Commuting - Awsome! My First Real Event of Anti-Cyclist Bigotry

First off, sorry for the rant.

My girlfriend just moved into a new apartment, a pretty nice small place with hardwood floors. The place is really nice, but the landlord is a complete ass. He wouldn't let me park the bike in my girlfriend's apartment (I'm not sure how that is legal at all) and was being very disrespectful. She moved in the 15th and it was the 17th and I was still helping her move in. Her new landlord started giving me sh*t saying that I was living there. I really had no idea why he would think I was living there, I stay at my g/f's apartment and she stays at my apartment. Anyways I left kinda irritated.

Later me and the landlord get into it again. I took the bike and put it on it's handlebars and seat to store it in the apartment because there is nowhere suitable to lock with a u-lock. He comes over and starts giving me ****. He keeps saying that I'm living there (I live out of town 10 miles and go to school in town where my girlfriend lives). Then he doesn't believe that I bike into town every day and I tell him how I bike upwards or 30 miles a day. He then asks me if I have a car and a liscence. Right then I got it. He thought I had lost my liscence so that is why I was biking. I told him right there to not disrespect me. That somewhat got his attention. He kept saying "so you have a liscence and a car but you still bike!?!?" and then it was "why?"

I went into the reasons. Anti-cancer, anti-heart disease, anti-depression, working against the obesity epidemic, not adding more greenhouse gasses to the environment, not paying for oil to lower prices/not support the war, to save money on car expenses, and just for the pure enjoyment of it. That kinda shut him up.

My girlfriend finially said "I would say you are unfounded in thinking most americans are fat stupid slobs, but the dumbest fattest slobs find you and try to pick a fight." I'm pretty damn sick of people who treat me like a 2nd class citizen because I decide to bike or how I look or whatever it is. What really takes the cake is I'm a Biology and Chemistry major and I know that I'm learning things most of these jackasses could never understand, and then they talk down to me like I'm a moron. I know that was long, but thanks all for letting me rant. I'm gonna go for a ride. Peace.

In the US, laws vary from state to state, but for the most part, the following applies:

The landlord cannot specify who can visit a tenant. The landlord cannot specify what (otherwise legal) property the tenant can keep in the dwelling, unless it's explicitly mentioned (e.g. "no dogs", "no waterbeds") in the lease. The landlord cannot enter the dwelling without the tenant's permission; it's trespassing, like with anyone else. The landlord cannot enter the dwelling without giving the tenant 24 hours notice. Laws vary broadly about overnight visitors. Check the lease, and check the tenant-landlord laws for North Carolina, and your gf's city. If you have time/inclination, look for items in the lease that aren't legal; it's not uncommon for landlords to include clauses that are inconsistent with applicable laws. In such cases, the remainder of the lease is still in effect, but the illegal clause is not. For example, if the the lease says "No overnight visitors" but state law prohibits such language, that clause doesn't apply.

Landlords frequently try to bully tenants out of exercising their rights, especially of privacy, usually with bluster that isn't backed up either by law or by the terms of the lease. Unfortunately, they frequently try to take further such advantage of single female tenants.

Incidentally, the municipality where your girlfried lives might have zoning laws that require bike parking for the building. So the lack of outside bike parking might be a code violation anyway. If he starts giving you cr@p about absolutely legal things that you're doing, look into that and, if it applies, throw it back at him. Don't bother with the "hearts and minds" stuff; as what appears to be a too-typical "bully landlord", it's not worth the trouble.

Good luck.

And take care not to rock the boat to much. Remember, somebody you care about lives in the building. You want to move her again?

Peaceful solutions work better.

I find that attempting to inject logic and sense into such debates are worthless.
Unless you are conversing with a like-minded individual who is athletic, you're wasting your time justifying your beliefs and cause. [people scoff when they hear I walk 15km daily to campus rather than take the transit - I just bought a bike now so it won't be as bad for my knees]

In a situation such as yours, best bet would be to skip the pleasantries and use the law; they fold quickly everytime I pull out that cell to dial 911 [or your local housing department/consumer protection agency or whatever].

As said above, trying to talk sense into bigoted morons is a complete waste of time. They simply don't have the intellect to comprehend it. I'd be using the law, too.

Morons generally find other morons good, sensible company but when faced with a person of superior intellect, they often find them stupid for talking about such weird garbage as the not blowing each other up, the environment and their rights. A moron in a position of authority is even worse, particularly if you're standing between him and his "inferior". Getting a lawyer's letter may cost you a couple of nights' drinking but should pay off in the long run. I just hope he's not violent. if it's legal, suggest to your girl that she change the lock without notice and doesn't tell him until he catches himself out by being angry it was changed, when he shouldn't have tried to get in in the first place

I find that attempting to inject logic and sense into such debates are worthless.

I couldn't have stated it any better!

Find a way to ignore this guy as much as possible. If life gets too silly, you may have to move your g/f again. Some people are simply jerks -rational debate is not going to change that funky attribute.

What's that line about arguing with a pig? Ahh, here it is:

"Arguing with an idiot is kind of like mud-wrestling with a pig. You both get dirty, and the pig likes it."

In my experience, when people are argumentative, they are often want an argument. The facts are not in issue. Don't give them the argument they want.

Although he was rude, responsible landlords often try to get as much information about their tenants as possible. Letting someone else live in your property can be risky. In your case, the place has nice hardwood floors, so if I were the landlord, I'd be worried about bicycles, too.

Look at your girlfriend's lease to see if there is anything that prevents you from taking bikes in. If you want to be sure, have a landlord-tenant lawyer look it over. As to visit restrictions, same thing. Check the lease. Call a lawyer if you want to be sure.

The law aside, if you bring the bike inside, you should get some kind of floor covering that will protect the floor from your bike and drippings from your bike. You should also be careful about taking a wet or dirty bike inside. Also watch for scrape marks on the wall where you lean the bike. These are just common sense.

If the landlord asks again, just say that you are being careful to protect his beautiful floor. Compliment him on the upkeep of the place (if this is true). If he insists you can't bring it in, ask him what part of the lease says your girlfriend can't have the bike inside (who knows, he might actually be able to back up what he says). And realize that if an accident happens, your girlfriend will have to pay for any damage.

Edit: And if the landlord starts to get angry, thank him for his time and walk away calmly.

What's that line about arguing with a pig? Ahh, here it is:

"Arguing with an idiot is kind of like mud-wrestling with a pig. You both get dirty, and the pig likes it."

In my experience, when people are argumentative, they are often want an argument. The facts are not in issue. Don't give them the argument they want.

And the corolary of the above saying: "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It frustrates you and annoys the pig."

My favorite gambits for argumentative people: 1. Absolutely, fawningly-but-straight-facedly agree with them. 2. Start seriously asking them questions, as if I were very interested in getting their point of view and understanding it.

The third gambit is a favorite of my husbands: Receive their comments with absolutely no verbal response or physical reaction and then walk off. I am trying to implement this at times, but find it difficult as I am a last-word type of person from a well practiced last-word type of family. This technique is probably not applicable in a heated, off the cuff argument with someone that may tend to bet physical, because they are more likely to get physical!

The third gambit would probably work best here--don't give the landlord an argument and go about your business!

just have your girl friend move in with you. it will save money.

The law aside, if you bring the bike inside, you should get some kind of floor covering that will protect the floor from your bike and drippings from your bike. You should also be careful about taking a wet or dirty bike inside. Also watch for scrape marks on the wall where you lean the bike. These are just common sense.

Just to add to this, you may want to consider suggesting to your girlfriend that she obtain renter's insurance if she hasn't already done so. I'm not entirely sure that damage to hardwood floors from bicycles would be covered in such a policy (although I'm not really all that sure a bicycle much damages hardwood floors) but it's always good to have renter's insurance anyways.

And take care not to rock the boat to much. Remember, somebody you care about lives in the building. You want to move her again?

It all depends. I've heard some horrible stories about landlords exploiting tenants, especially females living on their own. What if this guy has that agenda, and just wants Bethechange out of the way? In that scenario, moving on might just be the better option.

just have your girl friend move in with you. it will save money.

Hell, we might as well. Thanks everyone for the replys. Your right about not trying to teach a pig to sing. I don't think he has an agenda with my g/f just cause he is trying to skrew her over because he said she could have a cat and now he's backtracking on it. If I got angry over every stupid jackass I met, I'd have to do a lot of biking to calm down. Actually, I have been loosing weight recently. :D

It's funny because I talked to another tennant who used to bike everywhere untill he came back to boone and stopped because his front tire was stolen from the basement where the landlord said I should park my bike. He said he used to lock his bike up the a place where the landlord said I couldn't. I can understand someone worrying about their property. But here is the way I look at it. If you can afford a jaguar and worry about it every second of the day you are better off getting a honda and not worrying about it because that is a greater luxury. If he is going to worry about his property so damn much he shouldn't rent it to college kids or maybe go into another form of reality. I'm not worried about this. He's not the first jackass and he won't be the last. Thanks for all of the replys and good ideas, I wouldn't have thought of a lot of them.

Argue with bullies...Usually i choose not to...Unless they get under my skin.If a debate does not get into a shouting match; I like to argue for my interests.That is with rational people..
But then again, once in awhile I like tweeking the nutcases. Like using explosive t shirts or bumper stickers that inflame the enemy. Do we not think it wise that non supportive people unknowledgeable of our sport learn about our obsession so that maybe they might understand.
As to the landlord...we have light colored carpeting that my wife worries that bike grease might damage.. I see Khuon has a bike over hardwood floors..
With care, I see no problems with bikes inside houses. I do that daily.
Establishing a good repore with the landlord might not be a bad idea, just to let him know you are not slobs. I see no reason why landlords might think cyclists to be slobs. NOw, if it were a Harley over a Colagno, I might understand.

I'm pretty damn sick of people who treat me like a 2nd class citizen because I decide to bike or how I look or whatever it is. What really takes the cake is I'm a Biology and Chemistry major and I know that I'm learning things most of these jackasses could never understand, and then they talk down to me like I'm a moron. I know that was long, but thanks all for letting me rant. I'm gonna go for a ride. Peace.

Rant away. I think these forums are great for that.

I think the lack of respect is probably because you are young. I used to find that people would treat me differently (with less respect) just because I was young or they thought I was. There are quite a few young posters on this forum that have posted about similar frustrations with the way people treat them. In fact it still happens to me from time to time, and I am nearly (two weeks away) thirty years old and have kids and a mortgage. Just keep on doing what you are doing, and do not try to let it get to you too much. Trying to reason with him is not bad. It shows him more respect than he is affording you (which is a good thing), but you will not likely change his mind.

I also studied chemistry and biology; actually, I still do. Do you know where you want to take it?

Happy riding

NOw, if it were a Harley over a Colagno, I might understand.

Actually, that was part of his "reasoning". Saying that if a bike was in there one day then what is to stop the tennants from storing motorcycles in the apartments?


I also studied chemistry and biology; actually, I still do. Do you know where you want to take it?

Actually I really love Organic Chemistry and Botany, so I'm probably going to go into some sort of drug research. I'd like to get into biochemistry and see how that feels. I've also been toying with the idea of being a professor. I'm actually touring from Chapel Hill NC down to Orlando FL to start a 3 week project at UCF with the forensics people cataloging some car seat fibers. What field are you in?

A
Actually I really love Organic Chemistry and Botany, so I'm probably going to go into some sort of drug research. I'd like to get into biochemistry and see how that feels. I've also been toying with the idea of being a professor. I'm actually touring from Chapel Hill NC down to Orlando FL to start a 3 week project at UCF with the forensics people cataloging some car seat fibers. What field are you in?

I am a MD,PhD student. Presently, I do molecular biology research in breast cancer. I am not sure which field of medicine I will get into. If you love the science you can't go wrong with a research career. It has its downsides too, but there are many positives. If you are at all interested in medicine, the dual degree track has been fascinating too. Its been nice to see things from both the research and medical perspectives, and you get to meet some really fascinating people. I'll stop cheerleading for my career now. Enjoy your studies.

Actually, that was part of his "reasoning". Saying that if a bike was in there one day then what is to stop the tennants from storing motorcycles in the apartments? The two things stopping any tenant from doing anything he doesn't want are the law and the lease. If the former allows something he doesn't want, he should put it in the latter. If he doesn't, he shouldn't complain.

The two things stopping any tenant from doing anything he doesn't want are the law and the lease. If the former allows something he doesn't want, he should put it in the latter. If he doesn't, he shouldn't complain.

You missed two things that stop a tenant from "doing anything he wants": common sense and common courtesy. If bringing the bike inside scares the landlord, there's nothing wrong with telling him the steps you've taken to protect the floors and walls.

There are big differences between bikes and motorcycles. Like gas and oil reservoirs...With a quick wipe down a bike can be drip free...Motorbikes, I doubt it.
Does Mr. Landloard provide a secure area to store the bike?
I suspect some reasurances to him would go a long way resolve this dilema.