Well, show people how to steal a bike - or break into a car, burgle a house, etc - and
a) it gives more scumbags the idea and shows them how to do it
:?: it shows cyclists how bikes are stolen so you know how to effectively lock one up and deter someone from stealing it
Sadly, on balance I think :?: far outweighs a)
- scumbags who are likely to steal bikes already know how to do it, or easily find out from their mates - they don't need a television program or magazine article to tell them how
- but how many honest people don't know how to actually lock up a bike effectively : if they're determined to steal your bike then they'll usually get it, but if they're just going to steal a bike and yours is better locked-up than another, then perhaps yours will stay and they nick the other one.
My wifey carried a great big heavy U-lock to our running club 5K the other week. We're both injured, not running, so were both marshalling.
I was doing lead-bike duties, so didn't bother with any sort of lock - I was on the bike the whole time, or leaning on it.
Mrs wrx was doing finish times, U-locked the bike to a post even though it was only near where she was standing.
After the race, she was a bit embarrassed when I just lifted the whole bike, U-lock and all off the post...