skins_brew

So, I actually have two commuters. One gets me from my house to the train station, and another gets me from Union Station (Wash DC) to my building. The Union Station bike is a beater panasonic 10 speed. So, in the past few months, there has been an increase in the number of scooters using the bike rakes at Union Station. Bike parking is already at a premium, so seeing a scooter take up two spots is frustrating. The bike racks at US are the inverted 'U' type. So, a few weeks ago, one of the scooter ******** left enough space for me to lock my bike onto the U that was next to it. It was a tight fit, and would have caused frustration for the scooter ******* when he went to unchain his front wheel. The next day, I came out to find my bike "flipped." Someone had picked it up, and rotated it along the U so it was upside down. Something like this was clearly deliberate, and not just a case of knocking into it.

Fast forward to yesterday. The same scooter ******* was parked there and the racks were PACKED. The spot next to his scooter was empty, so I snugged by bike in there. My bike was even resting on his scooter (the pedals and rear axle bolt). So, this morning, I set out and the back tire has no air. It's not flat, but is way under inflated. OK, so I pump it up. If the tire is low again this afternoon, it has a puncture, if not, someone drained the tube.

After filling the tire, I get about a 1/2 mile when I loose power to the rear wheel. I took off the plastic "idiot disk" and sometimes the chain goes into the spokes when I try to drop to too low of a gear, but I was in a high gear. I look down, and the chain is gone. I circle back and the chain is in the road. I pick it up and inspect it, and sure enough, a broken link. One side of the link is bent out. Easily done if you had a screw driver, or perhaps the pin was just slipping out.

So, what do you think? Is this scooter prick behind this? If my tire still has air in it this afternoon, I think scooter ******* is too blame.

wphamilton

You don't know that it's the scooter driver - it could be a bike rider frustrated at having no place to lock up. Your bike is locked up overnight at Union Station, right? Also I wouldn't draw any conclusions about the tire and chain. Maybe you bent a link one of the times the chain derailed?

Still, I'd park away from the scooter whenever possible.

(ps, set the lower limit screw on your derailleur)

Leisesturm

***** me once, shame on you! ***** me twice, ... ...

kookaburra1701

...and I'd better get dinner and movie out of it.

fietsbob

How about 1 folding bike you bring with you rather than 2 bikes to shuttle you to and from the station..

vandalism and sabotage are 2 different intentions.. 1 involved shoes ..

skins_brew

I cant bring myself to deal with lugging a bike on the train. Sometimes the train is packed to the gills, and space inside it a real premium. Plus, I feel like people look like circus entertainers when riding folding bikes.

fietsbob

So there is the problem Attitude .. good luck .. Que' Sera, Sera ..

for the Youngsters, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Que_Ser...l_Be,_Will_Be)

Standalone 

Understood. I'm 6'4". Here's my folder:

ShartRate

Right or wrong, the guy with the scooter probably assumed that you were screwing with him first.

All you can really do now is get parking enforcement to clarify whether motorized scooters can park at bike racks. They did that here recently, and the scooters all had to find other places to park.

Leisesturm

I think you meant sandalism?

fietsbob

Brian of Palestine? It's a Sign!


Sabot= a wooden, Shoe , BTW.

Leisesturm

I see... but... isn't the point of a folding bike to be... stashable? Maybe it's me, but, IMO the largest practical wheel size for a folding bike is 20". Period. I'm sure a 6'4" can ride my folder. They won't look anymore (or less) circus clownlike than I do riding it (5'11"). But when the bus stops and both spaces on the bike rack are full, I can get on and you can't. Oh... you can try, but I don't give much for your chances of getting a 26" wheel folder past some of the ornerier drivers in this town. BTW, next bus is in 30 minutes... maybe its rack is full too, and maybe it isn't... hope your boss is the understanding sort.

H

Standalone 

My 26" folder is permitted on Metro North trains here in Connecticut, IME. I had a Dahon Curve D3 for about a year, but ten miles a day on it with my 35" inseam and 37" arms.... definitely impractical. I did not use the bus for any part of the commute-- just went New Haven to Bridgeport Connecticut.

But a new Metro North station just opened up three blocks from me--- so now I could skateboard or unicycle to work if I wanted to! Hmmm...pogo stick?

Dwayne

I'd flip his scooter over the rack, see how (s)he likes it.

chefisaac

The more you post Fiets, the more I like ya. Funny!

Darth Lefty 

I don't think you were sabotaged. When a link busts and the chain comes apart, the "good" side gets bent since it is hanging onto the pin as it is pulled out.

Dwayne

Maybe someone gave your bike a kick out of anger and got the chain, with enough force to bend/damage the link that later completely opened? Then proceeded to let the air out of your tire.

nudave2005

What type of scooter? Like a vespa? Or like one of those hove-a-round things?

Chances are it is the "scooter" person. Why else would no one park next to him, ever. They learned their lesson. Personally, I'd drain all but 4 oz of gas out of it. By the time he/she knows they're out of gas they'll be walking.

Where I rack, there has been a hove-a-round type scooter in a handicap spot in the parking garage. The rack is right next to the other handicap spot, leading everyone to park next to the rack and it being a PITA getting out of there. Does this hove-a-round person scoot to work? I haven't seen it moved the past week.

RWBlue01

Take pictures of the scooter. Send to parking people. Send to the Washington Post copying the parking people. They "should" solve the problem.

If they don't...... Things could get very interesting very quickly. I can think of two things very quickly that could be done, but both have questionable legal issues and will likely escalate the problem. It is a parking problem, solve it with parking people.

dynaryder

First,I'd try and get a space in the Bike Station. Yes,it costs,but I've heard horror stories about the racks at Union Station.

Next,are the racks owned by Union Station or the city? If they're owned by DC,then it is illegal to lock 'scooters' to them. Also note,under DC law there is no such thing as a scooter. It's either a non-traditional vehicle,or a motorcycle. There is a chart that gives the specifics. In order to be considered a 'motorized bicycle',it must meet all the requirements,in order to be considered a motorcycle,it must just meet one. The one that dings most scooters is the 1.5hp limit. If the scooter is considered a motorcycle,then the owner may not park on the sidewalk,must have a motorcycle license,must have the vehicle registered with a plate mounted,and must carry insurance. If the scooter that messed with you is considered a motorcycle,you might have some luck with reporting it to MPD as being locked to a bike rack and they might do something. If the rack is owned by Union Station,they have their own police;check with them to see if the scooter can legally park there and let them know you believe the owner was messing with you.

Finally,second the suggestion on getting a folding bike. Depending on your commute,there are some folders that pack down pretty small,if you can get away with a singlespeed. Also,have you considered getting a Capital Bikesharesubscription? $75 a year and could save you some headaches. There are several stations around Union Station,and they're everywhere downtown. I use them for going back and forth to Metro so I don't have to lock up one of my bikes or drag along a folder.

David Bierbaum

I really want to see this.

Loose Chain

Put on a Nixon mask, beat the s--t out of the scooter with an aluminum baseball bat and leave a sign on it telling the dipxxxxt to park elsewhere. Or, just be nice and find another place to park and alert the authorities if possible to the illegal parking.

LC

cooker

lol

Leisesturm

I disagree, that's actually one of the sadder exerpts I read today... oh the irony...

Dwayne

Preferably not from a bar-mounted cam though.