Got a credit card? use our Credit Card & Finance Calculators
Thanks to Anonymous,bruncher,niord,gvonge,Shelford, for Donating to support the site
Abandoned Bike Locks
-
- Lemon Slice
- Posts: 411
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 10:43 am
- Has thanked: 188 times
- Been thanked: 159 times
Abandoned Bike Locks
Strolling around the city centre I have noticed that all the cycle racks have abandoned locks attached, they appear to be functional ( they seem to be locked to the racks)
Does anyone know or have thoughts on why this should be?
It's noticeable now because while more people are cycling fewer are parking in the city centre.
Rob
Does anyone know or have thoughts on why this should be?
It's noticeable now because while more people are cycling fewer are parking in the city centre.
Rob
-
- Lemon Half
- Posts: 9107
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 1:16 pm
- Has thanked: 4140 times
- Been thanked: 10033 times
Re: Abandoned Bike Locks
robbelg wrote:
Strolling around the city centre I have noticed that all the cycle racks have abandoned locks attached, they appear to be functional ( they seem to be locked to the racks)
Does anyone know or have thoughts on why this should be?
It's noticeable now because while more people are cycling fewer are parking in the city centre.
Many of the more secure and robust bike locks don't have a natural 'carry' position on bicycles, so rather than always carry them in either a cumbersome position, or even in bags etc., people will leave them locked to where they will most-often lock their bike, and just carry the key in their pocket from that point onwards...
I've got one of those thick, rubberised wire ones that wrap around the underside of my seat steam, and locks into a little unobtrusive bracket underneath, so it's not a problem for me, especially given how infrequently I lock my bike in public places, but I can understand why people do this with more expensive bikes, larger and more robust locks, and especially in public places where theft is likely to be more prevalent.
It's not great to look at, where lots of locks are being used like this, but it feels like a small price to pay if people are using personal transport like this more often...
Cheers,
Itsallaguess
Last edited by Itsallaguess on May 8th, 2020, 10:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
-
- The full Lemon
- Posts: 16629
- Joined: October 10th, 2017, 11:33 am
- Has thanked: 4343 times
- Been thanked: 7536 times
Re: Abandoned Bike Locks
Is it any more complicated than that those using the racks each have their own spot, denoted by their own lock. If only they hold the key then no one else can use it. Leaving their own lock chained to the rack also means they do not have to carry it around with them. It is unlikely that they denote the sort of thing you get on some bridges, to commemorate a loved one. I am no longer a cyclist so I could be completely wrong.
Dod
Dod
-
- Lemon Quarter
- Posts: 4133
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 9:24 am
- Has thanked: 3287 times
- Been thanked: 2869 times
Re: Abandoned Bike Locks
Mention of bike locks reminds me of the time I lived in France. I bought a bike and used it more than the car. One day I went to the local supermarket to pick up a few things, and locked the bike to a convenient pole. 10 minutes later, I came out and it had gone! Not the bike...... the lock and chain! A thief with a sense of humour. 6 months later, in the busiest part of the town centre, the bike itself was stolen.
--kiloran
--kiloran
-
- Lemon Slice
- Posts: 411
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 10:43 am
- Has thanked: 188 times
- Been thanked: 159 times
Re: Abandoned Bike Locks
Itsallaguess wrote:Many of the more secure and robust bike locks don't have a natural 'carry' position on bicycles, so rather than always carry them in either a cumbersome position, or even in bags etc., people will leave them locked to where they will most-often lock their bike, and just carry the key in their pocket from that point onwards...
Obvious when you point it out, and it explains why it's only now that I've noticed.
Thanks
Rob
-
- Lemon Quarter
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: December 9th, 2016, 6:44 am
- Has thanked: 237 times
- Been thanked: 316 times
Re: Abandoned Bike Locks
Two further points about leaving a lock on a public rack.
1) At least a small proportion of such locks are abandoned. From time to time such a lock will be left behind after a job change or similar. I could tell you were to find an abandoned lock, if it hasn't been cleaned up in the last 36 years. If I'm ever in the neighborhood I'll pick it up, since it shares a key with a lock I still use.
2) It leaves the lock vulnerable to attack for a much longer time and, since there is no bike attach, in a less suspicious manner. If challenged a person tampering with the lock could claim to be cleaning up abandoned locks. The only place I leave a lock is in a secure, CCTV monitored bike shed, where all it needs to do is avoid the annoyance of having to report one of my cow-orkers to security and HR.
1) At least a small proportion of such locks are abandoned. From time to time such a lock will be left behind after a job change or similar. I could tell you were to find an abandoned lock, if it hasn't been cleaned up in the last 36 years. If I'm ever in the neighborhood I'll pick it up, since it shares a key with a lock I still use.
2) It leaves the lock vulnerable to attack for a much longer time and, since there is no bike attach, in a less suspicious manner. If challenged a person tampering with the lock could claim to be cleaning up abandoned locks. The only place I leave a lock is in a secure, CCTV monitored bike shed, where all it needs to do is avoid the annoyance of having to report one of my cow-orkers to security and HR.
-
- 2 Lemon pips
- Posts: 103
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 9:07 am
- Has thanked: 20 times
- Been thanked: 40 times
Re: Abandoned Bike Locks
One of my old bike locks is still attached to a railing in the City of London. The key broke and I bought a new one - in 2005
I always left my D-locks in place as they were so heavy to lug around. Some of the stainless steel hoops in the city are festooned with dozens of locks.
Regards
Pheid
I always left my D-locks in place as they were so heavy to lug around. Some of the stainless steel hoops in the city are festooned with dozens of locks.
Regards
Pheid
-
- Lemon Slice
- Posts: 445
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 2:15 am
- Has thanked: 32 times
- Been thanked: 112 times
Re: Abandoned Bike Locks
9873210 wrote:At least a small proportion of such locks are abandoned. From time to time such a lock will be left behind after a job change or similar.
Yeah this happened to me. I left a job at a large company in London and forgot the lock. About 5 years later my brother ended up working for the same company, so I found the old key and went searching for the lock in their cycle room with him - found it, and it worked!
-
- Lemon Half
- Posts: 7342
- Joined: November 24th, 2016, 3:29 am
- Has thanked: 1706 times
- Been thanked: 3917 times
Re: Abandoned Bike Locks
A couple of things cross my mind.
1) Fixing an expensive bike with a lock to something secure is not much of a help. Most parts of an expensive bike are both easy to remove and expensive individually. My son locked his bike up in Reading and returned to find both wheels missing for example, even though the frame and handlebars etc were still nice and safe.
2) I've forgotten the other point...
1) Fixing an expensive bike with a lock to something secure is not much of a help. Most parts of an expensive bike are both easy to remove and expensive individually. My son locked his bike up in Reading and returned to find both wheels missing for example, even though the frame and handlebars etc were still nice and safe.
2) I've forgotten the other point...
-
- Lemon Half
- Posts: 6385
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 11:35 am
- Has thanked: 1882 times
- Been thanked: 2026 times
Re: Abandoned Bike Locks
Well, that's Reading
(I live there, or here?...on the western outskirts, by the gravel pits)
(I live there, or here?...on the western outskirts, by the gravel pits)
-
- Lemon Half
- Posts: 9014
- Joined: November 4th, 2016, 9:06 am
- Has thanked: 1345 times
- Been thanked: 3727 times
Re: Abandoned Bike Locks
Mike4 wrote:A couple of things cross my mind.
1) Fixing an expensive bike with a lock to something secure is not much of a help. Most parts of an expensive bike are both easy to remove and expensive individually. My son locked his bike up in Reading and returned to find both wheels missing for example, even though the frame and handlebars etc were still nice and safe.
2) I've forgotten the other point...
It is possible to get security fitting for wheels and seats rather than the QD items, they are of some help. It is also possible to lock wheels into a d lock with an additional cable. Ultimately though if a thief wants your bike then he will take it.
John
-
- The full Lemon
- Posts: 12636
- Joined: November 8th, 2016, 7:21 pm
- Been thanked: 2609 times
Re: Abandoned Bike Locks
kiloran wrote:Mention of bike locks reminds me of the time I lived in France. I bought a bike and used it more than the car. One day I went to the local supermarket to pick up a few things, and locked the bike to a convenient pole. 10 minutes later, I came out and it had gone! Not the bike...... the lock and chain! A thief with a sense of humour. 6 months later, in the busiest part of the town centre, the bike itself was stolen.
--kiloran
I was expecting the punch line to be: "The pole had gone, but the bike and lock were still there."
Well, it was France.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests