Well after reading all these posts, I'm just glad that I live and ride in Japan.
No one and I mean no one gives a damn and even if they did they wouldn't say so, at least not to a complete stranger. The only comments I've had are from my female students who saw my picture in the local paper. Cool, sexy etc.
Japan (except for parts of Tokyo perhaps) still has the safest society on the planet. The things I've either dropped in the street or left behind in a coffee shop have all been returned - keys, ID, wallet, expensive sunglasses etc. etc. etc. I even forgot my bike at the station one day (don't ask

) anyway, I went back the next morning and it was still there. Once I went into Starbucks for a couple of hours and when I came out I found my cellphone sitting on my saddle where I'd left it. There were dozens of bikes all around mine - anyone could have taken the phone. God I hope it never changes, I don't think I could ever go back to Brighton on the south coast of England. You can double chain your bike to an iron railing there, and some ******* would still steal it before you could say Lance Armstrong. TYSON