11-15-18 Update - Large Percentage of Divvy Fleet Missing! Serious Loss Problems for Chicago's Bike Share 7-12-18

Divvy should consider adding an easily identifiable bike numbering system in order to assist authorities in determining the status of their fleet. 

The News Corner:

Serious Loss Problems for Divvy

"Locking systems easily compromised by thieves."

For the full article:

http://www.cwbchicago.com/2018/07/compromised-lock-system-has-divvy...

I have been seeing a lot more 'free range' Divvy bikes lately. 

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Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on August 3, 2018 at 4:15am

In one report, I read where one of the perps claims someone sold the bike to him for a few bucks.

Permalink Reply by curt(is) locke on August 1, 2018 at 7:03am

Furthermore, by "lower risk of loss", you mean one has little to lose when it's "free"?

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on August 1, 2018 at 7:51am

What can be done? Do you have any proposals/ideas to help reduce the motivations for the thefts?

Permalink Reply by Ernesto Lube on August 1, 2018 at 1:00am

They're still there... 6:25AM. 

Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on August 1, 2018 at 10:27am
Sadly, Tom, I don't think there's that much to be done in the short term other than to better secure the bikes. Even in a better world, there would always be thieves. I've lived in the city proper for almost 40 years now, and I couldn't even count the number of times I've seen things stolen seemingly for no reason at all. The answer to "Why"? is the proverbial "Because it's there". Why could possible want a beat-up plastic water bottle? Yet, I've had probably a dozen of them taken. Numerous tiny little lights. Bike computers, obviously useless without the bracket or wiring. The shiny part only of mirrors. Crappy ring-a-ding things. Even valve caps, just the regular ones. My conclusion is that some people steal indiscriminately, and that they will always be around. They will still be there even if the world becomes more just, verdant, and peaceful (to quote the MacArthur Foundation, via NPR). Not that there's any danger of that happening right at the moment.

My reaction to all this has been to learn how to secure my bike and its appurtenances more effectively. That's what the Divvys of the world have to learn, too. They are especially vulnerable because for every vulnerability, there are a thousand or more bikes that can be exploited in the same way. You would have thought that those locking mechanisms would have been their first priority, and tested incredibly thoroughly before they were ever deployed. This is also why I don't believe a self-sustaining true dockless system is possible in Chicago, at least not at a price point affordable for those who need it the most. If you gave a free bike to every person in Chicago who asked for one, bikes would still be stolen.

We're far from the only ones with this problem, either:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2018/07/01/theft...

Of course, none of that means that we should stop striving, constantly, for that more just, verdant, and peaceful world. It will still require some locking up, though.
Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on August 1, 2018 at 10:32am

Yes Jim, that seems to be the reality of the situation. 

Permalink Reply by Alex Z on August 2, 2018 at 3:19am

"If you gave a free bike to every person in Chicago who asked for one, bikes would still be stolen."

True, and sad.

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on August 20, 2018 at 8:58pm

Over 120 arrested in Divvy thefts!

Insider information is indicating that perhaps up to 20% of the Divvy fleet of bikes has gone missing during the recent theft surge.

http://www.cwbchicago.com/2018/08/over-120-arrested-since-july-1st-...

Check out the CWB's social media's pic list of stolen Divvy bikes which even includes those submitted from a few Chainlink members. 

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on August 20, 2018 at 9:39pm
Permalink Reply by V W on August 22, 2018 at 5:23am

That's awful. Happened very close to where I live.

Permalink Reply by Ernesto Lube on August 23, 2018 at 12:59am
Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on August 23, 2018 at 3:03am

Hey, in case nobody has pointed it out on this thread, CWB Chicago reports that roughly *two* percent of the Divvy fleet, 120 bikes out of about 6,000, has been stolen (and recovered), not twenty: http://www.cwbchicago.com/2018/08/over-120-arrested-since-july-1st-...

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