Originally Posted by
Brett A
I was tempted when leaving my loaded bike outside a coffee shop in Portland, OR. to put a note on it saying something like "I am watching my bike. If I see you try to take it, I will stab you with my Opinel camping knife." I didn't. I just watched it from the window. No one even turned their head toward it. Which is what I usually observe.
After watching bike thievery escalate in recent years, I think putting your bike where you can see it doesn't protect your bike from theft, it just lets you know that it was stolen sooner. Locks are far more of a deterrent. You just need less lock in lower theft areas.