story from our local board



C

Claire Petersky

Guest
I thought you'd like it. Credit to Leo Stone:

Got my fixie ripped off once. I went into a 7-11, after leaning the bike
where I could see it while in the store. This punk kid (maybe14-16 years
old) grabs the bike, jumps on it and takes off. I ran out and gave chase
while screaming "stop thief!". He makes it to the alley and tries to turn
into it, but , he doesn't know that it's fixed. He's standing up pedaling
for all hes worth untill he tries to coast around that corner. You guessed
it. The pedals keep turning, his feet slip off, his nether regions hit the
top tube, the pedals are ripping the backs of his calves, and he and the
bike fall over. I'm frothing pretty good and really consider just kicking
him till he stops breathing, but think about it and just let him crawl off
while I'm screaming that I'm going to stomp your head in. I'm doing this
right over him as he crawls and he is just panic stricken. He might of wet
himself, I'm pretty scary in my road-kill commuterwear and do have a loud
voice.
Not the way he expected things would go , but instant karma pretty much.

The moral of this story is I got lucky, I should have had a lock and saved
the little misunderstood child from temptation. I know, it's my fault.


--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
Sponsor me for the Big Climb! See: www.active.com/donate/cpetersky06
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky
 
Naturally, the little punk can now sue Mr. Stone for damaging his legs
and knees with an "abnormal" bicycle that was purposefully left in a
tempting location to steal.
 
I'd love to have witnessed the aftermath; it would have urged on a stalled
healing process from a similar, personal experience of two years ago.

I too was on a run-in-and-out errand. Though there was no immovable object to
"hitch" to, I applied the Krypto U-lock to the rear wheel before leaving the
bike. Out of habit. I never leave a bike unlocked, even on the enclosed front
porch of my house. Never.

Well, a baggy-clad zit-face tried to dash off with my bike. They didn't go far,
of course, and the doofus dropped the bike and took off before I could get
outside to throttle him, but the U-lock badly biffed a couple spokes. So now I
put the left crank at 2-o'clock and run the U-lock 'round it and the rear wheel.


Claire Petersky wrote:
>
> I thought you'd like it. Credit to Leo Stone:
>
> Got my fixie ripped off once. I went into a 7-11, after leaning the bike
> where I could see it while in the store. This punk kid (maybe14-16 years
> old) grabs the bike, jumps on it and takes off. I ran out and gave chase
> while screaming "stop thief!". He makes it to the alley and tries to turn
> into it, but , he doesn't know that it's fixed. He's standing up pedaling
> for all hes worth untill he tries to coast around that corner. You guessed
> it. The pedals keep turning, his feet slip off, his nether regions hit the
> top tube, the pedals are ripping the backs of his calves, and he and the
> bike fall over. I'm frothing pretty good and really consider just kicking
> him till he stops breathing, but think about it and just let him crawl off
> while I'm screaming that I'm going to stomp your head in. I'm doing this
> right over him as he crawls and he is just panic stricken. He might of wet
> himself, I'm pretty scary in my road-kill commuterwear and do have a loud
> voice.
> Not the way he expected things would go , but instant karma pretty much.
>
> The moral of this story is I got lucky, I should have had a lock and saved
> the little misunderstood child from temptation. I know, it's my fault.
>
> --
> Warm Regards,
>
> Claire Petersky
 
Claire Petersky wrote:
> I thought you'd like it. Credit to Leo Stone:
>
> Got my fixie ripped off once. I went into a 7-11, after leaning the bike
> where I could see it while in the store. This punk kid (maybe14-16 years
> old) grabs the bike, jumps on it and takes off. I ran out and gave chase
> while screaming "stop thief!". He makes it to the alley and tries to turn
> into it, but , he doesn't know that it's fixed. He's standing up pedaling
> for all hes worth untill he tries to coast around that corner. You guessed
> it. The pedals keep turning, his feet slip off, his nether regions hit the
> top tube, the pedals are ripping the backs of his calves, and he and the
> bike fall over. I'm frothing pretty good and really consider just kicking
> him till he stops breathing, but think about it and just let him crawl off
> while I'm screaming that I'm going to stomp your head in. I'm doing this
> right over him as he crawls and he is just panic stricken. He might of wet
> himself, I'm pretty scary in my road-kill commuterwear and do have a loud
> voice.
> Not the way he expected things would go , but instant karma pretty much.
>
> The moral of this story is I got lucky, I should have had a lock and saved
> the little misunderstood child from temptation. I know, it's my fault.


Oh, I don't know. Might shock the little brat enough he gives going
straight a second thought.

Pat
 
"Claire Petersky" quoted Leo Stone: (clip) after leaning the bike where I
could see it while in the store. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Always remember that a person can probably ride your bike faster than you
can run after it. Seeing it stolen is hardly any better than finding it
stolen. The main difference is you are out of breath after the chase.
 
Claire Petersky wrote:
:: I thought you'd like it. Credit to Leo Stone:
::
:: The moral of this story is I got lucky, I should have had a lock and
:: saved the little misunderstood child from temptation. I know, it's
:: my fault.

Leo: next time, take the bike in with you.
 
oilfreeandhappy wrote:
> I have a bad habit of parking within eye-shot and leaving my bicycle
> unlocked.
> Jim
> http://home.comcast.net/~oil_free_and_happy/
>

I only bike shop where they will let me take the bike into the store and
the clerks who know me will watch it since it is close to the check out.
They know they will get repeat business out of me that way so all of the
smaller stores do it for me.
Bill
 
"Claire Petersky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I thought you'd like it. Credit to Leo Stone:
>
> Got my fixie ripped off once. I went into a 7-11, after leaning the bike
> where I could see it while in the store. This punk kid (maybe14-16 years
> old) grabs the bike, jumps on it and takes off. I ran out and gave chase
> while screaming "stop thief!". He makes it to the alley and tries to turn
> into it, but , he doesn't know that it's fixed. He's standing up pedaling
> for all hes worth untill he tries to coast around that corner. You guessed
> it. The pedals keep turning, his feet slip off, his nether regions hit the
> top tube, the pedals are ripping the backs of his calves, and he and the
> bike fall over. I'm frothing pretty good and really consider just kicking
> him till he stops breathing, but think about it and just let him crawl off
> while I'm screaming that I'm going to stomp your head in. I'm doing this
> right over him as he crawls and he is just panic stricken. He might of wet
> himself, I'm pretty scary in my road-kill commuterwear and do have a loud
> voice.
> Not the way he expected things would go , but instant karma pretty much.
>
> The moral of this story is I got lucky, I should have had a lock and saved
> the little misunderstood child from temptation. I know, it's my fault.
>
>
> --
> Warm Regards,
>
> Claire Petersky
> http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
> Sponsor me for the Big Climb! See: www.active.com/donate/cpetersky06
> See the books I've set free at:
> http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky
>


Nobody else has said it yet, so I will. It was NOT your (or Leo's?) fault.
You were victimized. Yes, you coulda, shoulda locked your bike but it was
the little ******* who stole it that was at fault. I'm glad you scared the
hell out of him. The urge to kick the **** out of him is part of the
psychology of the chase and it explains a lot of police misbehavior after a
suspect is caught after such a chase.

If I had had the injuries that kid probably did, I'd have had to explain
them when I got home. Eventually, the truth would come out and I'd have got
my ass whipped. If I'd been torn up enough to put me in hospital, then that
would be "a lesson to you" and the only punishment would be a lecture of
very mild severity.

I suppose that's child abuse nowadays and if the brat (and his parents) took
you to court and won, that would be "justice". It's a crazy world.

Max
 
There I go again!

I re-read your post and GOT the ironic tone the second time. "I know it's
my fault" means (correctly) "It's not my fault." Just as paying to get the
kid patched up is "my responsibility", since he wouldn't need medical
attention if he hadn't stolen YOUR bike, you terrible person!

Time to renew my membership in DENSA.

Max
 
Max Penn wrote:
> There I go again!

....
> Time to renew my membership in DENSA.


DENSA firing squad: they stand in a circle.

--Karen D.
 
Veloise wrote:
:: Max Penn wrote:
::: There I go again!
:: ...
::: Time to renew my membership in DENSA.
::
:: DENSA firing squad: they stand in a circle.

:)
 
"Claire Petersky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I thought you'd like it. Credit to Leo Stone:
>
> Got my fixie ripped off once. I went into a 7-11, after leaning the bike
> where I could see it while in the store. This punk kid (maybe14-16 years
> old) grabs the bike, jumps on it and takes off. I ran out and gave chase
> while screaming "stop thief!". He makes it to the alley and tries to turn
> into it, but , he doesn't know that it's fixed. He's standing up pedaling
> for all hes worth untill he tries to coast around that corner. You guessed
> it. The pedals keep turning, his feet slip off, his nether regions hit the
> top tube, the pedals are ripping the backs of his calves, and he and the
> bike fall over. I'm frothing pretty good and really consider just kicking
> him till he stops breathing, but think about it and just let him crawl off
> while I'm screaming that I'm going to stomp your head in. I'm doing this
> right over him as he crawls and he is just panic stricken. He might of wet
> himself, I'm pretty scary in my road-kill commuterwear and do have a loud
> voice.
> Not the way he expected things would go , but instant karma pretty much.
>
> The moral of this story is I got lucky, I should have had a lock and saved
> the little misunderstood child from temptation. I know, it's my fault.
>
>
> --
> Warm Regards,
>
> Claire Petersky
> http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/


another advantage to having a "fixie" (which i dont have but want-maybe ill
start a thread on that). when i put my bike on the front of the bus or park
outside the 7-11 i always put in the highest gear. that way they're liable
to lose the chain trying to pedal away fast and downshift-and i believe i
would catch them also. i admire your wise restraint with the kid, i dont
know if i could do the same since i feel all bike thieves should hang!
-alan
 
"greggery peccary" wrote: (clip) i always put in the highest gear. that way
they're liable to lose the chain trying to pedal away fast (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
How about taking a few extra seconds and dropping the chain off the
chainrings?
 
"Leo Lichtman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "greggery peccary" wrote: (clip) i always put in the highest gear. that

way
> they're liable to lose the chain trying to pedal away fast (clip)
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> How about taking a few extra seconds and dropping the chain off the
> chainrings?
>
>


too greasy...
 
Claire Petersky wrote:
> I thought you'd like it. Credit to Leo Stone:
>
> Got my fixie ripped off once. I went into a 7-11, after leaning the bike
> where I could see it while in the store. This punk kid (maybe14-16 years
> old) grabs the bike, jumps on it and takes off. I ran out and gave chase
> while screaming "stop thief!". He makes it to the alley and tries to turn
> into it, but , he doesn't know that it's fixed. He's standing up pedaling
> for all hes worth untill he tries to coast around that corner. You guessed
> it. The pedals keep turning, his feet slip off, his nether regions hit the
> top tube, the pedals are ripping the backs of his calves, and he and the
> bike fall over. I'm frothing pretty good and really consider just kicking
> him till he stops breathing, but think about it and just let him crawl off
> while I'm screaming that I'm going to stomp your head in. I'm doing this
> right over him as he crawls and he is just panic stricken. He might of wet
> himself, I'm pretty scary in my road-kill commuterwear and do have a loud
> voice.
> Not the way he expected things would go , but instant karma pretty much.
>
> The moral of this story is I got lucky, I should have had a lock and saved
> the little misunderstood child from temptation. I know, it's my fault.
>
>


In a similar vein, a few months ago here in Palo Alto a road bike was
ripped off. The perp was caught by the cops about half an hour later
walking the bike along. Seems he couldn't quite manage to ride cleatless
with the clipless pedals. Not quite as satisfying as your story, but not
bad.

Mike
 
Your "tough love" intervention will probably cause that kid to become
a priest. after all, his nuts are probably inoperable now and its one
of the few professions that give an excuse for that ...

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA
 
Greggery Peccery wrote:

--------I feel all bike thieves should hang.
--------------------------------------------------------

Do you suppose if motor vehicles had not been invented and the
bicycle had become the direct and only successor to the horse, that this
would be the standard penalty?

Steve McDonald
 
Don Gillies wrote:

Your "tough love" intervention will probably cause that kid to
become a priest. after all, his nuts are probably inoperable now and its
one of the few professions that give an excuse for that ...
----------------------------------------------------------------

I guess you didn't watch the figger skaters at the Olympics.

Steve McDonald
 
Steve McDonald posted:
> Do you suppose if motor vehicles had not been invented and the
> bicycle had become the direct and only successor to the horse, that this
> would be the standard penalty?


In many areas of the US, horse theft was a hanging offense. But in
those days, loosing your horse could become a matter of life and death.

Austin