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Ethical question..Abandoned bikes

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Would you take the bike?

  • Total voters
    33
B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
I think this was posted a year or so ago, but here goes again.

Outside of my work in downtown SLC an older (60s or 70s) Schwinn singlespeed has been locked up to a parking meter with a crappy chain for three weeks. Both tires are flat (the front is a FireXC :think: ), and the bike is setup bum-style (you know, upturned bars, taped saddle, the works). Anyway, I want it. But I'm torn...SLC doesn't have any sort of abandoned bike policy that I know of (they just rot on racks), but this is the first one I've seen that has potential. It would make a killer SS or fixie...beautiful green paint. Just needs some love. It seems whoever put it there really doesn't give a damn about it. Many times around here less-fortunates will abandon a bike with a small mechanical problem because they can go to the Bike Collective and get another bike for very little or free. What would you do in this situation? Cut the lock or lift the bike over the meter (Seriously, that's all you'd need to do), or leave it, until one day it gets thrown away?

:nopity:
 
Changleen

Changleen

Paranoid Member
Jan 9, 2004
14,740
2,717
Pōneke
Sounds like it needs rescuing out of the rain. Leave a sticker on the parking meter saying "Hey, I took your bike for safekeeping, if you want it back call me on..."
 
B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
DaveW said:
Leave it for the full month (just in case) and then go for it.
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That's what I was thinking. I'll wait until the end of this week...if it's still there, bike rescue at 3 AM time.
 
Wumpus

Wumpus

makes avatars better
Dec 25, 2003
8,161
153
Six Shooter Junction
blue said:
That's what I was thinking. I'll wait until the end of this week...if it's still there, bike rescue at 3 AM time.
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Taking something at 3am is a sure way to get arrested for stealing. No one thinks you are doing anything wrong if you do it in broad daylight.



***This is not an endorsement to steal.***
 
jimmydean

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
43,106
15,185
Portland, OR
I agree with Wumpus. I say no to taking it, but if you are going to take it, do it during the day. The owner or someone who knows might see you and end up telling you that you can have it.
 
LordOpie

LordOpie

MOTHER HEN
Oct 17, 2002
21,022
3
Denver
I voted yes, but three weeks isn't long enough.

By definition, abandoned means no owner, up for grabs, but it needs to be longer time frame.

I like the note idea.
 
Serial Midget

Serial Midget

Al Bundy
Jun 25, 2002
13,053
1,897
Fort of Rio Grande
How many of you who voted yes have ever had a bicycle stolen? I did when I was in school in Denver, it was my only means of transportation other than the bus. The theft hurt, I could never do that to someone.
 
LordOpie

LordOpie

MOTHER HEN
Oct 17, 2002
21,022
3
Denver
Serial Midget said:
How many of you who voted yes have ever had a bicycle stolen? I did when I was in school in Denver, it was my only means of transportation other than the bus. The theft hurt, I could never do that to someone.
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But there's a difference between a stolen bike and one that's been abandoned.

The question is, how long is long enough to be abandoned? A month? A year? Ten years?

Yes, taking an abandoned bike is stealing, but I'm not talking about what's right or wrong legally, but how it affects individuals, namely the previous 'owner'.
 
Ciaran

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,841
19
So Cal
Stick a note on it addressing the owner indcating that you will be reclaiming the bike on such and such a day and that they should remove it or indicate that it's not abandoned. Put a lock on the bike so that no one else takes it, and so that the owner will have to call you if they want it back. This way you can find out if it's abandoned (2 weeks with a note and no call, no response? It's abandoned.), and if it isn't you'll have a chance to talk the owner out of it.
 
B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Taking it in broad daylight is a sure way to get arrested...I work a floor below the DA's office. :p

I'm considering talking to the people who own the pizza place it sits directly in front of about it, see if they know anything. They'd probably help me get rid of it. Anyway, I'll wait until the end of this week, at which point I'll take it and leave a note on the meter with my number.
 
Serial Midget

Serial Midget

Al Bundy
Jun 25, 2002
13,053
1,897
Fort of Rio Grande
Well OK then... since you have already made up your mind you need to be smart about it. Discussing the pending act constitutes premeditation. Leaving a note with your telephone number is just as good as a signed confession... Be quick, silent and keep your mouth shut - otherwise you're no better than that guy on COPS with the reefer stuck behind his ear. :)

blue said:
Taking it in broad daylight is a sure way to get arrested...I work a floor below the DA's office. :p

I'm considering talking to the people who own the pizza place it sits directly in front of about it, see if they know anything. They'd probably help me get rid of it. Anyway, I'll wait until the end of this week, at which point I'll take it and leave a note on the meter with my number.
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B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Serial Midget said:
Well OK then... since you have already made up your mind you need to be smart about it. Discussing the pending act constitutes premeditation. Leaving a note with your telephone number is just as good as a signed confession... Be quick, silent and keep your mouth shut - otherwise you're no better than that guy on COPS with the reefer stuck behind his ear. :)
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I'm not particularly afraid of getting caught-I just don't want someone to be out a bike that they left on the street for weeks...
 
B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Serial Midget said:
Uh... OK then. Don't take it. :)
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BUT IT'S SO LONELY!

That's why I wanna leave a note. Kind of a compromise...y'know? I'm hoping the pizza people can help me out.

At what point does it become trash, as opposed to someones belonging?
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
88,827
27,043
media blackout
what, don't you have enough bikes already? every time i see a nice car not being driven i don't want to take it. it's also a shame to see a bike go to waste, regardless of quality. i would wait longer to see if its claimed. i have no problem with claiming abandoned bikes, but one month is not a long enough timespan for me. the bike that remained locked up on my college campus for 2 years before its rescue didn't seem to bother anyone.
 
sam_little

sam_little

Monkey
May 18, 2003
783
0
Portland, OR
I posted something like this last year. The policy in my town is you have to go to the police station and request it. Then, you post an ad in a few of the local newspapers for a full month. Then you go back to the police with documentation of the ad's run in the local rags and the location of the bike. Finally, they send someone along with a pair of bolt cutters, remove the bike and give you a call.

Sure it is a hassle, but if you've got the time to spare then it's worth it. All you lose is the $5 to run the ad and the possibility of theft on your record.
 
B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Great news! Went in and talk to the pizza people today...they were like "We'll have the security guard pop the lock off and you can take it home tomorrow."

Win!
 
pnj

pnj

Turbo Monkey till the fat lady sings
Aug 14, 2002
4,696
40
seattle
blue said:
Great news! Went in and talk to the pizza people today...they were like "We'll have the security guard pop the lock off and you can take it home tomorrow."

Win!
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cool. hope no one really owns it. (you know, maybe it's their only ride, they parked it there to go to court or something and ended up sitting in jail for six weeks.) they'll be bumming when they come out and it's gone.

however, I walked by the same bike for over a year once. I walked to/from work and that bike was just sitting there. I should have taken it...

as for the 3AM or mid day thing, do it in mid day. when the cops/security show up, you simply say you lost your key (if it's not a combo lock) and you left the bike for a month while you looked for it/hoped they key would show up.... no one is going to question you.
 
B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Yeah. The pizza people said they'd direct anyone that asks about it to me. Apparently they've been offered cars by the small car park next door from people that have been arrested and gone to jail.

"What the hell would I do with a car with no title? Morons..."
 
rooftest

rooftest

Monkey
Jul 10, 2005
611
0
OC, CA
I locked my beach cruiser outside my house for a few months with 2 flat tires, etc. (too lazy to fix it.) I was pretty pissed when someone cut my lock to steal it.
 
fluff

fluff

Monkey Turbo
Sep 8, 2001
5,673
2
Feeling the lag
Why not talk to your local authorities about how long they'll leave it their before sorting it themselves and then volunteer to help them?
 
dhbuilder

dhbuilder

jingoistic xenophobe
Aug 10, 2005
3,040
0
i voted no.
in the scenario you laid out, i'd have no desire for that particular bike.

but an abandoned bike at a trailhead or parking lot, that may have been forgotten or overlooked while loading numerous other bikes.
that one i'd probably take, leave contact info. and possibly leave at a local shop. or if it was a high dollar bike, i'd hang onto it hoping to find out who lost it.

but the one you described, it'd be my luck i'd get the thing halfway over the meter and i'd hear those imfamous words,"watcha doin boy" ?
 
Ciaran

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,841
19
So Cal
Serial Midget said:
Well OK then... since you have already made up your mind you need to be smart about it. Discussing the pending act constitutes premeditation. Leaving a note with your telephone number is just as good as a signed confession... Be quick, silent and keep your mouth shut - otherwise you're no better than that guy on COPS with the reefer stuck behind his ear. :)
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You sound rather experienced in this sort of covert operation. :think:





;)
 
Bicyclist

Bicyclist

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2004
10,152
2
SB
I have had a bike stolen from my house. I literally cried.

However, I voted yes. If a bike has been in the same place for 3 weeks, the owner obviously doesn't care abouit it. I would take in in broad daylight. Doing it at 3:00 would be shady. However, I would leave a note for the owner.
 
B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Ciaran said:
Hah! Somone stole the bike you were planning to steal!!!!

Oh the irony!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
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Theft and reclamation of abandoned property are different things...someone just got to it before I did. Ah well. That's life.
 
Ciaran

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,841
19
So Cal
blue said:
Theft and reclamation of abandoned property are different things...someone just got to it before I did. Ah well. That's life.
Click to expand...
Yes, but it's still ironically funny.
 
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