HoustonGal

Well, this is a new one.

I keep an OnGuard Mastiff U-lock and chain combo on the bike rack at work. I arrived today to find that someone had put their master lock on my mastiff chain, and used it to lock their POS cruiser bike to the rack. Through the front wheel only, of course.

I realize this is my own fault. I was apparently stupid and didn't make sure my U-lock was latched when I left last week. At least the lock is still there (under the control of someone else). Thankfully, I can stash my bike in my office for today.

So I think I have two options. The mean thing would be to call security, have them break the master lock, and take the other bike in to hold. Or I can lock my U lock to the chain, and leave my cell phone # for him/her to call me, then meet them at the rack and get my lock back. I suppose that's more polite. But then again, they did steal my chain!

CbadRider

Several regular commuters at work leave their locks and chains on the bike racks. I heard one newbie mention that they though it was nice that the company provided locks and chains for the bikes, and how did you get the combination to the locks?

If it is a POS cruiser, you might take pity on the rider as it is probably a newbie.

jwbnyc

Let us know how this turns out..

HoustonGal

Good point. But I've seen that cruiser before - with a cheap chain on it. They knew what they were doing.

Either way, I'll make sure their bike is safe.

DataJunkie

..and I thought it was annoying when some fool moved my new ulock scraping it up.

Aeneas

I leave a U lock and cable attached to the rack at work. A couple months ago, when I hadn't ridden in about a week, I arrived to find my lock and cable loosely dangled through someone's POS MTB, making it appear that their bike was locked using my lock. I simply moved down the rack from my regular spot, took my lock and locked up my bike, leaving theirs un-protected. If you care enough to make it look like your bike is locked, you should buy a lock, not use mine... I keep it there for MY use, like the spork and coffee cup I have in the lunch room.

HardyWeinberg

you could u-lock your bike to the cruiser...

HoustonGal

It's a mini-U-lock - I couldn't use it like that.

But I did lock MY chain (on his/her bike) with it, and I left a note. If they want their bike back, they're going to have to call me so I can release it. I also filed a report with the campus security, so I've covered my bases. Now I wait for the phone call.

epon

Something similar happened to me. I arrived from a lunch ride to find someone had locked their bike lock cable to my U-lock hanging from the rack and nothing else. I used my spare U-lock to lock my bike to the rack untill the end of the day. Just a very odd trend ?

CCrew

Someone took my red stapler.....

Ichi-Go

I saw a nice giant ocr that wasnt locked up that had fallen down next to the rack. I waited like 20 minutes for the person to come back but they didnt so I locked it up with my ulock. Left a note telling him his bike wasnt locked and would probably be stolen within the hour without a lock. The kid called me, and I unlocked it for him. Come to find out his lock wasnt latched properly and had fallen off.

I wouldnt leave my lock on the rack becuase of the elements.

Bill Kapaun

I find it annoying to not be able to easily use a rack because some selfish idiot left his lock there!
Thanks for the idea of locking their lock to the rack. Guess I'll pick up a couple cheap padlocks!

DataJunkie

Lazy would be more appropriate than selfish.
Overreact much?

demoncyclist

I leave my lock on the rack. It isn't in anyone's way, and I don't have to weigh myself down with a 4 pound u-lock. I don't think I am being lazy or selfish, just efficient. I also have Campus Security's blessing to do so.

jefferee

^^
So what are you going to do the day you get to school and find out that your lock has been stolen?

HoustonGal

And CBadRider wins!

The culprit was a rather clueless 1st year student. He really did think the extra chains and cables were there for his convenience. He was nice about it, as was I. And I have my good lock back, so it all ended well.

As for this:
As my username would suggest, my bike gets locked up outside in Houston. At the largest medical center in the nation. The bike parking area is on a busy street, just down the road from the largest homeless coffee hour in the city. I'd be a fool not to use the biggest, fattest lock combo I can. And my knees really thank me if I don't haul that sucker 15 miles a day. The parking area has plenty of racks, they are never full. I am not preventing anyone from locking up by leaving my chain there. If someone wants the spot, they can have it, I just unlock my chain and go park somewhere else. No one is inconvenienced.

xenologer

I think part of the confusion is that the thread title was 'lock' hijacking, when its actually 'chain' hijacking.

Anyway, good strategy, locking your chain with your own lock.
If you want to take a less confrontational approach, (depending on chain design) could you lock Just the chain to the rack so that it cannot be stolen yet the masterlock and cruiser can still leave on their own?

Should be a fun story to hear...

DataJunkie

I carry a spare cable lock. But who steals a locked lock? That would be an odd one.

greparm

Oh come on Data everyone knows the market for locked locks is huge and going daily..........

https://cgi.ebay.com/corbin-pad-lock-...3A1%7C294%3A50

"..... I HAVE A NICE CORBIN COMBINATION LOCK, BUT------IT'S LOCKED..I DO NOT KNOW THE COMBINATION...."

knobster

Never seen this before. I'd think if you could just wait until tomorrow, the chain would be free.

As far as leaving your lock there, I don't see a problem with it. Those freaking things are heavy, especially for the good ones. I'd hate to have to carry one of those heavy chains around with me.

BarracksSi

I'd think that if you read post #16, you'd see that it got resolved..

jefferee

A thief could in principle steal or disable a locked lock so that its owner will not be able to lock up as securely (or possibly at all, if not carrying a backup lock).

Or vandals could mess it up, or somebody could hijack the chain, or whatever. Point is, if you rely on your lock to be there when you get to work/school and it isn't, you're SOL unless you have a spare lock or can keep your bike with you.

unterhausen

some idiot put their cable lock through my brake cable once. On the long walk over to the bike shop I was debating if I should take the bolt cutters or cable cutters back. My better nature won, and I cut my brake cable.

brokenknee

A few years back I went to Arizona to visit my dad in the hospital because of a hear attack. I had borrowed my daughters luggage to which she had a lock on it she had forgotten the combination. I had way to much time on my hands and systimatically started trying combinations on the lock until it opened. I am not sure how many combinations I tried before it opened, but I would bet I had a least 6 hours of time in it before I got it.

Like I said, I had way to much time on my hands. I did experience an earthquake though, I thought my burly vision was from lack of sleep.

jgedwa

Unterhausen: you are a better person than I am. Not that is saying much.
Brokenknee: are you sure that you are not the one who needed hospitalization? Actually, I can imagine being bored and doing the exact same thing. As if I was doing the universe a favor.

jim