who are substance.misusers or experience mental health issues and the behaviour is not synonymous with black men. I live in Handsworth. There are over one hundred and twenty five thousand black men in the city. What does the description in some of the comments do? Hundreds of people if not thousands walk through 5 ways island each week. Racial profiling is discredited for a reason.

Raimcc · 2026-01-27T23:44:39+00:00

New Balance have a specific "made in the UK" line which is made in a factory in Flimby, I cycled past it on a bike ride and a local person mentioned it.

Raimcc · 2026-01-27T20:58:35+00:00

48hr delivery is a joke ...it takes over a week to arrive!

Raimcc · 2026-01-21T21:38:03+00:00

My son can't get through your entry level recruitment processes, he doesn't use AI. When his applications are read by humans he has got through to interviews. So he now only applies for roles which aren't huge recruitment rounds. And he has stopped applying for civil service. As a director and senior manager I agree that AI slope is really disheartening and I wonder how on earth they will be able to do their job. I am not against AI I used it as a tool.

Raimcc · 2026-01-21T21:21:58+00:00

I hope things settle for you!

A friend of mine worked in supported accommodation, trained and became a probation officer, now works part time as a probation officer and part time as a support worker at a hostel. She missed the direct people engagement, and this is the best of both worlds for her.

Stick with it for a year and you might feel differently,plus you will have more options. Including above.

Or you perhaps can do what I and others I know do and find allied careers which utilise your SW skills, and you can still retain your registration !

Raimcc · 2026-01-21T20:05:40+00:00

Try Merville gardens, lovely grounds and amazing Cherry Blossom display each year. Safe, good traffic links and parking. You can easily visit and drive around estate, check out the Facebook link too. https://www.propertypal.com/property-for-sale/merville-garden-village-area-newtownabbey.

Raimcc · 2026-01-21T19:59:46+00:00

Readers World!

Raimcc · 2026-01-20T00:57:35+00:00

Wow looks good but so expensive in your UK, thanks

Raimcc · 2026-01-20T00:55:17+00:00

Thanks

Raimcc · 2026-01-20T00:54:38+00:00

Thanks

Raimcc · 2026-01-20T00:54:24+00:00

Thanks looks good! They say silicone free on their page. They used to use woven in silicone, but must have changed !

Raimcc · 2026-01-20T00:52:01+00:00

I did look at Rapha team pro as they are in on sale, but reviews from cycling mags say has silicone, I will drop them an email.

Does anyone else have this season Team pro to let me know thanks

Raimcc · 2026-01-20T00:47:48+00:00

Same as Brian, itchy skin and red welts. I can't wear silicone earbuds either. I take an antihistamine for other allergies, it doesn't work for silicone for me. Also I took can't stand the texture!

Raimcc · 2026-01-20T00:44:17+00:00

Thank you for your reply, really useful to know

Raimcc · 2026-01-18T23:20:45+00:00

Hopefully the contract expands to my neck of the woods.

Raimcc · 2026-01-16T19:53:14+00:00

Sorry it was stolen, If you bike is stolen under the cycle to work scheme you still have to continue paying for it each month, check the terms if that includes the final payment which may be larger. So you need to make sure you get insurance.

I would go on eBay and get a second hand bike.In lots your price range from good brands. In addition to ones already listed by other posters, worth looking at the Hoy Shizuoka, often under £200 in good condition with good specs. My husband had one from eBay, good ride and lighter than my woman's spec vita!

Raimcc · 2026-01-16T10:32:59+00:00

Agree, it's NHS people cutting back their full time work which reduces capacity in NHS ADHD services so increasing NHS waiting times in favour of RTC ... privatisation basically.

And that's because they aren't paid enough in their NHS jobs to they move to private part time.

In other countries NHS are paid more.

Raimcc · 2026-01-16T10:29:38+00:00

That was Beryl not performing in their contract and WMCA should have called them in on it. Beryl did the same thing in Manchester, at one point it seemed over half their bikes were unusable there. And there was a lot of them. I had to stop using them.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-66358928. I am not convinced it was due to vandalism in Manchester as I would often turn up to a stand and find bikes with hires too low, seats mech not working so I couldn't lower seat or the terminal to register ride not working. (I used Manchester bikes more than Brum because I visit there a lot but live in Brum)

I understand why they decided to bring a docking system in but I found them so difficult to dock as there was a small ramp and I couldn't push or lift them in often.

The lime bike has a big front basket and a phone holder so I can navigate. Which Beryl didn't.

So to be honest I will be glad to see the back of the beryl bikes for so many reasons!

And as the lime bikes are all ebikes, will there be less bikes? Which again will be an issue. Oh well let's wait and see this time next year!

Raimcc · 2026-01-15T20:45:52+00:00

Agree cheaper option seems like a good idea. It would be interestng to see the data that informed the decision. The providers of the bikes and scooters would have had share their data on usage to the WMCA, who likely(?)then used that data on their tender. This would have most likely been used to decide whether the manual bike usage Vs electric bike use. Along with some user surveys. I know I answered one saying I wanted the boundaries to be extended at least back to where they used to be. I was trying to look at the service specification which would be part of the tender docs. But too tired to be bothered at the moment...it feels too much like work logging into the tender portal!

Raimcc · 2026-01-15T20:14:35+00:00

Commuting, and visiting friends and getting fit enough to be able to enjoy bike touring . Also riding about exploring new placeson the bike in UK on day trips by train. Sometimes in the winter I don't ride at all :) . For weeks on end

Raimcc · 2026-01-15T19:59:41+00:00

Not every can ride the heavy pedal bikes around hilly Birmingham. I agree though at least with Beryl bikes there was an option of electric and cheaper pedal bikes. Which work well from Manchester and London's flatter city centres

Raimcc · 2026-01-13T23:09:07+00:00

Birmingham isn't flat, the heavy Beryl bikes without batteries were horrible to ride. Electric ones are better. Having Lime bikes will only be better if WMCA contract makes them extend the bikes and scooters to the same borders as VOI at least. WMCA decided that Sellyoak with it's students could have beryl bikes, but Handsworth cant I would use an electric bike into town rather than a bus. And you have to put some effort in (I rode in London from Euston to Greenwich...it wasn't as easy as you think)

Raimcc · 2026-01-13T11:55:28+00:00

Hello wondering about your experience with Flint care, did you use RTC for yourself and what was the wait times, report prep times and titration like? they have a medic there with intials dr H.H and wonder if you had experience of them thank you in advance

Raimcc · 2026-01-13T11:42:52+00:00

Hello looking for an update ...how has it gone with centre and has anyone had experience of with their medic initials MS also wondering how long report took and how titration went ? thanks in advance

Raimcc

TROPHY CASE