billydonn

The cold winter and adverse economic conditions seem to have led to an abnormally high number of neglected, abandoned and abused bicyles lately. Inspired by forlorn examples such as those pictured, I am forming a new organization to combat this growing social problem. Yes, People for the Ethical Treatment of Bicycles has been formed with headquarters in my town. I will be serving as Executive Director, but I will be needing board members and volunteers nationwide... and, of course, contributions.

To form your own local affiliate chapter just send $399 (PM for address of national HQ). A line of products (jerseys, coffee mugs, intervention kits, etc.) will be forthcoming soon. Post your suggestions for PETB's articles of incorporation, constitution, and by-laws.

The founding chapter has already been doing good work. We have done one intervention on an abuser (pictured) and he has entered a twelve-step program. Several persons are on our watch list and there is a 24 hour hotline. We have set up a public registry of offenders and are drafting proposed legislation. Foster care for abandoned and neglected cycles of any age and color has been established... but I envision a series of nationwide "no kill" shelters. A benefit concert by Sha-Na-Na is being planned. But we could do so much more with your help! Do you have room in your heart? No contribution above $100 is too small! For just pennies a day, you will receive a photograph of a cycle you have helped protect and nurture.

If there are cases of bike abuse in your area, please post a photo to document it! Please help...

BluesDawg

I know what you mean. That dork disc in the 1st photo has to go.

JanMM

Any big name celebrity spokespeople lined up, besides Sha-Na-Na?

Gotta move towards a Political Action Committee, too.

Roody

I don't get it. What's wrong with the bikes in the pictures?

BengeBoy 

I posted this last Sunday, in another thread. This is my commuting bike after a week in the rain (you can noticed that it's on a mechanic's stand - it was about to get washed).

stapfam

You should have found some clean puddles to run through to clean it up before getting it on the stand.



Road rides and The bikes get grimy but last ride out and it was up a MUP. Looked at the bike today and pulled it out of the shed. 2 hours later it was clean---3" of rain in those 2 hours. Then it was just wipe the frame and lube. Far easier than the job you had.

billydonn

Oh, how desensitized we can become! The worst cases are too graphic to show to sensitive types... open and shut cases of velocide. These bikes had been left out overnight in the cold and snow to fend for themselves. And chained up even!

DnvrFox

And what about those folks who hang bicycles by their wheels UPSIDE DOWN in garages? For months at a time!! Henry the 8th would have been proud.

The Weak Link

I just spent 30 minutes lovingly cleaning my bike as a reward for carrying me about during this warm snap today.

Sign me up.

Do we get a free container of BikeLust or something?

billydonn

Indeed. But believe it or not there are those who would deny that such treatment is abusive! And don't forget extended confinement in dark, unheated places. Unfortunately interventions on private property have, thus far, proved to be a bit problematic to all but the most militant PETB members. But we do what we can and there is much good work to do in public places. College campuses appear to be absolute hotbeds of abuse and neglect!

Beverly

I'm not sure it's abusive that I keep the bikes in the garage. At least it's usually above freezing and they aren't suffering the same fate as my van. At this point the bikes are probably worth more than the van and have less miles

Allegheny Jet

It's people like you that make life difficult. We have a very good relationship, well it's more of a love hate relationship. How we treat our bikes is no one's business but our own.

The Weak Link

^^^^I bet you eat red meat, too^^^^

Beverly

A bike that dirty would be a good reason for me to just buy a new one

cranky old dude

All right. You got me. I'm guilty of...



Riding it hard...





...and putting it away wet.

miss kenton

Oh, sure! That's what YOU say. Let's here what the bike has to say about your relationship.

Allegheny Jet

You have no idea of the pains she put me through in the cyclo cross race about 2 hours earlier. After 30 minutes she refused to shift when I asked.

Wogster

The problem for organizations like PETB, is that you need to really, really work with local police, because a good portion of abandoned bicycles are stolen, some lowlife steals a bicycle, rides it to get somewhere and leaves it, unless it's stolen again, it becomes abandoned. If you touch one of those abandoned bikes without the authorization of local police, then effectively your stealing it. Of course the local police sometimes have a vested interest in those abandoned bikes, as they can generate some revenue from them at the police auction. Around here the process of abandoned bikes is that if city crews notice a possibly abandoned bicycle, they will put a tag on it, if the tag and bicycle are still there 14 days later, then it's presumed abandoned, the city will remove it and turn it over to police. Police will then check the bicycle against their registry, if it's registered, they will contact the owner, if not, it is held for (IIRC) 30 days and then sent to auction.

miss kenton

Maybe she had her reasons for refusing. Still your side of the story. No excuse for mud-slinging.

JanMM

How sad! These pics make me weep!

BluesDawg

Makes me think about how much fun it must have been to get it that way.

JanMM

Note lack of Georgia Red Clay content

Artmo 

Billydon, my check's in the mail! Next you will be advocating strollers for pet bikes.

Artkansas 

Last night I watched the movie "Sleepwalking". In the beginning scenes, the protagonist is shown commuting on his bike through the snow. He ends up killing his father. Seems like a very clear pattern of abuse that should have been nipped in the bud.

Count me in.

Wildwood 

my bikes love to be abused, it's sitting in the garage or shed that needs to be stopped. I say there ought to be a law that all bikes unridden in 30 days get posted on craigslist for sale to new owners