Another "weird listing on CL" thread - but please coach me here
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Another "weird listing on CL" thread - but please coach me here
I live near Albuquerque. A guy has listed a bike on CL, says he's in a town a few hours away. Listing price has been dropping over the past six weeks; is now at the low end of what I'd consider 'realistic' for the region. He does sound like he knows bikes in the listing. Supporting the legit-ad theory, his first price was a bit too high; now it's a bit too low. And Albuquerque is not an active resale market, to put it kindly.
Here's the weird part - there's an obvious 'halfway' town where we could meet, and when I suggest it, he keeps suggesting towns that are tiny, and 10-15 minutes closer to where he is. He'd still be driving over an hour - it's the difference between 75 and 90 minutes.
My mind goes to the following: is there a county line here, and an ankle bracelet involved? I know people who are court-ordered around here, and they take it seriously. Just seems weird.
Thoughts? Should I call the police in the 'halfway' town, and ask if they have a report of a stolen bike? This bike would solve some very pressing practical problems for me right now.
Here's the weird part - there's an obvious 'halfway' town where we could meet, and when I suggest it, he keeps suggesting towns that are tiny, and 10-15 minutes closer to where he is. He'd still be driving over an hour - it's the difference between 75 and 90 minutes.
My mind goes to the following: is there a county line here, and an ankle bracelet involved? I know people who are court-ordered around here, and they take it seriously. Just seems weird.
Thoughts? Should I call the police in the 'halfway' town, and ask if they have a report of a stolen bike? This bike would solve some very pressing practical problems for me right now.
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Maybe suggest he meet you at the police dept., during working hours, in one of those small towns. If he doesn't want to do this, maybe pass on the bike.
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If you have doubts, you should pass. I doubt that bike is that worth it. There are some holy grail bikes in the world but sometimes it just isn't worth a big risk over a bike.
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You can think up perfectly non-shady reasons too, that are none of your beeswax, like he has someone to take care of and doesn’t want to leave them for an hour. Or he doesn’t want to pay $7/hr x four kids at the drop in daycare. Or maybe the food isn’t as good at the cafe in your halfway point.
I don’t know what value bike you are looking at but it would seem to me easier to just keep driving the rest of the way to his burg. The police station thing is fine.
I don’t know what value bike you are looking at but it would seem to me easier to just keep driving the rest of the way to his burg. The police station thing is fine.
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Those are no fun though! I want to hear the guy has an artisan meth dealer in the small town or there is a glory hole in the bathroom at the local café or maybe he wants to show you that place he got drunk one time and swears he saw Elvis 18 years ago.
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CL purchase
I ask for a photo of the Serial Number and run it through the Stolen Bike Registry websites.
I also feel a lot better if I make a CL purchase at the sellers home, even if it means driving a bit more.
Barry
These are the two I use...
www.bikeindex.com
www.project529.com
I also feel a lot better if I make a CL purchase at the sellers home, even if it means driving a bit more.
Barry
These are the two I use...
www.bikeindex.com
www.project529.com
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Good grief.
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Wrong state. In New Mexico it would be green aliens, not Elvis.
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No one gives a poo about Elvis here, thank God. And Aliens aren't very current. But crime in small towns in the Rio Grande valley ain't no joke.
I like the idea of agreeing to meet at a police station of his choosing ... that ought to sort out safety.
Really not into getting mugged in the middle of windswept nowhere.
I like the idea of agreeing to meet at a police station of his choosing ... that ought to sort out safety.
Really not into getting mugged in the middle of windswept nowhere.
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Police stations are a good place to do CL transactions in general. The seller is probably just as nervous about some potential buyer insisting that they meet in a town that is 15 minutes further away.
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Invite them to your home? Sure .... make a habit of that .....
I sometimes offer private qigong lessons ... it is always "Let's meet at the library by the park" or something. No strangers need to know where I live .... and equally, nobody is going to comfortably visit the home of someone as strange as I am.
But seriously ... if you think there is something shady, and you aren't willing to ask the guy ... what's up with that? What do you say when the bike turns out to be stolen? What do you say when the owner tracks it down and confronts you, and thinks You are the thief?
If I had any qualms .... ASK. What the actual F? Ask the guy why he won't meet at a reasonable place. Protect yourself. Or .... are you the sort of person who wants an expensive bike for a cheap price so much, you are willing to overlook the fact that you think it is stolen?
I figure I need to model the right behavior. If one of my bikes got heisted, I would want other cyclists to Not buy it .... if for no other reason, so that I wouldn't drive by some guy on the road on what I recognize to be My bike. I would want other cyclists to realize that only shady people do shady things .... so that is how I behave.
You ... well, go ahead, take your chances. if you end up getting kidnapped and sacrificed in some satanic ritual .... can I have your bike?
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I've had "meet me half way" hook ups where the guy showed up and decided he didn't want what he saw. Wasn't much I could do except eat the 2 hours of driving and bridge tolls. The seller is the one taking all the risks, I think it is nice of him to even go 1/4 way there.
Last several CL transactions I have done have all been at the home of the seller, mine included. Can't say I've every worried about getting jacked.
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You need to ask his next of kin that one.
I've had "meet me half way" hook ups where the guy showed up and decided he didn't want what he saw. Wasn't much I could do except eat the 2 hours of driving and bridge tolls. The seller is the one taking all the risks, I think it is nice of him to even go 1/4 way there.
Last several CL transactions I have done have all been at the home of the seller, mine included. Can't say I've every worried about getting jacked.
I've had "meet me half way" hook ups where the guy showed up and decided he didn't want what he saw. Wasn't much I could do except eat the 2 hours of driving and bridge tolls. The seller is the one taking all the risks, I think it is nice of him to even go 1/4 way there.
Last several CL transactions I have done have all been at the home of the seller, mine included. Can't say I've every worried about getting jacked.
I ghosted on the email chain - too bad of a vibe, and trouble I don't need.
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The part that weirded me out was he was willing to go 80 minutes but not 90. And the difference is between "windswept and no one around for miles" and "sizable town." It's like someone asking you to meet them on the outskirts.
I ghosted on the email chain - too bad of a vibe, and trouble I don't need.
I ghosted on the email chain - too bad of a vibe, and trouble I don't need.
Oh well, there will be other bikes.
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Yeah, we're talking San Antonio vs. Socorro.
Sorry your time was in Cruces; it can be OK but the northern part of the state is amazing. What brought you here?
Sorry your time was in Cruces; it can be OK but the northern part of the state is amazing. What brought you here?
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Yeah don't go to Socorro, everyone there has explosives
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That whole area is very pretty. We worked non-stop so didn't see much outside of a test facility and a Walmart. Sunsets were amazing, the parachute flares from Ft Bliss were pretty cool at night as well.
I'm binge watching Breaking Bad right now. Lots of scenery in that series, LOL.
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Alamagordo is a rough town. But the museum there is a treasure, and indeed there are some natural amazements. Personal preference is for montane / high desert so naturally I prefer the north, but I've had fun in the middle-south. It's the Permian Basin (Artesia and points southeast) that gets me queasy.
Either way, I'm not meeting a guy by the side of a state highway in San Antonio for a CL transaction when he won't drive another 10-15 minutes into the comparative safety of Socorro.
Either way, I'm not meeting a guy by the side of a state highway in San Antonio for a CL transaction when he won't drive another 10-15 minutes into the comparative safety of Socorro.
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I ask for a photo of the Serial Number and run it through the Stolen Bike Registry websites.
I also feel a lot better if I make a CL purchase at the sellers home, even if it means driving a bit more.
Barry
These are the two I use...
www.bikeindex.com
www.project529.com
I also feel a lot better if I make a CL purchase at the sellers home, even if it means driving a bit more.
Barry
These are the two I use...
www.bikeindex.com
www.project529.com
Tim
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I'm not talking a $50 jalopy.
I just purchased a $3k Cervelo on the guys front lawn.
I had no expectation of being invited in for coffee!
I’m not buying one of those in a parking lot.
Funny thing.... guy would not accept my wife as collateral on the test ride. He came with me.
I guess with my mask on I just don’t look as trustworthy.
Barry