Prove Its Yours

[JMAG]

I don't have to prove ownership of my bike and unless someone else has proof that it's theirs (including serial number) nobody is taking my bike from me. Likewise my watch, my phone or whatever.

That said, I use www.immobilise.com to register the serial numbers of my bikes, watches, laptops, tablets, tv's and so on. This however is more for insurance purposes in the event of theft.

 

[summerdays]

I've assumed that it would be possible for them to have the frame number if you had locked the bike up near by, though as a precaution I keep the bottom bracket caked in mud (well it's good excuse anyway). So I don't think the frame number alone is good enough as a form of ownership unless the photo is not recent.

 

[Brandane]

Rather than hijack the other thread, I'll ask the question here.
If you were out on a ride and asked to prove that the bike you were riding was legally yours, how would you go about it.

This is more about being able to prove, at the time, that it was yours.

I would say that the onus lies on the other party (be it the Police or anyone else) to prove that the bike in your possession is NOT yours, rather than you having to prove that it IS yours.

 

[User33236]

I've assumed that it would be possible for them to have the frame number if you had locked the bike up near by, though as a precaution I keep the bottom bracket caked in mud (well it's good excuse anyway).

On one of my bikes I was unable to find a serial number and other owners of the same bike were reporting on other forums that there was none on theirs either (this was my primary reason for datataging that bike).

Anyhow, fast forward 18 months and I had the bottom bracket out whilst doing some maintenance. There, inside the BB shell, was the frame's serial number! Seems an odd place to put it but at least it is more difficult for someone to casualy access it.

 

[Spinney]

I've looked for a serial number on my main bike in the past and couldn't find it. I think a name and address hidden inside it somewhere is a good move. In my case, it was made to order and somewhere I have all the receipts etc specifying the bits fitted to it (the handlebars, stem and rack will still be the same, saddle has changed a couple of times since then! It is also a touring bike with a MB chainset, which is non-standard.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

The my interrogator promises to put the tape, tubes and tyres back on for me, I'll take them off and show him my name engraved on the rim beds below the rim tape. If he promises to fix up the handlebar tape again (preferably with new tape of a colour and texture of my choice), I'll show him the "Stolen from My Name " streamers attached to the bar plugs. If he promises to reset my saddle to the right height again, I'll show him a secret mark in there somewhere as well.
But I'll decline the snot test, this may reveal the fact that I had a halfway scone and cream when I told my wife I had a long, hard, uninterrupted ride.

 

[Drago]

I'd tell the copper to log in to www.immobilise.com where he can see photos and serial.numbers. for all the bikes I've bought new I still have the invoices.

To be honest though, going solely by the information presented in the other thread the copper would not have been taking my bike.

 

[Globalti]

I've got photos on my laptop and on Photobucket of all our bikes with the frame numbers as the title. In any case my bike is quite customised so only the frame really resembles any other.

 

[Brandane]

To be honest though, going solely by the information presented in the other thread the copper would not have been taking my bike.

Don't the English Police have similar powers to those given under section 60 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982?
I can assure you that given a similar scenario on the streets of Greenock, the Police WOULD be taking your bike if they suspected it was stolen, and if you didn't like it then you would be going along with the bike!

 

[Drago]

I've elaborated more in the other thread a moment ago. I may be Scottish, but if no experiences working as a copper in Scotland so I can't advise on powers of seizure north of the border.

 

[martint235]

While I'm actually out, I might struggle. If someone else claimed it was theirs, I'd be unlucky to be up against someone tall enough to ride one of my bikes. There's also the LEL sticker on both, coupled with my name and the ability to check Audax UK website which would provide circumstantial evidence.

However, if the Police were involved and doing their job properly, both bikes are registered on Immobilise.

 

[mjr]

Similar to others: I've serial numbers and pictures on my phone and on here, discussions from when I bought them, contact details of the sellers and in depth technical knowledge of the bikes and modifications. There are some aspects of most of my bikes which are so non standard, I'd be surprised if it'd be anyone's first, second or third answer unless they've been following me.

 

[mjr]

However, if the Police were involved and doing their job properly, both bikes are registered on Immobilise.

All that shows is you're daft enough to give your personal data to a company. What stops someone else registering your bike on another private site like Bike Register and claiming it's theirs?

 

[Brandane]

I've elaborated more in the other thread a moment ago. I may be Scottish, but if no experiences working as a copper in Scotland so I can't advise on powers of seizure north of the border.

Similarly, I have no experience south of the border, which is why I was asking if you had similar legislation down there. Surely you must have powers to seize property which you have reasonable cause to believe to be stolen? e.g. In this case where 3 people are trying to lay claim to the OP's bike.

 

[swee'pea99]

I can assure you that given a similar scenario on the streets of Greenock, the Police WOULD be taking your bike if they suspected it was stolen, and if you didn't like it then you would be going along with the bike!

But with what legal grounding, given that, as you quite rightly say...

I would say that the onus lies on the other party (be it the Police or anyone else) to prove that the bike in your possession is NOT yours, rather than you having to prove that it IS yours.

I would be amazed if that wasn't just your opinion, but the law - in Scotland as well as in England. In the absence of any such proof, taking away someone's rightful possessions is called theft, whatever the supposed motive. Why is the OP in the original thread now searching for invoices and the like? He shouldn't have to prove anything. It's his bike. Unless someone else can prove it isn't.

As for this thread, my bike's tagged. Tattoo'd on the frame. Can't remember who did it, but it would be easy enough to find out and I'd be on their database. I don't have any invoices or paperwork - bought it off ebay 18 months back. (I suppose if push came to shove there's probably still traces of the original deal on ebay's servers one way or another - tho' who'd have to pay the costs of tracking it down would be a moot point.)