Originally Posted by
Saintly Loser
There's a bike locked up outside my office building that would make a perfect commuter bike for me. It's a Schwinn World Sport, in my (hard to find, large) size. A switch to upright handlebars, a rack and fenders, and I'd be good to go.
It's locked with nothing but a long cable (through wheels and frame). I could practically go through that with a garden shears. It's been there for weeks at this point. I know it never goes anywhere, because the rear wheel is nearly tacoed, and there's no way it could make a full rotation.
I don't know if the owner has abandoned the bike, or is unable to ride it, or can't come up with the bucks to fix/replace the rear wheel.
Tempting . . . but I'll try to be ethical about this. Should I leave a note?
Is it actually on the property of the building that you work in, or is it on city/county/state property? If it is on the buildings property talk to either building manager/owner or security or maintenance department to see what their policy is about abandoned property is.
I would also ask them if they know how long the bike has been "abandoned" for. And if security/maintenance or even the owner/manager tells you that you can have it then that should be the end of it.
If the bike is on city/county/state property put in a claim with the police department or relative department.
I wouldn't go the note/week route as really a week isn't enough time and as we've seen in another case mentioned later that it is possible for a note to come detached. If you
DO go the leave a note one the bike method. I would suggest using a very stiff stock, as well as using a hole punch to punch a hole in the note and then reinforcing said hole with good quality hole protectors and using some sort of metal tie to secure the note to the bike.
Is it possible that it belongs to a co-worker? Do you have a community black/whiteboard in the break room that you can leave notes on? If so post a note there to see who might own it.