Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 445
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, California
Bikes: 5 Colnago, 2 Olmo, Bianchi, 4 Austro-Daimler, Merlin, Fisher Tandem, John Waite track tandem, Schwinns, Steyrs, Bill Holland Ti path racer, Chinese prototype FS
I frequently shop in the Hillcrest district of San Diego where there are no laws, merely suggestions. Dogs, cats, rabbits, weasels, birds, you name it, are allowed inside food handling establishments and grocery stores. Aside from the often chaotic conditions on the streets here that result from drivers routinely ignoring traffic control devices, pedestrians jaywalking, and salmoning bike riders who also ignore said traffic control devices, businesses here allow customers to bring their bikes inside. One recent exception is the local Ace Hardware store. They allow entire menageries inside, routinely blocking aisles and tangling hapless customers with retractable leashes, but now have decided to exclude bicycles. Recently a friend who was unaware of the sudden change in policy was barred from bringing his Colnago into the store. He hadn't brought a lock with him and so stowed the bike outside the front door between some planters. Less than a minute later he came out with his purchase to find his bike gone, even though he had loosened the quick releases and disconnected the brakes. Two days later he found it on CraigsList, assembled a posse comitatus, met the seller, and strongarmed the bike back while threatening to call the cops and report the seller for receiving stolen property. He was lucky this time.