Dublin Bikes - warning

long_b

Yesterday after using a Dublin BIke I arrived into work with something nasty on the top of my palm.
Turns out it was faeces that someone must have smeared on the hand grip.

I'm really saddened that someone would do this, but I'd also like to give him a good kicking.

I hope this doesn't continue - I really love the service.

So just a warning to DB users - be careful when chosing your bike next time.

Colm R

long_b wrote: »

Yesterday after using a Dublin BIke I arrived into work with something nasty on the top of my palm.
Turns out it was faeces that someone must have smeared on the hand grip.

I'm really saddened that someone would do this, but I'd also like to give him a good kicking.

I hope this doesn't continue - I really love the service.

So just a warning to DB users - be careful when chosing your bike next time.

Awful stuff. Unfortunately not suprising. If you don't mind me asking, where did you pick up the bike.

Is there a mechanism in place to report the bike as defective so it won't be allowed out by another user?

Terrontress

Do you know if it was dog faeces or human or some other sort?

Could some lowlife be wiping his arse on the bikes? Might make it easier to detect if he is and people are on the lookout.

If it is someone lifting a bit of sh1te, be it human or otherwise, that they have found somewhere and then carrying it towards the bike then it really is a disgusting individual and I hope they catch something off it!

biffoman

Terrontress wrote: »

Do you know if it was dog faeces or human or some other sort?

Could some lowlife be wiping his arse on the bikes? Might make it easier to detect if he is and people are on the lookout.

If it is someone lifting a bit of sh1te, be it human or otherwise, that they have found somewhere and then carrying it towards the bike then it really is a disgusting individual and I hope they catch something off it!

THAT'S DISCUSTING.i hope they catch this scumbag and make him/her clean every single bike .

cojomo2

I hate scumbags..they should all be led in to a pit a burned alive or gassed.The country would be such a better place to live.

defence forces

ah the joys of modern ireland. worst is leving your bike out over night if you go to the pub say, then comming back the next day to a bike that has it's wheels covered in urine. it's not as bad as faeces though. But one time I was leaving club 92 and saw mercedes parked in the car park, someone had excreted on the bonnet of the car.

Ste.phen

I'm still amazed that the machines for withdrawing the bikes don't have cameras inside which monitor the area. It can't possibly have added too much to the project cost.

Jip

It is awful, but how did you not notice it until after using the bike ?

Run_to_da_hills

That Bike should be handed into Gardai and DNA samples removed it may come useful if the scumbag is arrested further down the line for something else. It may be worth purchasing a box of disposable gloves in future.

Jip

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

That Bike should be handed into Gardai and DNA samples removed it may come useful if the scumbag is arrested further down the line for something else..

You never fail to make me laugh

Run_to_da_hills

Jip wrote: »

You never fail to make me laugh

After all it is a really sh*t thing to do. :pac:

BrianD

long_b wrote: »

Yesterday after using a Dublin BIke I arrived into work with something nasty on the top of my palm.
Turns out it was faeces that someone must have smeared on the hand grip.

I'm really saddened that someone would do this, but I'd also like to give him a good kicking.

I hope this doesn't continue - I really love the service.

So just a warning to DB users - be careful when chosing your bike next time.

It was a random act of vandalism that could have happened at any bike stand (DB or others). Can you advise what station you took the bike from and did you report it? If they did one bike they probably did others!

I usually have a look at the bike before I take it.

Also, I thought that the locations of the bike stations were chosen because of they were in high visibility areas and therefore assume that they are probably under CCTV observation from third parties.

sdanseo

As punishment if they find him, the bike should be forcibly inserted in his arse. That'll count as revenge AND plug the hole so he can't do it again. Sdonn's patented rehabilitation right there.

long_b

Jip wrote: »

It is awful, but how did you not notice it until after using the bike ?

I only noticed when I was sitting at my desk. I work just a minute from a drop off point so there wasn't much time between dropping the bike and being at work.

i picked up the bijke at the IFSC and I'm not sure what type of excrement it was.

There's a slim chance it may have come from under the saddle either, but I'm pretty sure it was the hand grip.

Run_to_da_hills

It may be a good idea for JC Decaux to have someone powerhose all the bikes down every night with disinfectant. It could also help prevent the spread of swine flu. :pac:

amdublin

Oh no OP! How awful for you.

Thanks for the warning anyway. Note to self, check bike thoroughly before use and maybe bring baby/disinfectant wipes.

Gumbo

anybody that use these bikes on a regular basis i would advise carrying around a pack of anti-bacterial tissues or a little bottle of hand wash that you can get in tesco for like 79c.

i used to keep a bottle of this in my bag for when surveying on sites and that.......used to have to get invert levels of manhols........not a nice and clean survey:D

even without the problem the OP faced, you never know what germs are on the grips from the night before etc etc

howiya

Still don't understand how the original poster only noticed this after s/he got back to the office...

Victor

I'm not convinced of the story. Are you sure it wasn't leaf mulch?

---

Folks, lay of the hung drawn and quartered comments.

Run_to_da_hills

Victor wrote: »

I'm not convinced of the story. Are you sure it wasn't leaf mulch?

Folks, lay of the hung drawn and quartered comments.

Dublin also has its fair share of flying rats.

selekta

Colm R wrote: »

Is there a mechanism in place to report the bike as defective so it won't be allowed out by another user?

In Paris, they turn the seat of a defective bike backwards as a sign to other users but also for the maintenance people.

http://www.subtraction.com/2007/12/11/ass-backward says:

My favorite part, though, is one user innovation that’s already become widely understood among the thousands of regular Vélib customers (or so I’m told): while parked at a rack, a seat turned backwards is an indication that that particular bicycle has a flat tire, a broken chain or some other fault, and other users should avoid it. Though the rental system itself is a modern marvel — GPS chips track all of the bikes constantly, and computerized help redirects customers returning bikes to nearby locations when a given rack is full — there’s still room for a simple hack like this for users to create added value for the community at large. That’s good design at work, because the system’s users are also, in part, the system’s designers. Awesome.

Consider me the guy who brought it to Dublin

long_b

Victor wrote: »

I'm not convinced of the story. Are you sure it wasn't leaf mulch?

Yup.

@howiya It wasn't like it was a huge clump of it stuck to my fingers. How often do you look at your palms ?

Anyway, it's up to your good selves to believe it or otherwise.

gurramok

Never thought of that, a swine flu scare. What are the chances of catching germs from a used bike?

Very slim i thought. The OP story sounds like a one off rare piece committed by a drunk so rare it shouldn't disturb the regular users. Its not exaactly this happens in regular everyday life about a bike!!

The Swordsman

Also, check that the quick release for the saddle is closed. I took a bike today and the saddle kept getting lower as I was cycling along. It was funny as no harm was done but on the other hand it could potentially have been dangerous.

It may have been someone acting the maggot or just that the last person inadvertently didn't secure the mechanism properly.

karlr42

selekta wrote: »

In Paris, they turn the seat of a defective bike backwards as a sign to other users but also for the maintenance people.

I'm still not convinced this is really a good idea: when it gets popular, vandals/bored teenagers will just turn all saddles they pass by the wrong way.

Run_to_da_hills

karlr42 wrote: »

I'm still not convinced this is really a good idea: when it gets popular, vandals/bored teenagers will just turn all saddles they pass by the wrong way.

I wouldn't dismiss a bike with a twisted saddle although I would probably take another one before it. It only takes a few seconds to examine a bicycle before using it, Ie make sure tires are not flat, wheels go around, chain, brakes etc intact.