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Could you let Boris know about the Police inaction? He's a cycling nut up for election whcih might make him more receptive, and it would be good press for him to sort this out and make an example of the thieving scrote.
FWIW, I got this note from a mate - one for the justice squad !!!
"I was in Southwark for an opticians appointment this afternoon. Left my bike locked up outside the office building I was visiting with a regular Chubb lock & wire chain to one of those steel "n" shaped things for locking bikes to. An hour or so later I come out to find my bike has a 2nd lock on it only this one is a seriously industrial motorbike with a chain like you'd find on a boat anchor. Clearly the owner of the lock was planning to return later to my immobilised bike, remove his lock, snip my lock and have away with my bike. I was livid!
Having ascertained that it wasn't someone from the opticians who objected to my bike parking I went to the local police station to report the incident & hopefully get them to sort it out. Unsurprisingly Mr Plod couldn't give a monkeys. Next I went to a local motor factors to borrow some bolt croppers. They wouldn't lend me some but would sell me a pair of the biggest, ugliest set of nail clippers you can imagine. With my wallet £17 lighter and about 20kg of bolt cropper in hand I return to the bike.
First attempts are not positive. Despite 3ft of leverage the chain is barely scratched by the croppers and the teeth are bent out of line. At this point I'm feeling really p1ssed off at the thought of loosing the bike & walking back to the office having spent money on a useless lump of iron. The other option is to attack the paddle lock. It's about the size of a kitchen matchbox and has a hardened steel loop. Still, I can mangle the plastic coating and make it difficult for the crim to get to the locking mechanism with the key. And it might make me feel better.
With the case chewed off the lock body underneath isn't so impressive looking - the case is cast in two halves out of the sort of metal that they make dinky toys out of. Another few minutes with the croppers and it's in bits and I have a liberated bike!!! I also have 4ft of motorbike chain and the satisfaction that a scumbag not too far away is out of pocket to a not inconsiderable degree.
Surprisingly, during the 15 or so minutes it took me to do this no-one passing by said anything. Is it any wonder bikes get nicked? "
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A bloke goes home to his wife with a duck under his arm, and says "This is the pig that I fuck when I'm not with you"
His wife says "It's not a pig, it's a duck.!
He replies "I wasn't talking to you..."
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Most LED light sets are adequate for being seen - just make sure they run from AA or AAA batteries, as the tiny camera ones are much more expensive. I have two lights front and rear, one solid, one flashing. Also means that if one packs up you're not totally in the dark.
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Great to hear you got it back - it has raised my ever dampening spirits that I might find my Mercian.
Like you it means a lot to me, and I would dearly love it back. You're right that blowing up at the current owner is the wrong thing to do, as they aren't necessarily the thieving scrotes who nicked it.Death's too good for them !
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Ideally one of those is a 'sting' bike wired to the national grid.
Or perhaps the police take theft more seriously there?
I assume there were no Litepseed / Colnago / Pinarello / Boardman bikes in that batch !!! -
Posted a pic in flickr (me and my mercian in manhattan) but don't know how to edit the link (duh...)
If you see it, please drop me a note - ta muchly. -
So if someone stomped on your nice Colnago, would they leave a carbon foot print ? :D
Besides - if you cycled without any carbon emission, what happens when you breathe out?
I own an old car, only use it when required, e.g. carrying tons of shopping, travelling to the velodrome, visiting folks miles away etc. I'm certainly far from a tree hugging hippy, but agree that less (new) cars can only be a good thing.
I don't mind cars as long as they're not trying to run me off the road ! -
http://www.towerhamletswheelers.org.uk/campaigns/stolenbikes_bricklane.html
It's a start - printing off the generic form and recording the details.
Having a string of pics of your trusty steed would also go some way to proving it was yours - especially if you're in the picture too.It's a sore feeling, this "being wise after the event..."
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Excellent list - there's markets I didn't even consider visiting!
I'm off to Billingsgate to check out some fishy characters... :-D
Ahmfae Paisley, and in 1994 moved to London (Putney) rode fixed mostly.
Recently moved to Dubai. Won't ride fixed at all, in that cycling = possible injury, fixed cycling = certain death.
The difference is people swerving as they look round with that "is he really on fixed?".
Individual cyclists are rare, but there's a weekly group ride with Landcruiser in attendance, bedecked with ornage flashy lights, warning signs etc. Very pro.
I sort of miss the commute, but not the weather or the money :-)