Ways not to lock your bike

How tempted were you?

Too big for me.

Awkwardly though, the owner returned after a bit and I think he saw me taking the pic.

His spokes, my rim.

@Hefty Ha!

Oh man, cheap looking deep section rear wheel xpresso- (esque) with a skinny front wheel and what sounded like a hope freewheel? I think I saw this on Camberwell road this morning, ridden by some dude who had 'Italian Fashion victim' written all over him. Genuinely judged the legitimacy of his ownership.

Nah this guy looked fairly Rapha-esque

'Italian Fashion victim'

Rapha-esque

Raphael?

I sent the head of the leisure centre an email requesting cctv footage and stated that it was my intention to recover funds to replace the lock that I felt they had criminally damaged. I copied in the MP and local mayor for good measure. Still waiting to hear from him.

Wonder if it was stolen and had a cheap wheel swap-out

Just got this reply.

"

Thank you for your letter dated 12th October; it is extremely regrettable that your experience at Wavelengths was not enjoyable. As a company we drive to deliver the highest possible standards of customer service, promoting a culture of continuous improvement to achieve customer satisfaction. However in this circumstance I do not believe that we are accountable for your dissatisfaction.

I am not sure who provided you with your information but unfortunately this not correct; as a General Manager I followed a work instruction to remove all locks that are not being used. I would like also to confirm that all initial complaints are dealt with by ‘Team Leaders’ or Customer Relations Managers; I am extremely busy hence the need for a structured management team.

It is my understanding that you will need to apply for Freedom of Information Act, with valid reasons for your request. Your original request for images of CCTV is denied; you were informed we will only provide this access to the Police.

Locks were removed because they were on private property; therefore no criminal damage has occurred; no locks were removed that were securing bicycles or other modes of transportation.

It is regrettable that you feel offended which I can emphasis with however bike racks are provided for all customers that are using the centre for that period; you have stated that you left your lock whilst you were away from the centre.

It is my decision to refuse the cost of repayment for your lock because of the reasons mentioned in this reply; I will be happy to escalate your complaint if you request.

Kind Regards

General Manager"

Is that true, they can damage any persons belongings on what they deem their property and not be liable? Not happy.

Don't 'escalate' (don't use that pompous word). Get back to him/her (sounds like a bloke, though) and tell him/her that they should at least have given people a warning--I take it there were no notices up? It's perfectly obvious that at least some locks left around may be being used. It's common practice for people to leave locks at stands they normally use. If they don't like it, there's a perfectly good way of managing that, and it involves communication. He/she is being unreasonable and made a mistake.

Don't go down the route of what they supposedly legally can or can't do. Their mention of that is already an admission that they're trying to ignore the general reasonableness that comes well before a recourse to the law. You were given no warning and you would of course have been perfectly happy to remove the lock had you been told they didn't want it/them there any more.

If they don't react properly to that, then 'escalate'. But don't accept that this person has already done all they should do. They haven't.

How long was it locked up for? If not long enough to consider it abandoned, and if it wasn't in the way of other people using the stand or somehow blocking access it seems like some jobsworth who has just taken a personal disliking to locks being left there. Escalate away, escalate in the face.

Is that true, they can damage any persons belongings on what they deem their property and not be liable?

No. But realistically, what are you going to do about it? The police won't be interested, and issuing proceedings to cover the cost of your lock is going to be financially counter-productive.

He's obviously a very busy and important person though, so be mindful of his importance and busyness.

I agree with Oliver.

I don't really understand the work instruction part. Is the GM not the top person at the centre? Anyway like Oliver said, with no signs saying this might happen they are in the wrong.

Also you no longer require the CCTV, as they have confirmed carrying out the action.

I'd disagree with Dan, I would imagine this could go down small claims.

Thanks oliver , Yeah it's a bloke.

There were no signs and there are still no signs. I took pictures of the outside of the centre on the evening the lock was removed and the following morning. I have since noticed that there are locks that have been left there since last week and not removed.

@snottyotter the lock was left there after I left the centre at 13:30 and had been removed by the time I returned on the same day for another class at 18:30
Part of my asking for cctv was to prove this point.

That use of the CCTV make sense but I think it's more than is required.

This #csb needs its own thread, preferably on bike radar

Well, he's simply being unreasonable.

5 hours is fucking stupid as well, 5 days maybe.

I wonder what they’d do to a car that was left in the car park for 5 hours.

Like @danstuff says - what’s the plan? A dozen grumpy emails that will all get ignored? Life’s too short.

I’d write to the most important person explaining that the company has acted unreasonably, that the person responding to your complaint desperately needs some training on complaint handling and that you’re ending your membership because of how you’ve been treated.

They should care, but they may well not.

Join another gym that doesn’t employ cunts.

By their reckoning they could do whatever they wanted to the car. Threatening to leave would not bother them.

Do a shit in the pool.

Genius

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Genius

You talking about the person that thought "How can we make our chain lock more secure? I know, add another digit to the combination!"?

I wonder what percentage of combination locks are ever broken by someone working out the code.