Bike Theft Experiment

Thargor

This is interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrOSL85ZMck

Anyone ever confront someone in this country?

blorg

No, although I had to liberate my own bike once when the lock got stuck. Hammered the end of the U-Lock until I broke it. Wasn't questioned but then (a) I am not black and (b) I didn't take so damn long about it as these amateurs.

I do note that the defence of "but it was here for days" was used... let's go, flamefest!

petethedrummer

Why didn't he just lift the bike over the 3ft high sign and then steal the sign as its probably more valuable than the bike.

blorg

It is quite the BSO all right. The responses weren't exactly what you might expect from a thief either... aha! But that's what they want you to think.

Captain Havoc

Seriously can't believe guys were helping her.

DirkVoodoo

Those videos were pretty annoying, I wouldn't be surprised if everything was staged including people's reactions just to reach the conclusion "black man doing the same thing draws angry mob".

Plus, if these "actors" were trying to steal a bike, they should really get in character. Being asked "is this your bike?" shouldn't be answered with "well, technically no" but "keep walking or I'll chop of your dog's legs with this angle grinder."

I mean, could the black guy not have been dressed in some preppy clothes and the white guy dressed like a complete knacker (nothing says Ivy league like a backwards baseball cap perched on your head). That way we could see if it really is an actual race thing rather than a case of stereotyping.

smokesletsgo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooa3NVfFlEU

another one, but set on new york streets

monument

I managed to get my hands on a bolted cutters (the ones as long as your arm rather than the shorter one) from a few young ones who were apparently down from Ballymun trying to take bikes from outside DCU. But I chickened out holding on to it, not least because of having a laptop and camera in my pannier at the time. Best off as hitting one of them with the cutters in self defence might not have been the best idea given I did not see the apparent attempted thefts.

Security were at the bike racks when I was leaving to go up to Ballymun, sure enough the young fellows were just a bit away from DCU when I left -- six or more old boys or very young teenagers, one holding the cutters. So I cycled slowly after them. While they were crossing the road to go up the Ballymun Road I keep looking at the guy with the bolt cutter. But I didn't think too much about it and started cycling up the road too (had a green light), he dropped the cutters and left it there as I was half way across the junction.

I managed to get back to it before them, but literary just before them, so I had a choice of getting possibly getting my stuff nicked or damaged (I'd be more worried about my stuff then my self) or dropping it and calling the close by garda station. I always wonder did the guards even send out a car like they said they would.

The other week I also seen somebody arrested for what looked like trying to nick a bike outside Cineworld -- did not see everything that happened but that's what it looked like.

There's an unreal amount of bicycles locked incorrectly or not really locked at all in many cases, and that's before talking about locks which are not worth anything on branded new and decent enough looking bikes.

petethedrummer

monument wrote: »

There's an unreal amount of bicycles locked incorrectly or not really locked at all in many cases,

very true. Its a hobby of mine now to walk around like Hal, seeing what bikes I could rob with a set of spanners and some allen keys.

-Chris-

petethedrummer wrote: »

very true. Its a hobby of mine now to walk around like Hal, seeing what bikes I could rob with a set of spanners and some allen keys.

I love that video!

I've completely changed the way I lock my bike after seeing that.

Pigeon Reaper

I took bolt cutters off a guy outside cineworld a year ago. He had snipped two locks when I came along to park an old bike and I saw him. His words as he was handing over the cutters were "hows a junkie supposed to get money in this bleedin city". I couldn't take the cutters on a bike with me so handed them into the staff at the cinema and asked them to bin them.

neris

young white men dont men dont carry tools for stealing. :D

shes never been to Dublin

monument

neris wrote: »

young white men dont men dont carry tools for stealing. :D

shes never been to Dublin

Stereotype by skin colour in the US is replaced here by stereotypes from accents / looks / dress.

DirkVoodoo

I just find it suspect, if I saw someone trying to steal a bike and they had a bag of heavy tools to swing at my head, I wouldn't go and try to grab them, take a photo a foot away from them saying "I got you, I got you!". The whole thing just seems a little staged to me.

brianthebard

-Chris- wrote: »

I love that video!

I've completely changed the way I lock my bike after seeing that.

link plz?

monument

brianthebard wrote: »

link plz?

Here's one of Hal's ones in New York: http://cyclingindublin.com/2009/08/02/locking-your-bike-correctly/ EDIT: Here's a YouTube version of the same: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Den2TJcbPf4

And the UK, the London Cycle Campaign have done something along the same lines: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPDHPpnXPv8

brianthebard

Cheers thanks. That sort of game is way too easy around campus. Never seen a saddle locked or covers for the wheel nut where do you get them?

stas

I've had to confront a group of teenage scumbags trying to take or damage my bike from a bike rail at my apartments block. Not sure if this counts, since it was my own bike, but there you go...

-Chris-

brianthebard wrote: »

Cheers thanks. That sort of game is way too easy around campus. Never seen a saddle locked or covers for the wheel nut where do you get them?

You'd pick up non-quick release skewers in most bike shops. They'll probably come in a set of 3 - 2 for wheels and 1 for seat post.

The advice I've seen is to use two different types of lock - one cable lock and a D lock. Both locks require a different type of tool to get through, and bike thieves won't want to be carrying that many tools, so it makes you safer.

Exodus 1811

Got stopped by gardai trying to free mine and a mates bike on camden street before about 10pm few metres down from the palace. They didnt really ask any confirming questions about whether i owned the bike or not. I merely said it was mine and would they have a bolt cutters or hack saw, they didnt. but got it the next morning!