Ethical dilemma

So there is a cool old bike in my building's laundry room that I want. It appears not to have been touched in a year. I attached a note Sunday saying that I noticed that it hadn't been touched in quite some time, that I thought it perhaps had been abandoned by a former tenant, and that I intended to take it if it went unclaimed. How many days should I give it before grabbing it?

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Permalink Reply by dan brown on September 1, 2009 at 9:34am
is it locked ?
if not you could 'rescue' it and agree to return it if the owner makes a case that they really need / deserve it. go for it - it's better off with you :-)
Permalink Reply by Duppie on September 1, 2009 at 9:45am
Do you know for sure that none of the current tenants owns that bike? Then I'd say go for it. Otherwise don't, since it would be considered theft (in my opinion, which may be different than the legal definition of theft).
Just because somebody else might be less scrupulous and grab it when he sees your note doesn't mean that you have to stoop to the same low level.
Permalink Reply by Chucko on September 1, 2009 at 9:55am
Don't take it. Could be a tenant who doesn't ride it all that much, and doesn't use the laundry room either. How big is your building? I'd ask around and find out if anyone actually claims it first.
Permalink Reply by XV on September 1, 2009 at 9:57am
just don't take it. You have no idea what the situation is, and you are not entitled to the bike. by that logic anything anyone doesn't use belongs to you?
Permalink Reply by Dr. Doom on September 1, 2009 at 10:14am
It's a small building and I've asked around. Nobody seems to know whose bike it is, but that doesn't mean it doesn't belong to someone. I obviously would never want to jack someone's bike, but if it's abandoned it's a real waste. The problem is that it's impossible to prove a negative!
Permalink Reply by Curt H Moore on September 1, 2009 at 10:27am
We put up a notice on each door with the date that your bike has to be marked or it is removed as abandoned. I hold on to the bike(s) for 30 days then donate them to the Iowa City Bike Library.
Out of 38 bikes that I have removed (the last year) only one person called after the fact....curt
Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on September 1, 2009 at 10:30am
How cool is this old bike? It might be mine.
Permalink Reply by cutifly on September 1, 2009 at 11:00am
We can chop it.
Permalink Reply by millenial removing Bernie tattoo on September 1, 2009 at 11:17am
Just take it. There's already too much gold gathering rust in people's garages.
Permalink Reply by Morgan on September 1, 2009 at 1:10pm
i can relate to your situation...it is a dilemma. i'd wait a week, see if the owner notices your note while doing laundry or something. maybe also put a note by the mailboxes.
Permalink Reply by PJ on September 1, 2009 at 1:13pm
I had this dilemma about 3-4 months ago and I didn't take the bike. It's been the one that got away ever since. It was old Peugeot that hadn't been touched in over a year. There was a thick layer of dust on the seat as well as the rest of the bike, but it was in great shape otherwise. I had a note on it for about 3 weeks. They cleaned out the bike room and the bike was removed. The lock (which was only on the front wheel) that used to be on it was cut and left behind. The positive side is it went to Working Bikes Coop, but I still think about that bike.

Don't tell my current bike. I don't want it to get insecure.
Permalink Reply by Davo on September 1, 2009 at 2:12pm
I think that its mine. No wait it isn't its been there a year take it, leave it and another note with your #.

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