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Permalink Reply by BruceBikes on October 4, 2013 at 5:21am

As long as it's in Chicago, you can report it here:

http://chicagobikes.org/bikeparking/abandonedbike.php

I've been told the city sends unclaimed abandoned bikes to Working Bikes (i.e. that place on South Western.)

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Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on October 4, 2013 at 5:53am

Thanks - Working Bikes is the place I couldn't think of the name.

 I'll wait until after the weekend, and report it to that page then if it hasn't been picked up. 

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Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on October 4, 2013 at 6:35am

After it sat for a few days I finally noticed it.  Then I ignored it, hoping it would get picked up.  It didn't, and I continued to ignore it. Now several weeks have passed.

I was hesitant about 311 just picking it up, and junking it.  I'd figure a way to cut the lock first and even drop it off to Working Bikes. 

Which would be better than turning it into scrap metal.

If 311 turns it over to Working Bikes I'll fill out that form in the future. 

 

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Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on October 4, 2013 at 6:46am

Bob Kastigar said:

After it sat for a few days I finally noticed it.  Then I ignored it, hoping it would get picked up.  It didn't, and I continued to ignore it. Now several weeks have passed.

I'm surprised it has a full complement of components at this point. :-)

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Permalink Reply by Tom Dworzanski on October 4, 2013 at 6:49am

A couple weeks isn't that long. People go out of town or they might just be busy. Also, how do you know someone didn't ride it while you weren't looking? It doesn't look abandoned to me, I'd give it more time.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on October 4, 2013 at 6:59am

From the way the stuff is piled up around it and the weeds are growing through the wheels, it probably has not been moved in a couple of weeks.  That being said, there were twin bikes locked to a bike rack at Belmont Harbor with cable locks all summer long that no one touched. About a week ago, they were removed, but I don't know if it was the owners or someone else who removed them.  Really, 311 is the best bet since it appears that they will make an attempt to notify the owner even if it is just putting a sticker on the bike.  I know Charlie Short talked about this in another thread a while back, but I cannot find it.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on October 4, 2013 at 7:05am

It should be noted that if you cut the lock and take possession of the bike, you have technically stolen it.

Bob Kastigar said:

After it sat for a few days I finally noticed it.  Then I ignored it, hoping it would get picked up.  It didn't, and I continued to ignore it. Now several weeks have passed.

I was hesitant about 311 just picking it up, and junking it.  I'd figure a way to cut the lock first and even drop it off to Working Bikes. 

Which would be better than turning it into scrap metal.

If 311 turns it over to Working Bikes I'll fill out that form in the future. 

 

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Permalink Reply by Tom Dworzanski on October 4, 2013 at 11:02am

When I lived in NYC a few years ago I locked up a brand new bike (cheap department store variety) in the late morning next to one of the most visible and well traveled subway stations in the city. When I returned in the early afternoon (4 hours later), everything was stripped from the frame (including the headset which required a special tool). I decided to leave the frame because I was upset. The next morning the frame too was gone along with the U-lock.

I hate bicycle theft and think the problem is terrible here but seeing this bike in that shape after a couple weeks makes me realize it could be much worse.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on October 4, 2013 at 11:37am

I also spray paint over graffiti on the bridge in the park.  Does that technically make me a graffiti artist as well?

Kevin C said:

It should be noted that if you cut the lock and take possession of the bike, you have technically stolen it.

Bob Kastigar said:

After it sat for a few days I finally noticed it.  Then I ignored it, hoping it would get picked up.  It didn't, and I continued to ignore it. Now several weeks have passed.

I was hesitant about 311 just picking it up, and junking it.  I'd figure a way to cut the lock first and even drop it off to Working Bikes. 

Which would be better than turning it into scrap metal.

If 311 turns it over to Working Bikes I'll fill out that form in the future. 

 

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on October 4, 2013 at 1:02pm

That depends whether your spray painting has any artistic merit. In either event, it probably makes you a vandal.

Bob Kastigar said:

I also spray paint over graffiti on the bridge in the park.  Does that technically make me a graffiti artist as well?

Kevin C said:

It should be noted that if you cut the lock and take possession of the bike, you have technically stolen it.

Bob Kastigar said:

After it sat for a few days I finally noticed it.  Then I ignored it, hoping it would get picked up.  It didn't, and I continued to ignore it. Now several weeks have passed.

I was hesitant about 311 just picking it up, and junking it.  I'd figure a way to cut the lock first and even drop it off to Working Bikes. 

Which would be better than turning it into scrap metal.

If 311 turns it over to Working Bikes I'll fill out that form in the future. 

 

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on October 4, 2013 at 1:33pm

Semi-pertinent, my collection of abandoned bike pictures: http://massup.us/llbb/c

Any Smartphone user can email one to llbb@massup.us and it'll automatically get geolocated and plotted and such.

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