The Chainlink

Last night when I did my coffee stop at Dunkin next door to my house, some random guy in the store starting blaming me for an abandoned tall bike locked up on Church Property just a few blocks away from me, really quite aggressive and rude I wish to add. So, I talked to the pastor this morning. It has been there for over a month not moving, looking ratty and aggrivating the locals. The Church folk are planning to remove it, SOON. Normally I would not care, but because I am the most visable freakbike in the hood around here. Foster/Broadway. I know most people will assume it belongs to me. This makes me look inconsiderate and thus look Badly in the community. If this bike belongs to you, please come get it and move it. Descrip: BROWN taller mens Varsity Frame with girls frame on top. Pretty ratty, some ticker tape stuff wrapped on top frame. I'd hate to see someone lose this bike just because of a little neglect. If it is yours, please send me a note.

Now my real question(s) are .... Do I cut the lock and bring it home and wait for someone to claim it ? Or do I let it get taken and junked never to be seen again ? It is quite ridable and intact. Either way it is going to be gone within a week. Personally, I despise bike theives. I get angry when people strip bikes and all that is left eventually is a frame. I think the stolen bike registry and bike stings are totally cool. 

So ...  am I acting in everyones best interests (including my own) or would this action make me a common thief. I am not worried about police because they like me around here and I am not really trying to steal it. I am not applying this question to any other type of scenario involving an abandoned bike, just this particular situation and how other people in the bike community percieve this as I am only attempting to resolve a situation.

Reasonable, perspective or entertaining Comments welcome (but please keep any insults via private message please) - Thanks

Views: 306

Replies are closed for this discussion.

Replies to This Discussion

I try...ha ha. Does riding a tall bike keep one skinny?

cutifly said:
Your in great shape, ha ha....

Barbra Mann said:
I want to ride it!!! If no-one claims it, let's go on a ride! (unless it's not in good shape!)
Thanks for all the input. Sorry to bump this up one more time but I am going to close this discussion with my decision about the abandoned tallbike. After reading the debate on Bait Bikes Deterrent thread I feel like it would be wrong of me to directly intervene by physically cutting the lock even with permission of the Church. Unless I could feel comfortable saying 'I took this bike and I don't care what anyone thinks about it'. If something does not belong to you it is stealing, right ? Justified or righteous does not technically change the definitions of the act. No matter if it is skimming the register at work or embezzling a few million from BP. No matter if the register cash is used to buy milk for your child or if BP's embezzled funds are used to help clean up the mess. So of course it is complicated. I am not taking a position or talking philosophy either. What I will do is tell the Church folk they need to take that bike away on my Behalf because it is making me look bad. In fact I will insist on it. That way I am not technically guilty of stealing something and everyone gets what they want. I am not personally interested in that bike for myself and If I was I am smart enough to make the same decision. I guess my last question as to the laws about bike theft and also abandonment can be discussed in the other thread. Thanks...
what is this ratlist you guys speak of?
This is Strictly for reference link comes from main text here


http://www.chicagobikes.org/bikelaws/index.php?show=chicago

9-52-071 Abandoned bicycles - Permalink
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to abandon any bicycle on any public way within the city. A bicycle shall be deemed abandoned if it: (1) is in such a state of disrepair as to be incapable of being operated in its present condition, or (2) has not been moved or used in more than seven days and bears physical indicia of having been deserted. (b) Any bicycle deemed abandoned pursuant to subsection (a) of this section may have a notice affixed to it which informs the bicycle’s owner that the bicycle appears to be abandoned. The commissioner of transportation or his designee is authorized to affix such notices upon bicycles. This notice shall indicate: (1) a telephone number for the owner to call to inform the department of transportation that the bicycle is not abandoned; and (2) the date after which the bicycle may be removed if it is not claimed by its owner. A bicycle shall not be deemed to be abandoned if the owner of the bicycle, within seven days of the affixing of a notice of abandonment, notifies the department of transportation that the bicycle is not abandoned. (c) If a bicycle is not relocated or claimed by its owner within seven days of the affixing of a notice of abandonment, that bicycle may be removed and disposed of by the commissioner of transportation or his designee.
Added Coun. J. 7-21-04, p. 28659, § 1
Barbra Mann said:
I try...ha ha. Does riding a tall bike keep one skinny?
I wish!

XV said:
what is this ratlist you guys speak of?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rat_patrol/
I am banned. Will post date of tallbike extraction.

Dan Korn said:
Barbra Mann said:
I try...ha ha. Does riding a tall bike keep one skinny?
I wish!

XV said:
what is this ratlist you guys speak of?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rat_patrol/
I would give it a new home here at the shop to tinker around with, or chop up for parts, if no one claims it.
That reminded me I must go over there and demand (politely) they remove it. I need a video camera, I lent mine out 6 months ago and this guy is in Mich for a 2 week at the Hempfestivals. I really think it would make for an interesting little piece.... but I can't dish out $200 bucks this weekend just for that and still eat. You want to make a little movie ? I am going to start taking after Bill Maher anyway instead of offending people here and on FB. I feel exactly like he does. I think I will be more appreciated on camera anyway rather than these blogs...

Juan Dominguez said:
I would give it a new home here at the shop to tinker around with, or chop up for parts, if no one claims it.
Are you talking about the one locked up in Edgewater? I live right by it, and I can attest that it's been locked up for something more like 4 or 5 months, rusting and generally looking ugly. Seriously, I sympathize with the church, it's an eyesore. No one would mind if you took it.
I'm in the area and definitely a freak biker however it doesnt sound familiar to any I have built/seen ever. Cut it free and keep it.
I have to have the Church do it, otherwise I am showing a double standard and all my credibility goes away and technically I am breaking the law. Please refer to the City code reference I posted here about abandoned bikes. I am just waiting for someone to offer up a camera so I can go back and video tape me telling (in polite fashion) they must remove it on my behalf because it is making me look bad. Those people sit in board meetings, talk crap and usually get very little accomplished. I know this from experience. I very much resent the fact that a board member there yelled at me and accused me of owning the bike without first asking in polite fashion if it belonged to me or if I knew who it belonged to. I cannot control someone else's actions either so this is free game for the moment, and this is all about a self-righteous mood I am in. The only reason I posted this was to bust balls and I feel like it is also in the best interests of the bike community to see what people feel about this as well. I want to make sure I do not give anyone the opportunity for anyone to talk garbage about me and have it weigh out with any real credibility.
Why would you go there with a camera and ask or demand for them to remove something that is locked on their property?

What point does the video camera serve? In fact what is the point of the whole thing beyond you being confrontational and/or a public spectacle because you are upset one person acted rudely to you because the mistakenly assumed that you, a guy who almost always rides a tall bike, had a connection to a tall bike locked up in your area? Sure, the guy was a jerk but is that really worth getting upset over, making demands and otherwise being confrontational?

More importantly why have you taken an issue that is basically a personal question of ethics and turned it into a public spectacle? You didn't even follow or acknowledge the group consensus but went out and made your own decision after degrading into some kind of disjointed rant so why did you even bother to ask?

I would not agree tall bikers are not united at all, there are a lot of people who ride tall bikes that look out for each other; do not assume that your 'outsider' status is shared by everyone else who rides a tall bike.

RSS

© 2008-2016   The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.   Powered by

Disclaimer  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service