douchebagonwhlz

I have noticed an abandoned bike in my neck of the woods. It was on public property, leaned up against some large metal fence gates on teh rodeo grounds the first time I saw it a week ago. now it has been there thru the first rodeos of the season, with out moving. i checked it out, it didn't have an overly rusty chain, so i figured it was someone's, despite 2 totally flat tires. it has migrated within the same 10 feet, still with flat tires, and is being shuffled around with some other groundskeeping equipment, and i think is on its way to destruction.

Can I ethically take this bike? I have talked with some other junk bike collectors, and they said the police will keep it and auction it off, and you stand no chance at it if unclaimed, unless you buy it at auction. i am guessing the bike is from the early 80's, and has seen some care to make it to this day in it's present condition. but if it remains where it is, it will suffer greatly, and if it hasn't already, and maybe go to the dump. A bike in the way of rodeo equip and horse stuff probably won't see a gentle touch from the cowboys and their big ass pickups and trailers.

jsmithepa

U folks didn't take Ethics 101 in college uh.

Sounds like to me (unless u purposely failed to mention critical details) yer saving them the favor of hauling it away and junking it. But soon enuff, after ALL THE WORK and $, yer gonna understand why nobody wanted it.

Blue Order

Why don't you ask the groundskeepers?

Sixty Fiver

I found a bike leaning up against the coffee shop a few years back and after seeing it there all day spoke to the management about taking it home and contacting the police to see if it was stolen as if it had been left there it would have either vanished or been tossed in the dumpster as it was not in ride-able condition.

They know me there so thought this was a good idea.

After contacting the police and a bunch of localk cycling groups the bike went unclaimed and after waiting some time the police deemed it mine.

I am so pleased this bike did not end up in the crusher... it's a 1957 Peugeot PLX8 Grande.

japollner

Take it, but give them some way to contact you. Leave a note, call the police, ask the groundkeepers.

If no one wants it, then its yours. The bottom line is to do your research.

leerish

you know, there's a bike i walk past every day on the street; it's been there for several months. wheels are rusting, and someone stripped the tires off. frame is in good shape though. it's not really in front of anything, just a weird lot and a building. i've been wanting to take it home but i don't know if people will look at me funny if i kneel there and cut the lock. probably not because it's so obviously abandoned, but... i'm too weary of cops to take my chances.

douchebagonwhlz

didn't think to ask the groundskeepers, i am usually passing thru there in the evening, walking the dog. I actually called the cops about it and they came by the house and I told them the story. They are going to look for it and then they hold it and it is auctioned off at a later date. bummer, because they probably hold the sale when I will be at work, or someone who works for the city will intercept it. as far as I could tell it was an original 1983 trek all terrain bike.
lesson learned for me.

Blue Order

Ask about how the bidding works. Maybe you can post your maximum bid with them (ala eBay proxy bidding) in advance. Or maybe you have to be there. You won't know until you ask.

Anyway, telling the police about it was way more ethical than just taking it. Good job!

douchebagonwhlz

that's true, they take sealed bids for old county trucks and equipment. I'll definitely apply the squeaky wheel theory to them. I also am aquainted with a couple of local cops, if I would have asked on of them about it they probably would have said take it!
I'm trying to get my stable up to a dozen bikes!

bbattle

I noticed a bike in the bushes in a vacant lot near my home. I figured some kid rolled it in their and forgot about it. Two weeks later, it was still there so I checked it out. Broken brake cable and a flat tire. I rolled it around to the neighbors and then asked some local kids if anybody was missing a bike. Nobody knew about it so I rolled it home. Fixed it up and gave it to a lady down the street who would ride her grandson's bike to his school so he could ride it home every afternoon. Now, they both ride.

Another time, there was a nice Schwinn with SA 3-spd. sitting at the pool bike rack. It was there for a week, then two. I knew that it belonged to an older gentleman in the neighborhood but didn't know where he lived. The people running the pool knew it was there but also thought the man would come get it. They didn't want to bring it inside the pool building in case he showed up and saw it gone. He finally came back and got it.

RobbieTunes

My brother took his dog for a walk about 4 am, the dog ran off a guy about a block away, and the bike was left. Apparently, the guy was stealing the bike. My brother took the bike to the police station and they put a hold on it for 180 days, then it was his. He put two ads in the paper, and figured he'd charge the owner the ad cost if he/she responded. He sold the Cannondale CAAD 8 at a yard sale for $200. I find this out today.

not_jason

That's a murky issue. It sucks to watch a perfectly good bike being completely vulnerable to damage, disposal, or theft (you know, from somebody besides us), but at the same time, it's impossible to guess what the full story on any bike might be. Sometimes you'll be right, and sometimes you'll be dead wrong. Maybe you always see it in the same place, for example, because the owner always parks it next to the dumpster, with the tires deflated and the chain off the gears... you know, for security reasons. I've never picked up an abandoned bike, but I wouldn't be above it either. I'd just have to follow my gut.

About a year after me and my old roommates moved out of an apartment, I happened to at a party in the same building. I noticed my roommate's old mountain bike, unlocked with flat tires, sitting outside the building. In that case, I knew the owner, so I rescued it, and now it's on loan to my current roommate. To me, that seemed fair, because I actually KNEW the story.

rhm

I'm of the opinion that the ethics of a situation depend on factors you cannot always predict. So, how's this for a test:

1. Put your hands on the bike and start to walk. If you feel your face changing colors, and it feels like you're stealing it, put it back. If you feel like you are doing the world a favor, keep going.

2. Next day, before you start to work on the bike, think about how you feel about it. If you're feeling guilty, or if you're afraid to take the bike out in public for fear someone will recognize it, you'd better go back to where you found the bike, and put up a sign. Otherwise, you're in the clear.

3. Think about what changes you're going to make to the bike. If you're happy with it the way it is, that's a good sign. On the other hand, perhaps you want to change it a bit; that may be okay, but remember, spray paint may disguise the bike, but may be less effective in hiding a guilty conscience.

old_alfie

That's my bike; I placed it there because that's where I wanted it to be; I will get it when I am ready to and that'll be on my schedule, not yours; don't be lusting after my bike and leave your damn hands off my bike.
alf

douchebagonwhlz

I appreciate the advice from all.
I guess part of being in a town where I rarely lock my townie, is that you don't just grab every loose bike you see. It would have felt like stealing, red faced, red handed, looking over my shoulder if I took it in daylight, so I don't regret it. I get enough free or cheap ones, anyway, and town is small enough that it would be embarassing to be seen riding it if it is indeed owned. I just hope it is rescued soon, before a couple more weeks of rodeo dust and abuse.

mazdaspeed

Just take it, it's abandoned, stop worrying about it.

mazdaspeed

You placed your bike with flat tires unlocked in a very public place and haven't bothered to come back for it for some time?

digitalbicycle

+1

GernBlanston

Take the bike. Leave a note with the rodeo guys with your contact info, so if someone comes and asks for it they can find you.

GB

douchebagonwhlz

I already reported it to the police, they came to my house like 45 minutes after I called! took some info and then sat in the car for 15 minutes outside. I think they mostly wanted to check if I had warrants.

ilikebikes