Attempted thieft .. you have to laugh!

Hi All,

We went for a bike ride with our neighbour yesterday and he told us a funny story.

He 'nipped up the shops' recently and took a chance by leaving his cheapish (Viking) Ally MTB
outside the shop for 30 seconds (unlocked).

He kept an eye on the bike through the window and saw a young lad run up to the bike and start to
mount it ... My mate ran to the shop door just in time to see this kid hit the pavement after
struggling to find the pedals!

My 6' 3" mate couldn't help but just laugh as this kid untangled himself from the bike and ran
(limping) away .. ;-)

There is *some* justice in the world ... ;-)

T i m (Herts)

 

T i m <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<2u9c7v0l36df7r1egp6aji[email protected]>...
> Hi All,
>
> We went for a bike ride with our neighbour yesterday and he told us a funny story.
>
> My 6' 3" mate couldn't help but just laugh as this kid untangled himself from the bike and ran
> (limping) away .. ;-)
>
> There is *some* justice in the world ... ;-)
>
> T i m (Herts)

Reminded me of someone trying to pinch my first bike (I was about 9 or 10). Three of us
biked out to a nearby village and, on the way, my chain snapped. No problem -- I picked it
up and popped it into the saddlebag. I continued in "boneshaker" mode, "paddling" along the
flat and coasting downhill. Anyway, an hour or so later, with the three bikes parked in a
row, the village "hardnut" came out of his house, walked up to my bike and said "I'm having
that". I told him he wouldn't get far to which he replied "You wait and see" (or words to
that effect ...). He sat on and pedalled furiously. Since there was no chain, he fell over
sideways, then rushed back indoors with a very red face. Great laugh!

He must have thought it was a "Candid Camera" setup ...

Cheers,

Richard.

 

T i m wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> We went for a bike ride with our neighbour yesterday and he told us a funny story.
>
> He 'nipped up the shops' recently and took a chance by leaving his cheapish (Viking) Ally MTB
> outside the shop for 30 seconds (unlocked).
>
> He kept an eye on the bike through the window and saw a young lad run up to the bike and start to
> mount it ... My mate ran to the shop door just in time to see this kid hit the pavement after
> struggling to find the pedals!

One 'security measure' I aways take with my Brompton is to fold up the pedal if I'm leaving it
anywhere. On other bikes I often use a toestrap around the crank and chainstay.

Sometimes I wish someone would try and nick them so I could watch the results.

John B

 

"John B" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> T i m wrote:
>
> > Hi All,
> >
> > We went for a bike ride with our neighbour yesterday and he told us a funny story.
> >
> > He 'nipped up the shops' recently and took a chance by leaving his cheapish (Viking) Ally MTB
> > outside the shop for 30 seconds (unlocked).
> >
> > He kept an eye on the bike through the window and saw a young lad run up to the bike and start
> > to mount it ... My mate ran to the shop door just in time to see this kid hit the pavement after
> > struggling to find the pedals!
>
> One 'security measure' I aways take with my Brompton is to fold up the pedal if I'm leaving it
> anywhere. On other bikes I often use a toestrap around the crank and chainstay.
>
> Sometimes I wish someone would try and nick them so I could watch the results.

On the very few occasions I have had to leave mine outside a shop, I loosened both QR
wheel skewers.
--
Simon Mason Anlaby East Yorkshire. 53°44'N 0°26'W http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

 

On Tue, 18 Mar 2003 13:52:50 -0000, "Simon Mason" <[email protected]> wrote:

> On the very few occasions I have had to leave mine outside a shop, I loosened both QR wheel
> skewers.
>

When I forget to carry a lock I usually resort to the "leave in lowest gear" method. As both my
bikes have clipless pedals, I usually feel reasonably safe. My other no lock anti-theft measure is
to take the bike into the shop. A brazen "won't be more than a minute" usually works.

James

--
A credit limit is NOT a target.

 

"John B" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> T i m wrote:
>
> > Hi All,
> >
> > We went for a bike ride with our neighbour yesterday and he told us a funny story.
> >
> > He 'nipped up the shops' recently and took a chance by leaving his cheapish (Viking) Ally MTB
> > outside the shop for 30 seconds (unlocked).
> >
> > He kept an eye on the bike through the window and saw a young lad run up to the bike and start
> > to mount it ... My mate ran to the shop door just in time to see this kid hit the pavement after
> > struggling to find the pedals!
>
> One 'security measure' I aways take with my Brompton is to fold up the pedal if I'm leaving it
> anywhere. On other bikes I often use a toestrap around the crank and chainstay.
>
> Sometimes I wish someone would try and nick them so I could watch the results.
>
> John B
>
I disconnect the brakes Graham

 

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> On Tue, 18 Mar 2003 13:52:50 -0000, "Simon Mason" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > On the very few occasions I have had to leave mine outside a shop, I loosened both QR wheel
> > skewers.
> >
>
> When I forget to carry a lock I usually resort to the "leave in lowest gear" method. As both my
> bikes have clipless pedals, I usually feel reasonably safe. My other no lock anti-theft measure is
> to take the bike into the shop. A brazen "won't be more than a minute" usually works.

I have one of those nurse's locks on one of my bikes (the one most likely to ever be left outside a
shop.) I might lose a spoke in an attempted theft but they'd probably lose their teeth too.

Colin

 

On Wed, 19 Mar 2003 10:13:38 -0000, Colin Blackburn <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> I have one of those nurse's locks on one of my bikes (the one most likely to ever be left outside
> a shop.) I might lose a spoke in an attempted theft but they'd probably lose their teeth too.
>

The one time I was challenged about taking my Brompton into a shop (out of the many times I've done
it) I pointed out that lots of pushchairs these days are made out of bicycle-style bits, with wheels
almost the same as my bike, and would the shop object to my bringing one of those in? They stopped
objecting.

Ian

--
Ian Walker Remove the yummy paste in my address to reply. Homepage: http://www.drianwalker.com

 

John B <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> T i m wrote:
>
> > Hi All,
> >
> > We went for a bike ride with our neighbour yesterday and he told us a funny story.
> >
> > He 'nipped up the shops' recently and took a chance by leaving his cheapish (Viking) Ally MTB
> > outside the shop for 30 seconds (unlocked).
> >
> > He kept an eye on the bike through the window and saw a young lad run up to the bike and start
> > to mount it ... My mate ran to the shop door just in time to see this kid hit the pavement after
> > struggling to find the pedals!
>
> One 'security measure' I aways take with my Brompton is to fold up the pedal if I'm leaving it
> anywhere. On other bikes I often use a toestrap around the crank and chainstay.
>
> Sometimes I wish someone would try and nick them so I could watch the results.

I've heard about similar 4 tales from riders of fixed-wheel bikes. On one occasion the would-be
thief came down across the kerb and was hospitalised as a result

 

On Wed, 19 Mar 2003 10:17:26 GMT, Ian Walker
<[email protected]> wrote:

>The one time I was challenged about taking my Brompton into a shop (out of the many times I've done
>it) I pointed out that lots of pushchairs these days are made out of bicycle-style bits, with
>wheels almost the same as my bike, and would the shop object to my bringing one of those in? They
>stopped objecting.
>

The one complaint I've had was when I tried to leave my (then brand new) road bike in the foyer of
my local concil's town hall. The objection wasn't because of any possible dirt, oil or whatever
messing up their nice marble floor but because someone might trip over it and sue the council. Huge
foyer, bright yellow bike etc - I guess there must be a lot of litigious people working in or
popping into that building.

So, I had to leave my bike outside. To be fair, it was guarded by its own security man for a
few minutes.

Last years council tax £85 per month. This years council tax £102 per month. Band E with 25%
discount Bloody Two Jags Grrr....

I quite regularly have to leave my bike in my GP's surgery's entrance. A newish sign stating " No
push chairs" means I now have ample room to park my bike.

James

--
A credit limit is NOT a target.