I'm not into excessive violence either, but I will say that it does make it far more likely that scumbags like these will hold still as everyone is waiting for the police to arrive. Unless you know how to do that Vulcan shoulder pinch that Mr. Spock always did.

I understand that people in the old days were lynched for even the suspicion of horse theft. Those times weren't all that long ago - and we've come a long way. There's something about both horses and bikes that really tap into the deep emotions of some people. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure what I would do if I caught someone trying to take my bike. I can't be entirely sure that I would handle it in a civilized fashion.