notfred

This morning, I got a flat on the way in to work. I walked the last mile and a half or so to work, which sucked, but whatever, that's another story.

Anyway, I locked my bike up at work, and went to work for a while. This afternoon, I went to take my bike down the street to the bike shop to get my tire fixed. Well, when I went and got my bike, my headlight was gone! It really wasn't secured very well, and so anyone could have taken it without any tools, but it's still kind of annoying. Who steals a headlight?

divergence

Happens to me every few months, actually. If I forget to take the headlight with me when I lock my bike downtown, there's a strong chance it'll be gone when I return.

I think the reason has to do with "fix it" tickets. If you get ticketed for riding without a headlight in this county, you can get the fine reduced almost to zero if you show the judge that you now own a headlight. So I've got a feeling most of the headlights I've had stolen from me over the years were shown to a judge once, then never used again.

Which is unfortunate...I'd rather think that all those stolen lights helped to reduce the number of unlighted ninja bikers out there.

geo8rge

"Who steals a headlight?" Kids on a dare. 75% - 20% crackhead - 5% someone who wanted a headlight.

Tude 

Mine have a quick release on them so I lug them with me into the grocery store (along water bottle, computer, anything that isn't securely affixed on the bike). Don't trust anyone these days...

pedalMonger

Anybody here with DiNotte lights? Or other lights with a seperate battery pack? Wonder if leaving the battery packs on the bike and taking the lights off is okay? The lights go on and off quick, but restrapping the battery packs to the frame can be a bit of a hassle. Has anybody had just their battery packs stolen, after removing only the lights?

divergence

Would the battery pack fit into an opaque water bottle? That's the one thing that no one ever seems to steal.

(Hiding the fact that there are wires coming out of the bottle is left as an exercise for the reader...)

pedalMonger

Ya I might be able to come up with some sort of camo, good idea (thanks!). DiNotte shipped the lights with extension cords, so I can put the batteries just about anywhere on the bike.

Cyclon

No one was willing to steal my cheap-o headlight. Instead, the light's mount point broke recently so now I can finally buy a new light. Now my WANT for a new light is a NEED; guilt free shopping time.

gazer

In San Francisco, unfortunately anything not strongly secured to your bike will be gone quickly. Even if it makes little sense to take such things.

Cyclon

Maybe it's because in LA the crooks are more concerned with stealing cars than bicycles.

Zero_Enigma

Yup. It sucks people are like that. There is a saying "If it's not bolted down take it" - Seinfield? and also "kit left adrift must be a gift" - SKTFM

On hot days your water bottle can be taken by thirsty people or homeless folk as I've been told downtown. Also there is a danger in leaving your water bottle. I have heard from some people that some evil minded people would slip drugs into the drink for kicks. This is more concerning to the female population if someone wants to drug you then pick you off on the bike via said method when I think about it now.

I take everything of fthe bike when I ride. SUre it sucks that it takes about 5-7mins lock up the bike each time removing stuff then doing it again when you come back but better then losing the bike/kit.

acroy

yetch - bastards!
how bout just sticking to helmet-mounted lite & wearing it with you?

lima_bean

Thats it exactly.

Raiyn

I don't buy it.

1. Why would someone waste expensive drugs on a random stranger? This ain't the Tour de France, and you're not going to defeat someone's favorite rider up the Tourmalet.
2. There's no guarantee that you're ACTUALLY GOING TO DRINK the water.
3. There's no telling how when the drugs will take effect if you do drink the drugged water
4. You have a bicycle. That significantly increases the range you can travel, drugged or not.
5. The random nut is NOT going to be able to follow you without making it obvious

The fact of the matter is this. The odds of a drugged bottle are slim. You have a higher risk of some homeless guy using it as a porta-potty and even there the risk is minimal.

A predator will pick a more aggressive approach that will ensure results not some hit or miss garbage. This isn't a nightclub where some skeezeball can slip a ruffie in your drink. That's a controlled environment, where the predator can study his target for a period of time, because it's obvious that you intend to be there for a while. On the flip side the bike means you could go anywhere, including into traffic.

I'm not saying you should leave the bottle, but the paranoia's a bit much.