gdhillard

This is the same old question of how do we respond to another person's bad behavior. Do we forgive, or do we get them back? Our character has a chance to show in these encounters, and this provides the silver lining to events like this. I'm a big fan of grace, myself, and try to offer it when I have a chance.

I-Like-To-Bike

Believe it or not, some bicycle riders may not have their own office to park their bicycle.

Matariki

It's OK, I changed the locks.

MrCoffee

The idiot who locked his cheap bike to the OP's bike was rude, plain and simple. Karma is a b!tch. The OP had every right to use any means available to free his bike. I smell a possible bike theft attempt, because that's one method that thieves use to steal. Lock a cheap piece of junk to a halfway decent bike, hoping that the owner will abandon the decent one, so they can get their cutting tools and steal the good bike when they get the opportunity.

I have read some statistics that state that 90% of the serious bike thieves are drug addicts and winos. The rest are opportunistic chavs that just want a cheap joy ride. And yes, there are some thugs and pimp-johns that want to make a little money to pay for a motel room and some sex. I am sorry, but I look at things realistically, and have situational awareness. Some people are garbage. There is no denying the truth.

TransitBiker

People are never garbage. Its that attitude that causes so many of the serious issues in this world.

- Andy

gdhillard

This thread reminds me that even if you love bikes, you are not necessarily a nice person.

Catgrrl70

Ha! Right on gdhillard!

I actually really had this happen to me a couple years ago. Parked in our work bike cage, went down later in the afternoon to leave for a dental appointment and someone had u-locked their bike to both the rack and my bike. I had no idea who owned the bike and there's six floors of people to choose from. And I had to make the appointment.

Luckily my workplace offers "free emergency cab rides" to non-drivers. However, I had to convince them that NO I could not make the appointment since someone had made my bike unusable and the bus service did not take me anywhere near my dentist. I had to make the analogy of someone's car being blocked in by another before they understood what I was saying, which was the most annoying thing really.

I ended up leaving a *nice* note for the person. The next day, she immediately contacted me with a huge apology and a $10 coffee card. Ended up she was a newbie, I gave her some tips, and we are still in touch every so often to this day. And she's never done it since.

Medic Zero

Additions like this to the thread really make me happy that it didn't get locked.

indyfabz

A few months ago some hipster put her lock around the rack and my rear shifter cable. Fortuitously, I had a set oif allen wrenches with me so I could detach the cable from the RD and pull it out to get the bike free. Of course, the cable end got frayed and had to be replaced. Luckily, I was within walking distance of a LBS and close to home. Before freeing the bike I went back up to my office and penned a nice note asking her to be more observant when locking her bike.

Miles2go

Hmmmm. Is that comment aimed at the person who locked the OP's bike up, or at some of the responders within this thread?

gdhillard

Aimed? I'd rather see it as laid out on the table, available for any and all to consider, as indicated. I'm too happy from riding my bike today to feel like aiming anything at anyone.

meanwhile

It's low hysteresis energy Marathon Supremes, baby.

MattoftheRocks

Thumbs up to the op. Thumbs down to leaving your own lock and your phone number. That's going above the call of duty for even a pastor. Really if its a junk bike with a wadded up cable lock dangling from it, the likelyhood of even the most desperate crackhead lifting it is slim. Maybe if I had the tools, the space in my bag and the time I'd take the seat and post and leave my number after hacking the lock...

That said, the worst I've had is someone locking to the Chain lock that I leave in the garage at work. I was still able to secure my bike without compromising the security or access to the other person's bike so it really didn't matter.

Jonahhobbes

Hmm been away for ages. When did the Commuting forum get so cranky? A&S you'd always need a tin hat but the Commuting forum used to be fairly chilled out.