I know it’s highly unoriginal but I’m going to point to this failed locking effort that I saw last week:
Now, let’s see:
- Locked to frame? Check.
- Locked to wheel? Check.
- Locked both to bike rail? Ummmm…
I was tempted to flip the bike around to the other side of the rail, just to screw with the owner’s mind but, given their lack of attention to detail, I doubted they would notice.
Or maybe I was wrong. The bike was still there hours later and the next day it was back at the rail with a new locking arrangement:
It’s really easy to point and laugh, but I guess everyone makes mistakes—the important thing is to learn from them. And it looks like this rider has, without losing anything (except perhaps their seat?)
Were they just lucky—or lucky enough to be riding an unattractive bike? It’s not really my taste in wheels and maybe the bike theives didn’t fancy it either.
[Apologies for the poor quality photos—the ‘plastic fantastic’ is an OK phone but as a camera it leaves something to be desired.]
Subtext: You’re trying to say thats a ugly bike?
Pauses for thought … hmmm, yes it’s very 1997 isn’t it?
It’s all relative: the bicycle is inherently a beautiful machine, regardless of how it’s actually realised. But that particular bike is not one I’d put up as an example of ‘the beautiful machine’.
But I’m sure its owner reckons it’s just ace.
sigh….
about two weeks ago I finished a busy day at work and looked forward to a 12 mile ride home. It was a beautiful afternoon, the bike rack was full, and in the middle of all the bikes, was mine. I was the fiirst to arrive that morning at the rack. I had a lot on my mind after my ride. I unhooked my panniers. I put my lights and water bottle in the panniers.
And so when I finished the day I was shocked to see my bike in the rack without a lock on. I simply blitzed it. I was lucky. I didn’t depend on luck. I had a lock. I just never used it.
I hope that is the last time that happens…. I’m imperfect. Good thing the thieves are too!
I carefully locked mine up and then left the keys in the lock once. Brain somwhere else i guess…