Author Topic: Immobilised Bike  (Read 15888 times)

zigzag

  • unfuckwithable
Immobilised Bike
« on: 28 February, 2019, 08:54:45 am »
so.. i had to take public transport and get back home after 1am last night, because someone locked their bike to mine. i hope they(she) will be gone by the time i get there with appropriate tools, but if not, what's the best course of action, provided that i need to be able to use my bike again today?


Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #1 on: 28 February, 2019, 09:12:10 am »
Easier to cut through the seat tube than to remove the lock (unless you have lock-removing tools and skills)?
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #2 on: 28 February, 2019, 09:16:57 am »
^ Seems a bit harsh for what was probably done by accident.
I'd cut through / remove the offending lock and use my own lock on the other bike and leave a phone number.

Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #3 on: 28 February, 2019, 10:04:07 am »
I thought that this is sometimes done in order to steal the attached bike at a later time.
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #4 on: 28 February, 2019, 10:06:20 am »
I thought that this is sometimes done in order to steal the attached bike at a later time.

I think sometimes it is, but that might have been a genuine mistake due to the colour of the bike combined with the weird shape of the rack.
Quote from: Kim
^ This woman knows what she's talking about.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #5 on: 28 February, 2019, 10:26:44 am »
I thought that this is sometimes done in order to steal the attached bike at a later time.

I think sometimes it is, but that might have been a genuine mistake due to the colour of the bike combined with the weird shape of the rack.
You are both right! (I think)
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Genosse Brymbo

  • Ostalgist
Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #6 on: 28 February, 2019, 10:48:27 am »
ziggy, I suggest that you change your forum profile personal text from "unfuckwithable", because this has clearly happened.  Otherwise, I can offer you no help or guidance.
The present is a foreign country: they do things differently here.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #7 on: 28 February, 2019, 10:57:45 am »

So some approaches:

a) Add your own lock, put a phone number on, wait for them to call, negotiate unlocking of both bikes, educate them

b) Battery powered angle grinder - Gonna be noisy, you will attract attention, if the police are called you're gonna have to explain that you are doing criminal damage to someone's lock to get your own bike out

c) biggest bolt croppers you can get, I've had the same lock as that D lock, bolt croppers didn't really even shrug when they went through it (I'd lost the key), slightly bulkier than the angle grinder, but less noisy. You may have issues with people calling police still.

d) These locks have a pretty simple disk detainer lock core, they are eminently pickable with the right tools, if you have the right skills. Track down your local lock sport club and offer them some beer!

e) something I've forgotten

What ever you do, if you go the route of destructive removal of their lock, I'd call the local police and get them to supervise, it avoids having to explain after the fact that you're basically stealing your own bike.

Good luck!

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

zigzag

  • unfuckwithable
Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #8 on: 28 February, 2019, 11:31:24 am »
ziggy, I suggest that you change your forum profile personal text from "unfuckwithable", because this has clearly happened.  Otherwise, I can offer you no help or guidance.

i haven't given up yet!! :D i was also kind enough not to carry and hide both bikes elsewhere before i returned with the "tools".

zigzag

  • unfuckwithable
Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #9 on: 28 February, 2019, 11:39:35 am »

So some approaches:

a) Add your own lock, put a phone number on, wait for them to call, negotiate unlocking of both bikes, educate them

b) Battery powered angle grinder - Gonna be noisy, you will attract attention, if the police are called you're gonna have to explain that you are doing criminal damage to someone's lock to get your own bike out

c) biggest bolt croppers you can get, I've had the same lock as that D lock, bolt croppers didn't really even shrug when they went through it (I'd lost the key), slightly bulkier than the angle grinder, but less noisy. You may have issues with people calling police still.

d) These locks have a pretty simple disk detainer lock core, they are eminently pickable with the right tools, if you have the right skills. Track down your local lock sport club and offer them some beer!

e) something I've forgotten

What ever you do, if you go the route of destructive removal of their lock, I'd call the local police and get them to supervise, it avoids having to explain after the fact that you're basically stealing your own bike.

Good luck!

J

cheers, i've left them a note on their lock. i thought about locking both bikes together and around the stand with my lock, but that would create more hassle. i'll be travelling there again this evening and am pretty sure my bike will be free. however, if not, i'll have to damage their bike to free mine..

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #10 on: 28 February, 2019, 11:43:38 am »
cheers, i've left them a note on their lock. i thought about locking both bikes together and around the stand with my lock, but that would create more hassle. i'll be travelling there again this evening and am pretty sure my bike will be free. however, if not, i'll have to damage their bike to free mine..

No need to damage their bike, that lock is really easy to cut through. Rent/borrow a pair of 48" bolt croppers and you'll be depressed by how easy you chomp through it.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #11 on: 28 February, 2019, 12:02:16 pm »

zigzag

  • unfuckwithable
Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #12 on: 28 February, 2019, 12:24:01 pm »
thanks but i have meetings in town and not prepared to haul bulky and heavy croppers around with me for (hopefully) no reason..

battery mini grinder with a diamond disc or perhaps a simple mini hacksaw would do the job

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #13 on: 28 February, 2019, 12:30:07 pm »
Snip

Presumably can also be used if a cyclist had locked his bike up and forgotten to bring the key.

<insert whistling innocently yellow face thing here>
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #14 on: 28 February, 2019, 12:32:10 pm »
thanks but i have meetings in town and not prepared to haul bulky and heavy croppers around with me for (hopefully) no reason..

battery mini grinder with a diamond disc or perhaps a simple mini hacksaw would do the job

Hacksaw is gonna take you a while, maybe multiple blades, but you should be ok with the grinder...

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #15 on: 28 February, 2019, 12:40:18 pm »
The chances of anyone calling the police are quite slim I’d expect.

Ditto the chances of the police coming out to help you sort it.

zigzag

  • unfuckwithable
Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #16 on: 28 February, 2019, 12:40:24 pm »
hacksaw through seatstays would take a minute or so, then ride to an auto repair shop at convenient time and have the dangling lock removed from my frame with either croppers or mains angle grinder

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #17 on: 28 February, 2019, 12:52:04 pm »
The chances of anyone calling the police are quite slim I’d expect.

Ditto the chances of the police coming out to help you sort it.

Indeed.  Unless you're in a pseudo-public space where private security (or British Transport Police) are hanging around as a matter of course.  I called the police on somebody boltcuttering a bike lock last year, and they were descended on by Bullring Security within about a minute.

The way I see it, if police do appear, then you can give your details and demonstrate that it's your bike:  "Here's my ID.  You can check that serial number with the national property register.  Here's a picture of the bike looking suspiciously clean in my kitchen - don't worry about the jar of marmite.  And here's a picture of me riding the bike up a Welsh mountain in the rain.  Or, if you really care, we can go to a bike shop and have them pull the bottom bracket, which has my name and address wrapped around it..."

Also applies if you get caught changing your brake pads while black or similar.  Always a good idea to be able to prove it's your bike.

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #18 on: 28 February, 2019, 01:26:11 pm »
^ Seems a bit harsh for what was probably done by accident.
I know. But even if it was an accident, it’s at the top end of the careless scale, and I wouldn’t have the patience at that time of night to pay the price for someone else’s thoughtlessness.

Thinking about it, I might have tried to prise the seat stays away from the seat tube with something.
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #19 on: 28 February, 2019, 02:43:41 pm »
The chances of anyone calling the police are quite slim I’d expect.

Ditto the chances of the police coming out to help you sort it.

Indeed.  Unless you're in a pseudo-public space where private security (or British Transport Police) are hanging around as a matter of course.  I called the police on somebody boltcuttering a bike lock last year, and they were descended on by Bullring Security within about a minute.

The way I see it, if police do appear, then you can give your details and demonstrate that it's your bike:  "Here's my ID.  You can check that serial number with the national property register.  Here's a picture of the bike looking suspiciously clean in my kitchen - don't worry about the jar of marmite.  And here's a picture of me riding the bike up a Welsh mountain in the rain.  Or, if you really care, we can go to a bike shop and have them pull the bottom bracket, which has my name and address wrapped around it..."

"I've been on a ride with Titus Halliwell"
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #20 on: 28 February, 2019, 02:53:26 pm »
The chances of anyone calling the police are quite slim I’d expect.

Ditto the chances of the police coming out to help you sort it.

Indeed.  Unless you're in a pseudo-public space where private security (or British Transport Police) are hanging around as a matter of course.  I called the police on somebody boltcuttering a bike lock last year, and they were descended on by Bullring Security within about a minute.

The way I see it, if police do appear, then you can give your details and demonstrate that it's your bike:  "Here's my ID.  You can check that serial number with the national property register.  Here's a picture of the bike looking suspiciously clean in my kitchen - don't worry about the jar of marmite.  And here's a picture of me riding the bike up a Welsh mountain in the rain.  Or, if you really care, we can go to a bike shop and have them pull the bottom bracket, which has my name and address wrapped around it..."

"I've been on a ride with Titus Halliwell"

And look how that ended....   :(

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #21 on: 28 February, 2019, 02:54:38 pm »
Need to go on a ride with Hudson and/or Hodson for the full set.

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #22 on: 28 February, 2019, 03:38:31 pm »
Meanwhile on another forum:

Quote
I accidentally locked my bike to someone else's rather than the stand and I've gone away for a long weekend. Do you think it will be alright?

Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #23 on: 28 February, 2019, 04:51:04 pm »
Meanwhile on another forum:

Quote
I accidentally locked my bike to someone else's rather than the stand and I've gone away for a long weekend. Do you think it will be alright?

Makes me wonder how they know.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Immobilised Bike
« Reply #24 on: 28 February, 2019, 04:55:49 pm »
(I think) It's entirely theoretical.

However, a friend of mine with anxiety issues takes photos of things (gas hobs switched off, fridge door shut, etc) so that he can reassure himself later on that he did remember to do whatever it was.

It's quite possible someone could have similar anxieties about whether they locked their bike up and then only realise later when looking at their photos that they bitchlocked someone else's bike.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."