how do you stop bikes from being stolen when life is like this

YouTube - Bike Thief

hope it works.

mike

nigel

 

Hi electric mike

man its just crazy people just dont give a toss i think it would be just the same in the uk i hate leaving my new twist anywhere for two long and i double lock it but having seen that i think i give up now:mad:

It's always been the same, locks are just a deterrent, no more. People take no more notice of theft than they do of burglar alarms. When it's blatant like this, they assume the person must be legitimately the owner, thinking any thief would try to hide his actions. Big mistake.

That is pretty depressing.

 

Q

scary, and here

 

Happens here too,

 

when i was a cycle messenger in London, there was a gang who spent all day removing bikes in Oxford street, one day i had just unlocked and mounted my bike when a pedestrian across the road, whipped out a huge pair of bolt cutters from underneath his long coat and calmly snipped the heavy duty motorbike chain holding a brand new MTBto the lamp-post, got on the bike & pedalled away, calm as you like, all took 20 seconds, this was lunchtime, the pavements were packed. Apparently these bikes were then sold in university towns, to students via the college noticeboards,

 

how do you stop bikes from being stolen when life is like this

YouTube - Bike Thief

hope it works.

mike

 

make me want to weep....

 

beeps

make me want to weep....

 

beeps

So then you'd be a weeping Beeping-Sleauty

 

Apathy among the public for such things is widespread. The best that cyclists can do is to use multiple locks of different types, including at least a U or D lock. Unless the thief has an assortment of tools under his trenchcoat , he'll move on to an easier target.

Apathy among the public for such things is widespread.

 

is it apathy or is it fear/common sense i would love some one to save my bike from being stolen but i dont want them to end up in hospital or even dead.

mike

I think most of it is as I said above, people thinking that thieves behave in a sneaky manner and try to hide what they are doing. Their thoughts are probably guided by what they would do if stealing something.

 

Very many years ago when in the motor trade, I frequently broke into cars when owners had locked themselves out from the keys which they'd left inside, then driving the car away each time. Indeed I've done it on odd occasions since for friends and neighbours. The only time I was ever challenged was a slightly different case when I spent a few minutes stripping the bulkhead to remove a jammed ignition lock on a Chrysler 180 off Leicester Square. As I then started it with a screwdriver in the switch slot, two detectives from Met Police West End Central pounced, thinking they'd made their day's quota.

 

Again it wasn't members of the public, hordes of them around at the time, probably making that right assumption, I was legitimate. Since I'm speaking of over forty years ago, this gives the lie to those who think apparent not caring is a modern phenomenon.

Edited January 28, 200719 yr by flecc

is it apathy or is it fear/common sense i would love some one to save my bike from being stolen but i dont want them to end up in hospital or even dead.

mike

I guess it depends whether there's lots of people around in a well lit area or down a dark alley with no one else around. Flecc's right in that many people would mistakenly think it's legitimate as a thief would only operate in a surreptitious manner.

 

Yesterday as I attempted to go through the staffed gate at a train station (the nearby barrier machine was not accepting any tickets), the staffmember slammed the gate shut. A man had attempted to get through on the far side of me without a ticket. The staffmember warned him to get a ticket and not try it again, it was already his second attempt to get in without a ticket. As I had some time before my train I watched and the chap just wandered casually over to a nearby shop keeping an eye on the gate. He wasn't interested in buying a ticket. Clearly some criminals don't try much to hide what they do.

I have just witnessed a long-handled wire-cutters job just as per the video clip on my way home this evening! The guy just snipped through and rode off. Unfortunately I was in my car at traffic lights on the other side of the road and going in the opp direction and wasn't able to act fast enough, but I did at least report it to the police as soon as I could, but I doubt if they'll get him.

 

Scary, as I'm just on the threshold of getting my new bike. I think I'm going to get more than one lock for my bike, maybe a D-lock and a chain. It's probably worth paying out for a decent one, esp as i live in London. Any recommendations?

 

Isobel

The one time one of these people is apprehended, it will probably be someone who's lost their key and hired the bolt cutters to rescue it, Murphy's law.

 

Seriously, much depends on the nature of your usage Isobel. A commuter who leaves their bike every weekday in the same place during the same hours is seriously at risk.

 

Someone like me who goes to the supermarket on any one of three bikes at random times on random days, locking the bike for very short periods to a rack at the front, clearly visible from the checkout areas through a panoramic all glass building side, is at virtually no risk, even though it's a quite high crime London borough.

 

How much you lock it and your overall degree of protection depends on where are between those two extremes.

 

Don't forget most electrics have a key that switches off the current, and they aren't so easy to ride without power. These thieves are frequently regulars who are aware of that, and the need for a charger, and also know that selling on an electric isn't quite as easy due to the comparative rarity. Many would prefer the safer and quicker turnover of an ordinary bike

.

Edited February 13, 200719 yr by flecc

Isobel

if you intend to insure your bike with someone like cycleguard they have a list of approved locks related to the value of the bike.

i downloaded a copy but i found the one they sent me was clearer.

 

we have two bikes so had to buy one for each (you need to keep proof of purchase and have the damaged lock to make a claim) we lock both bikes seperatley then use a chain to lock them together it must be chained to a solid object

mike

nigel

 

BY FLECC

Don't forget most electrics have a key that switches off the current, and they aren't so easy to ride without power. When will they produce a electric bike that is still easy to ride when the current is off?

Up to now the only bike that is good to ride with power off is the TWIST:D to me this is a very important factor i can go as far as i like or get tired before i need to flick the switch is there a hub drive that can do that i dont know:( nigel.

Nothing with a hub motor matches the Twist for that Nigel, but on the other hand, unfortunately the Twist doesn't have a key switch off for the power. Still, it does at least have the AXA wheel lock which is an extremely good thief defeater.

.

The AXA SL7 wheel lock can be added to many bikes rear wheels and it's very effective since thieves don't come equipped to deal with it. When the lock is engaged, a hardened steel curved shaft arcs through the wheel before locking and key removal. There's an optional additional hardened steel plastic sleeved cable which latches into the lock, enabling securing to street furniture or racks, and even if that's cut, the wheel lock won't allow the wheel to turn. I've used one on my Twist for four years with no problems.

 

You can see both the lock and cable on this link.

 

Check that the battery doesn't stop it being fitted on the bike if that's close to the attachment point.

Edited February 13, 200719 yr by flecc

Someone like me who goes to the supermarket on any one of three bikes at random times on random days, locking the bike for very short periods to a rack at the front, clearly visible from the checkout areas through a panoramic all glass building side, is at virtually no risk, even though it's a quite high crime London borough.

 

lucky you flecc we are the same at asda but with b&q and tesco the bike racks are so far away from the entrance that you could dismantle a bike and no one would see you.

i solve the problem by locking my bike to one of the nice chrome rails they have at the entrance ime hoping someone challanges me one day.

now after writing this i think i will take it a step further and ask the managers to forward a complaint from me to head office.

mike

I've got this problem at the West Wickham Halfords Mike. How a bike dealers can be so anti-bike I cannot understand. They've moved all the bikes and accessories upstairs, so bikes have to be carried up and down two flights, since car drivers have so completely lost the use of their legs they couldn't carry an aerosol or car mat all the way down them.

 

At the same time they've "lost" the bike rack, which in any case was one of the front wheel "pinch" types which wrecks wheels, leaving only a fire escape at the rear to lock to. Fortunately when one of us does that, it blocks the fire exit door so if there's a fire, they'll probably burn for their sins!

.

I have just witnessed a long-handled wire-cutters job just as per the video clip on my way home this evening!

It must be the day for it... As I went to go shopping in Reading tonight there were 2 blokes immediately outside the supermarket working to release a stuck cable combination lock attaching a bike to the lamppost. One had a pair of bolt cutters and the other was attempting to try a combination. I politely asked for an explanation and was politely told it belonged to one of the blokes and the lock was playing up so he had come back with his mate to get it free. The bike also had a D shackle lock on it so I politely asked the alleged owner if he'd unlock it for me.... which he quickly did with a key attached to all his others from his pocket.

 

Afterwards I though if they were really crafty theives they could have puit the lock on just to sidetrack any enquiries so I phoned the police with the story and their descriptions and left my details if I'm reqd. They said nothing had been reported so it looks like the explanation I received was the truth. I suppose if they were wanting to steal it, they would have just cut the cable straight away but you can't be to careful about these things.

 

What would you folks have done in this case? I asked the Police operator but (predictably) she advised I should only call the police and not put myself at risk and that she couldn't advise otherwise in-case I did do something in future and got attacked as a result.

Nigel

 

Well done

flying kiwi you were brave things could have turned nasty nowadays you are not sure how things will turn out good on you for asking?i suppose if we all did the same as you bike crime might fall however what? if they had turned on you:o

Congratulations for braving it out Flying Kiwi, but brings true my prediction above about the first caught being legit,

 

I can understand anyone following the police advice though. After all, the thief is pre-armed with bolt cutters that could easily kill or cause serious brain injury if swung against a head.

 

People losing their key, leaving their bike overnight and it subsequently being stripped of parts is surprisingly common. There's two bikes close to me that's happened to, one at the nearby shopping centre, one at a tram stop bike rack.

Edited February 13, 200719 yr by flecc

however what? if they had turned on you:o

There were lots of people around and I was suprised noone else had already asked them. I think they would have been much more likely to just run off than create a scene and cause a fight (which all takes time and would more likely result in them being aprehended by the Police). I used to work in the capacity of public enemy no 1... a parking attendant:eek: so I'm 'experienced' at dealing with aggressive confrontations. The owner said he was glad I'd asked as he was thinking if it was actually a thief stealing it, how easy it would have been.

Nigel

 

BY flying kiwi

 

There were lots of people around and I was suprised noone else had already asked them. I think they would have been much more likely to just run off than create a scene and cause a fight (which all takes time and would more likely result in them being aprehended by the Police

Quite often people will turn the other way when there is trouble or cross the road its always a risk to confront a group but in your case it paid off but if those two had been on drugs that could have been much more danger for you quite often certain drugs can make these people much more difficult to deal with.nigel.southampton.

if those two had been on drugs that could have been much more danger for you quite often certain drugs can make these people much more difficult to deal with

Agreed, fortunately that wasn't often something I encountered in my past life as a PA. I guess being 6' 5" and over 100 kg has it's advantages along with efforts to be careful about not unduely provoking people

 

I noticed that the PA's who did suffer the most physical aggro were those who were most easily provoked themselves and 'reacted' towards the provocation.

Can't believe I actually witnessed someone last night nicking a pushbike using the long-handled wirecutters method, just as per the YouTube video clip - although this one was under cover of darkness, but on a busy junction. He just walked up to the bike, clipped through the wire, and nonchalantly rode off. Unfortunately I was in my car at traffic lights facing in the opp direction and unable to react quickly enough. By the time I'd opened my window he was off. But at least I was able to report it to the police for what it's worth. If I hadn't watched that clip I probably wouldn't have noticed at all.

 

All a bit worrying as I'm about to get my new (to me) bike this weekend. Think I'll be splashing out on an decent D-lock as well as a chain - this is South London we're talking about. Anyone any suggestions/recommendations for good quality locks and insurance packages?

 

Isobel

Isobel, re locking: I always use both a cable and a dee lock on my bike. My feeling is that you'll never stop the professional thief who wants your bike, but you can deter the opportunist by making your bike a bit harder to take than the one parked next to it.

Mary