locking you bike to somebody else's

[Adrian_K]

I don't know where to put this really but almost by definition commuters have to lock up their bikes on a daily basis.

Got back to the bikes (at 12) after doing some shopping in Kingston to find a Brompton* had locked his bike to my wife's bike therefore she couldn't leave!!! .

So we waited around for 20 minutes then got so paper & sellotape and stuck some polite notes to the bike 'please call nnnn when you unlock my bike'

So after much faffing around with loads of shopping and buses we got home leaving the hostage in Kingston.

It just happened that a friend gave my wife a lift into Kinsgton at 3pm to find that the stupid contraption had gone a guess what.... no call.

At 7:30 we did get a call, 'I've just left [a lie] - you can get you bike' & a very halfhearted mumbled 'sorry'. Now, I was out, my daughter was in bed, so if we hadn't of collected it earlier it would have just had to sit there all night and no bike doesn't get vandalised if left there overnight.

Would you have locked you bike to the other bike to force them to call you to get their bike unlocked?

Given the mental instaibilty of Brompton riders, my wife didn't want for things to 'kick off' by locking the two bikes together but next time......

*I've never been a fan of Brompton riders - I've always classed them as Radio 3 listening, holier than thou, 'oooh you don't want to do it like that' types.

 

[LOGAN 5]

The other week I'd locked my Brompton (no not radio 3 listener to a lampost only to find that when I came back another bike had been locked in such a way that the only way I could get my bike was to put down the seat tube into the frame (as when being folded) and tuck my saddle under and out of the way of the other bike's lock.

Had I been riding an ordinary bike I wouldn't have got my bike free.

 

[661-Pete]

I suppose it depends on the locality, the time of day, and how urgently you want your bike back!

One of the few disadvantages of sheffield stands I suppose. They're by far the best means of locking a bike in a public place, but they are double-sided and accommodate two bikes, so I suppose someone somewhere will make that mistake (and I'm sure that in 99.9% of cases it is just that - a mistake).

Hasn't happened to me yet, but perhaps that day will come...

Myself, if at all feasible and if I really and truly needed the bike there and then, I might consider calling a locksmith. If the 'offender' returns while the locksmith is still at work, well then he can just pay the call-out fee. Otherwise - I would certainly leave a note and the locksmith's receipt inviting the offender to cough up. But I don't know what else - legally - I could do.

P.S. I don't have a Brompton, but I do listen to Radio 3. Will have to pass, on which of us is therefore the 'holier'....

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Where's the option for cutting off their lock and leaving their bike?

Or, better still, cutting off their lock and taking their bike hostage and charging a ransom for its return.

 

[Jake]

There was a "trend" among thieves, there prob still is, where they put their lock on your bike too when your away. Thus, hoping that you will leave your bike there overnight where upon they return with a nice big chain cutter, remove your and their own chain, and make off with your bike. This happend to me about 10years or so ago. Lucky enough I had access to a "nice big chain cutter" myself, and left their cut lock on the floor when i took my bike home.

I guess the moral of this story is, if you find yourself in that situation with either a crappy bike locked to your nice expensive one, or another chain on it, have that chain/lock cut off ASAP, even if it means going to your local hardware store and buying a "nice big chain cutter". Will save you money in long term

 

[byegad]

There was a "trend" among thieves, there prob still is, where they put their lock on your bike too when your away. Thus, hoping that you will leave your bike there overnight where upon they return with a nice big chain cutter, remove your and their own chain, and make off with your bike. This happend to me about 10years or so ago. Lucky enough I had access to a "nice big chain cutter" myself, and left their cut lock on the floor when i took my bike home.

I guess the moral of this story is, if you find yourself in that situation with either a crappy bike locked to your nice expensive one, or another chain on it, have that chain/lock cut off ASAP, even if it means going to your local hardware store and buying a "nice big chain cutter". Will save you money in long term

With a Brompton, not a cheap bike, it's probably a numpty making a bad decision.
BUT! There is a theft option of locking a decent bike with a second lock then going away for the materials to cut the owner's lock and make off with the bike.
IMHO it's perfectly OK to cut a second lock and retrieve your pride and joy. The numpty, if his bike is still there when he returns, is going to learn that locking your bike to a stranger's is a stupid thing to do.

 

[Adrian_K]

there was no chance of getting their lock off, It was one of these 'motorcycle grade' reticulated jobbies with the circular key. The ahem "experienced" guy on the 'we unlock your phone' stall tried but failed to pick it.

If came back to my bike and it had gained an extra lock, I'd be straight down the local hire shop and say "can I borrow your biggest, badest angle grinder pls?" But as the brompton was probably worth 10x my wife's machine this was not a case of theft, just stupidity...

can you tell I'm still annoyed?

There was a "trend" among thieves, there prob still is, where they put their lock on your bike too when your away. Thus, hoping that you will leave your bike there overnight where upon they return with a nice big chain cutter, remove your and their own chain, and make off with your bike. This happend to me about 10years or so ago. Lucky enough I had access to a "nice big chain cutter" myself, and left their cut lock on the floor when i took my bike home.

I guess the moral of this story is, if you find yourself in that situation with either a crappy bike locked to your nice expensive one, or another chain on it, have that chain/lock cut off ASAP, even if it means going to your local hardware store and buying a "nice big chain cutter". Will save you money in long term

 

[Bristol Dave]

The poll is a bit limited. I've said no but if I had little choice then I would. It is dependent on circumstance at the time.

I also ride a folding bike (Dahon), occasionally listen to R3 and feel that not enough people worship me as a living god.

BD

 

[gaz]

100% would cut it, i would take lots of photos so i can't get done etc...

 

[mm101]

Is a very inconsiderate thing to do and wouldn't dream of doing it.

 

[RedBike]

I got my bike nicked while at Uni twice like this. Someone would lock their bike to yours. You'd have no other choice but to leave the bike overnight. When you came back in the morning neither bike would be there!

 

[lazyfatgit]

Depends on so many varaibles at the time it happens, it's a bit hard to give a proper answer.

The sort of inconsiderate twat who chains their bike to yours may not be the sort of person you want to get into an argument with.

Isn't the whole point of a bromton that you can take it with you? I've never had to lock mine up yet.

 

[HLaB]

I got my bike nicked while at Uni twice like this. Someone would lock their bike to yours. You'd have no other choice but to leave the bike overnight. When you came back in the morning neither bike would be there!

There was a "trend" among thieves, there prob still is, where they put their lock on your bike too when your away. Thus, hoping that you will leave your bike there overnight where upon they return with a nice big chain cutter, remove your and their own chain, and make off with your bike. This happend to me about 10years or so ago. Lucky enough I had access to a "nice big chain cutter" myself, and left their cut lock on the floor when i took my bike home.

Sounds like you were scammed red

 

[Twiggy]

Don't go cutting it off yourself, call the cops. You'll likely have to give lots of details, and prove it's your bike, but they should remove the offending bike and keep it safe till the less considerate owner misses it.

I do believe that is the correct procedure in this case, as it is a tactic used by thieves.

 

[ChrisKH]

All Brompton riders I have met have proved to be thoroughly decent.