Commuting - What would you do to the...

Idiots that go around and destroy other peoples bikes and parts? In particular tires? Yea, this is a went thread. So today I came back to my bike after work to find out some small brained idiot had slashed the tires on each bike that was parked outside the entrance. All in all, about 6 or 7 bikes. Each one had a flat rear tire, and some were damages in other ways. I had blown one NEW rear tire, and at that, not an cheap tire.

So I'm thinking along the line, what to do when we find them/him/her? Have any creative suggestions for dealing with the cretin?

I thought that some of the people were crazy in general, but it seems it is a higher percentage then I previously thought. It's just that I'm sorry I didn't find his or hers sorry ass when they were doing it. They would find out real quick what's it like to try to walk in crutches. Yea you could say I'm way waaay beyond angry. Oh something protects the idiots of this world it seems. **** 'em. *spit*:banned:

Bait bike and surveillance.

There isn't a whole lot you can do unless there was a witness human or digital.

When I read this my first thought was...random acts of violence. Sort of when a few random cars in a parking lot get vandalized. But then I started thinking about my bike, the place I work, and the people I know. Especially the people who know me. Your particular situation may be different.

I know it isn't right, but I'm a firm believer in a good ole' ass kicking for things like this.

I know the place I work. I know the people very well. I've trained most of them. If I didn't train them, I've worked with them in some capacity in small groups or one-on-one. If someone jacked up my bike at work...it would be personal. My vengeance on them would personal as well.

If this is (was) a random act of vandalism, I would have to find a way to get the law involved. Make a huge deal of it (it IS a huge deal!). It pisses me off to think someone would actually have low enough self esteem to mess with someone's stuff. Especially a bike.

Sorry for your misfortune.

Jerry H

No great ideas, but I can feel your pain.

When I was in college, for lack of money during the last few weeks, I revived my brothers old bike. But within days, the frame came apart between the down tube and the bottom bracket. I cinched it tight with turnbuckles and baling wire and I was good to go.

That worked till a few days later a moron on campus decided to undo his pre-finals jitters by undoing the turnbuckles and then stomping on the frame so it was no longer true.

All I could do was tighten stuff up, because I couldn't get it to realign as it had when it broke. But happily, it did make it through graduation and died a peaceful death on the way to work a couple of days later.

Bait and chokeslam that little punk

Yeah, I can't really think of it as a personal attack since all of the bikes were damaged. Probably some sicko who has a problem in the head. But I'm thinking all the more about a folding bike, like Dahon or similar. Take it inside the office and be done with it. Where I can have my eyes on it the whole time. So, that just may be the answer.

This thread reminded me of the time I had my tires punctured 13 years ago. I lived in a small town and thought my old bike was safe, locked outside, nearby my work place, a grocery store that closed around 11 P.M. (I caught an unexpected car-ride home with my wife and figured I would pick up the bike the next day). This town had (and still has) a very low crime rate (especially vandalism). I would still (to this day) feel confident parking my car over-night in this same area without harm. I was really surprised and disappointed when I found my bike with two flats (I could see cuts, like it was from a small pocket knife, and it looked like they had to put a bit of effort into actually getting to, and putting a hole in, the tube).

Anyway I figured it was bored kids walking around on a Friday night looking for something to do. I doubt that vandalizing a car in a similar way ever crossed their minds. I guess they figured they could get "away" with vandalizing a bicycle (as opposed to a more "important" object). I'm glad it didn't cross their mind to karate-kick the frame and rims (maybe they were too dumb or lazy to do the "job" right). I was able to boot my tires and patch my tubes (it was a cheap mid-eighties Huffy 35lb ten-speed, and I commuted about four miles both-ways a couple of times a week on it), so I wasn't out anything money-wise, it just made me a bit less trusting of "humanity" and was my personal introduction to a truly senseless crime.

As far as what I would do if I caught someone vandalizing my bike, I don't know. Pound them with my fists? That just doesn't seem like that would end up well. For one thing what if there is a significant age difference, I wouldn't want to be "that man" that beat that kid up. I suppose if you got the police involved and the vandal was actually inconvenienced for a few hours then maybe he might learn some kind of lesson. It seems like it would take an immature mind (in a kid) or an evil mind (in a adult) to consider puncturing a stranger's tires (rambling over).