RavingManiac

https://maine.craigslist.org/bik/2517098101.html

When I see something like this it bothers me. Not so much the theft itself, but the situation of the father. I don't know, I can only speculate, but he sounds like a caring father who's trying his best. Maybe he works at a low paying job and even though he gets up everyday and goes to work like everybody else and fills a need, he can't buy his son a bike. It could be a case of what I consider to be a shameful situation in our country, the working poor. Of course there could be other causes for the situation, but not knowing, it saddens me.

KonAaron Snake 

I really don't want to get political, but big time +1. This country used to be about opportunity, and it seems like we're drifting ever more steadily into a caste system. I think some of the folks at the top of the heap would be wise to study what happens historically to economies that are top heavy. I am no socialist, but the current economic trends aren't good for anyone long term.

"Things fall apart, the center cannont hold".

frantik

it sure is dusty in here...

bikemanbob

As the son a scammer, I tend to be very skeptical. My dad scammed people, and if craigslist was available in his day, he certainly would have used it. However, not all pleas for help are scams. As a pastor, I routinely repair and help people with bikes. In the past week, I gave away one bike and repaired two others. I consider it part of my ministry. As a member of the greater Detroit area, I feel the effects of the economy every day, but equally, I see people who should be responsible members of society preying the goodwill of hard working individuals. I tend to be cautious when helping and investigate the situation before making rash judgments. If I'm uncertain, I err on the side of doing the right thing. At times I've been scammed, but that's the risk you take when helping others.

khatfull

I'm still trying to interpret this...

KonAaron Snake 

That doesn't read like a scam to me - he's asking for a BMX, not cash. I think a scammer would be more likely to be discussing not being able to pay the mortgage, or his car is broken and he has a job opportunity...etc.

tugrul

Stop chopping onions and think man.

khatfull

Well, either I'm stupid or tired because the dusty thing just isn't clicking.

cycleheimer

There are hard-working poor folks out there who would scour every garage sale, junk pile, and the city dump in search of things they can fix up to use when they are short on cash...as well as affluent antiques dealers who do the same. It seems to me as though Craig's List is being used in an attempt to make this guy's search much more efficient. Probably not a scammer. What can you get for a 20" kid's bike? $5? $10? If he said he was a poor old professional road racer who was down on his luck, just had his bike stolen, and needed a free vintage higher quality road bike to race...watch out. Hope it works out for that dad up in Maine. Maybe somebody will also give him a nice, vintage Trek 220 for when his son outgrows the 20" bike.

randyjawa 

My guess would be dust in the eye, followed by a tear or two. Happens when you get an onion in your eye, also:-)

RavingManiac

Me too...I'm figuring it's a cryptic expression of compassion.

auchencrow

Better to err on the side of the unfortunate dad and his kid than worry too much about being scammed.
After all, it will only count for you, not against, in the Final Reckoning.

Old Fat Guy

Somehow, I don't think the guy is scamming for a kid's bike in Maine.

JohnnyBee

+ 1 Amen.



Johnnybee.

David Newton

Depending on the craigslist community, that ad could net his son a nice bike, nothing wrong with that.

There is a local ad asking for free bike "projects" that I assume is a flipper. I doubt, in my market, he will see much action. My assumption is that people know the difference in these two type ads.

I live on the poor side of town, but I'm not poor personally. I regularly set things out on the street side that my neighbors tell me I should sell. It's true "recycling" when someone can pick up and sell or use something someone is done with.

Mr IGH

Dad has a computer and internet access, there are several 20" BMX bikes listed <$50. If the Dad was as caring as you have dreamed up, he'd find a way to earn an extra $20 and go barter for one of those bikes. Now that would be a great example for the kid, once he sees how hard it is to replace his stolen bike maybe the kid will watch his bike instead of letting it get stolen...Consider the lesson differences for the kid between the two approaches, begger vs earner, kinda like America today....

KonAaron Snake 

Yes - the problem in America today is all of these dang beggars who just want someone else's money. It's not that blue collar middle class jobs have gone the way of the dodo. it's not that education becomes increasingly unaffordable to the average American. It's not that average incomes have dropped, while we offer public "bailout" dollars and tax cuts to the only segment of society that hasn't seen a decline.

No, it's welfare mothers and all of these lazy people too dang ignorant to become CEOs.

tugrul

Stolen from the shed doesn't really strike me as the kid being careless with it.

We don't know if the shed was locked or not, but judging from what I see on a regular basis riding around this area, people aren't as concerned with theft as I am, having grown up and lived in urban areas.

robtown

If he's a scammer he set his sights low. There's not much money in getting a cheap BMX and reselling. He did not ask for a free bike but a "cheep" one. He may be exploring other options.

RavingManiac

As long as we don't raise taxes on the "job creators", we'll all be standing in high cotton. Yea, right.

23skidoo

An it's certainly not the wealthiest 400 folks in America who control wealth equal to 'assets' of the bottom 60% of the entire population of the country, that has nothing to do with it....

KonAaron Snake 

Of course not...commie. There is nothing going on behind this curtain. These aren't the droids you're looking for.

rccardr 

Tough times. I hope the kid gets another bike. I'll even go splitsies on the cost if anyone has a lead on an appropriate local candidate.

At the end of the day, it's all about The Great Bicycle Karmic Wheel of Fate. Build your karma & give someone something bike-ish they need. They will be less "sad and angery".

brockd15 

I think you failed to meet your objective.

KonAaron Snake 

I think so too

Apologies, it's a passion inspiring topic.