Comments on: On Bike Theft and Boneheads http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/ Covering San Francisco's livable streets movement Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:56:19 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: kit http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-20971 kit Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:59:41 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-20971 I'm still stupid enough to have the factory-issued quick-releases on my Surly LHT, which isn't a problem for the back wheel since I lock it sheldon-brown style (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html), but I try to cable lock the front when I leave it for more than a jaunt into the burrito shop. Anyone have recommendations or success with the commercially available locking skewers, or is it hardware store all 'round? I'm still stupid enough to have the factory-issued quick-releases on my Surly LHT, which isn't a problem for the back wheel since I lock it sheldon-brown style (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html), but I try to cable lock the front when I leave it for more than a jaunt into the burrito shop.

Anyone have recommendations or success with the commercially available locking skewers, or is it hardware store all 'round?

]]> By: Matthew Roth http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-20371 Matthew Roth Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:08:21 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-20371 In 2004, Kryptonite Locks discovered to their great embarrassment that their "unbreakable" boron-reinforced hexagonal locks could be easily picked with a $.10 Bic pen. Doh! http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2004/09/64987 In 2004, Kryptonite Locks discovered to their great embarrassment that their "unbreakable" boron-reinforced hexagonal locks could be easily picked with a $.10 Bic pen. Doh!
http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2004/09/64987

]]> By: Aaron B. http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-20351 Aaron B. Tue, 04 Aug 2009 02:45:10 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-20351 Wtf does "bic'ed" mean? Wtf does "bic'ed" mean?

]]> By: Todd Edelman http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-20091 Todd Edelman Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:32:05 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-20091 In 1998 I lived in the East Village/Manhattan and my bike was stolen about 50 blocks Uptown from my apt. and on the West Side. It was on the first day of a new temp job: I was nervous and may have not locked it or perhaps the lock was bic'ed. In any case there was nothing around when I got to the street after work. About six months later I was riding my crappy replacement bike about one block from the same apt. and saw a guy on the stolen bike going the wrong way on the same street... after a small amount of yelling I walked back to the apt. with both bikes. The guy had taken off but then offered some money for the replacement bike. I declined. In summary: "Bike salmoning" creates more opportunities for seeing more bikes then if all bikes go the same way, and even more so then when just riding past parked bikes (if only parked bikes had eyes). I expect more similar and related anecdotes from readers who have been embarrassed to share their theories on the benefits of contraflow cycling. In 1998 I lived in the East Village/Manhattan and my bike was stolen about 50 blocks Uptown from my apt. and on the West Side. It was on the first day of a new temp job: I was nervous and may have not locked it or perhaps the lock was bic'ed. In any case there was nothing around when I got to the street after work.

About six months later I was riding my crappy replacement bike about one block from the same apt. and saw a guy on the stolen bike going the wrong way on the same street... after a small amount of yelling I walked back to the apt. with both bikes. The guy had taken off but then offered some money for the replacement bike. I declined.

In summary: "Bike salmoning" creates more opportunities for seeing more bikes then if all bikes go the same way, and even more so then when just riding past parked bikes (if only parked bikes had eyes).

I expect more similar and related anecdotes from readers who have been embarrassed to share their theories on the benefits of contraflow cycling.

]]> By: Greg http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-20011 Greg Sun, 02 Aug 2009 22:12:40 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-20011 glad to hear the damage wasn't so bad...everyone makes mistakes, the fact is if we didn't have such a "screw everyone over" culture, you wouldn't have had to worry. it is not fascism to suggest that the majority live by rules of common decency and civility. that includes not ripping off your bike simply because you made the human error of forgetting to pick it up right away. you did nothing wrong, but in an urban environment simply a human mistake. we all do that, it's just unfortunate there are those who take advantage of it because they are too stupid or lazy to make a buck honestly. glad to hear the damage wasn't so bad...everyone makes mistakes, the fact is if we didn't have such a "screw everyone over" culture, you wouldn't have had to worry.

it is not fascism to suggest that the majority live by rules of common decency and civility. that includes not ripping off your bike simply because you made the human error of forgetting to pick it up right away. you did nothing wrong, but in an urban environment simply a human mistake. we all do that, it's just unfortunate there are those who take advantage of it because they are too stupid or lazy to make a buck honestly.

]]> By: bm http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-19791 bm Sat, 01 Aug 2009 06:36:34 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-19791 Ride your bike more and you won't forget it. :) Ride your bike more and you won't forget it. :)

]]> By: Daniel http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-19511 Daniel Fri, 31 Jul 2009 18:07:45 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-19511 That place definitely looks legit, but there's a different guy down the street just off Sacramento who is certainly not. He just spreads all types of gears, tires, handlebars, and bikes across his lawn and has a yard sale sign. That place definitely looks legit, but there's a different guy down the street just off Sacramento who is certainly not. He just spreads all types of gears, tires, handlebars, and bikes across his lawn and has a yard sale sign.

]]> By: RebS http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-19481 RebS Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:48:14 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-19481 Daniel, Are you referring to Recycle Bicycle on Sacramento in Berkeley? People generally seem to think he's legit, so I hope he's not your guy... Daniel,
Are you referring to Recycle Bicycle on Sacramento in Berkeley? People generally seem to think he's legit, so I hope he's not your guy...

]]> By: Justin Fraser http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-19471 Justin Fraser Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:37:36 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-19471 I had a bike locked to a meter outside Farolito on that same intersection. Went in to grab a burrito to go and came back out and my seat was gone. I had a beater bike locked with a cable (my kryptonite had been sent in to get changed out because of the bic'ing problem) outside of Osha Thai on Valencia. After dinner came out to a dangling bit of cable. 2 weeks ago my wife had an old but serviceable Specialized "tank" bike stolen at New Montgomery at Howard. One of the older Krypto locks and cable. Can only think that it was bic'ed - if so first time I'd heard of an actual bic theft here in the City. So maybe your bike just looked to good to be true? I think you were just really really lucky. I had a bike locked to a meter outside Farolito on that same intersection. Went in to grab a burrito to go and came back out and my seat was gone.

I had a beater bike locked with a cable (my kryptonite had been sent in to get changed out because of the bic'ing problem) outside of Osha Thai on Valencia. After dinner came out to a dangling bit of cable.

2 weeks ago my wife had an old but serviceable Specialized "tank" bike stolen at New Montgomery at Howard. One of the older Krypto locks and cable. Can only think that it was bic'ed - if so first time I'd heard of an actual bic theft here in the City.

So maybe your bike just looked to good to be true? I think you were just really really lucky.

]]> By: ZA http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-19451 ZA Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:30:54 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-19451 @ William - thanks! It definitely needs more data though. @ William - thanks! It definitely needs more data though.

]]> By: William http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-19441 William Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:22:24 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-19441 ZA: see http://www.bikewise.org/ ZA: see http://www.bikewise.org/

]]> By: William http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-19431 William Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:21:00 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-19431 Glad to hear it turned out well. I've never had a bike stolen from the street either, but that doesn't help me stop worrying every time I lock up. Mine's a Rivendell Atlantis - an equally likely seeming candidate for theft/stripping. Glad to hear it turned out well. I've never had a bike stolen from the street either, but that doesn't help me stop worrying every time I lock up. Mine's a Rivendell Atlantis - an equally likely seeming candidate for theft/stripping.

]]> By: ZA http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-19421 ZA Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:18:31 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-19421 I suspect theft is hyper-localized. If people started geotagging a GoogleMap of their theft experiences, the results might prove interesting. Lucky break MR! I suspect theft is hyper-localized. If people started geotagging a GoogleMap of their theft experiences, the results might prove interesting.

Lucky break MR!

]]> By: Daniel http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-19401 Daniel Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:01:23 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-19401 I think that Berkeley is probably worse than SF for bike theft, if only for the reason that Berkeley thieves are incredibly bold--one guy on Sacramento in South Berkeley has a year-round bicycle yard sale going with a huge selection of nice bikes and every bike part that you possibly think of (all stolen, of course). I think that Berkeley is probably worse than SF for bike theft, if only for the reason that Berkeley thieves are incredibly bold--one guy on Sacramento in South Berkeley has a year-round bicycle yard sale going with a huge selection of nice bikes and every bike part that you possibly think of (all stolen, of course).

]]> By: Michael Baehr http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-19381 Michael Baehr Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:57:05 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-19381 This brings to mind the principle of Schroedinger's Bike. Unobserved, a bike exists simultaneously in the state of Stolen and Not-Stolen. There's no point in running to where you locked it up to see if it's still there... it will not collapse into one of the two states until you have it within sight. So don't sweat. This brings to mind the principle of Schroedinger's Bike. Unobserved, a bike exists simultaneously in the state of Stolen and Not-Stolen. There's no point in running to where you locked it up to see if it's still there... it will not collapse into one of the two states until you have it within sight.

So don't sweat.

]]> By: Matthew Roth http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-19361 Matthew Roth Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:21:31 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-19361 @Aaron B. Sorry if that was confused in the writing. I mistakenly thought I had locked it to the empty pole, forgetting that it was another. @Aaron B.
Sorry if that was confused in the writing. I mistakenly thought I had locked it to the empty pole, forgetting that it was another.

]]> By: Aaron B. http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-19351 Aaron B. Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:16:42 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-19351 Also, whenever I go to Berkeley, where there is definitely high bike theft, I see bikes and bikes locked frame-only with quick-release wheels. I jokingly think to myself that just on the principle of the rules of the "locking up" game, I should steal their wheels haha. Maybe the students are just too fresh from the suburbs and haven't learned yet. Also, whenever I go to Berkeley, where there is definitely high bike theft, I see bikes and bikes locked frame-only with quick-release wheels. I jokingly think to myself that just on the principle of the rules of the "locking up" game, I should steal their wheels haha. Maybe the students are just too fresh from the suburbs and haven't learned yet.

]]> By: Aaron B. http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-19341 Aaron B. Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:09:43 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-19341 I can't get over how it's possible that it was locked to a different pole than you left it on..? I can't get over how it's possible that it was locked to a different pole than you left it on..?

]]> By: John Murphy http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-19321 John Murphy Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:25:53 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-19321 "It seems that the bike thieves prefer to work out of the public eye." many thousand bikes sit unlocked on Caltrain daily, and I have heard only two or three theft stories. Why steal something in plain sight when there are so many goodies away from prying eyes. "It seems that the bike thieves prefer to work out of the public eye."

many thousand bikes sit unlocked on Caltrain daily, and I have heard only two or three theft stories. Why steal something in plain sight when there are so many goodies away from prying eyes.

]]> By: NoeValleyJim http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/07/30/on-bike-theft-and-boneheads/comment-page-1/#comment-19301 NoeValleyJim Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:46:59 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=14971#comment-19301 Why didn't you just leave it inside the 24th Street BART station? I have left my bicycle there many times, even unlocked quite a few, and never had a problem. Why didn't you just leave it inside the 24th Street BART station? I have left my bicycle there many times, even unlocked quite a few, and never had a problem.

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