yamcha

What would you do if you walked out to your bike and saw some one trying to steal it? Honest answers please. If you're a person that doesn't ever lock up your folder and carries it everywhere then no need to reply.


If it were me and I thought I could handle the guy then I would kick his ass on the spot. If the guy looked too tough or if there were a few guys there then to be honest, I dont know what I would do.

Dahon.Steve

If he's tall and looks dangerous, you're better off calling the police. A bicycle can be replaced, your health and physical well being is another story.

MyBikeGotStolen

If I thought I could handle him, then well, I would.

If he was pretty big and I couldnt handle him, then I would just sneak up on him with something BIG and knock him out.

DVC45

I'll try to take it away from him. The way he would react will dictate my next move. I always "carry a little something" with me, whenever I go ridding.

yamcha

Though you would probably have no choice, the police would take hours to get there and they really don't care about stolen bikes.

yamcha

Do you mean a gun?

IWantToGoFaster

I had a bike stolen a few years ago. About a week later I came across it in another part of the city. Incensed with anger, I decided to wait for little tea leaf. After a couple of hours he appeared, I floored him, dragged him into the reception of an office block and had them call the Police.

Nothing quite like the smell of adrenaline and the element of surprise

gcl8a

And were you lucky that he was actually the thief?

14R 

My reply would be as physically damaging as possible. I do not carry a weapon, so no deadly force would be applied, but I am talking about severe blunt damage. Dental work required after my intervention kind of damage.
Zero tolerance against ilegal activities,

14R.

IWantToGoFaster

I had already checked the frame number, then let him begin to unlock it before decking him.

yamcha

I think it might be against the law to beat someone up for stealing. I don't know.

Someone told me that you can only use force when for self-defence or when realistically threatened. Like you can't do anything if someone says they will kill you but if they say it and reach into their jacket then you can shoot them dead.

yamcha

So what was the outcome?

stevegor

I've been told I'm a mad crazy bast#@% and I've got a vile temper, so I hope I don't find myself in the situation...EVER, but if I do...............I'd get 10 to 20 with good behaviour.

14R 

You didn't see, did you? He WAS trying to steal it from me. He started and I was only protecting myself, your honor. I'm lucky to be alive.

IWantToGoFaster

It is over here as well, although I never said I beat him up.

If you can't immobilise them in one go, forget it. We have "mimimum force required" guidelines. Used carefully this can work to your advantage and disable the little scrote.

The Police took him away - apparently he was well known and had skipped bail - and he served a few months for the various offences.

gcl8a

The point is that you might have clobbered the guy who bought your bike from the meth addict who actually stole it.

In the end, it sounds like it was the thief himself, but it sounds like you didn't know this and got lucky.

psykoocycle

I'm not a big guy, but I'd grab my "tools"... and will be shortly charged with Assault with a weapon...

All my bikes are distinct... and modified... I wouldn't need to check the serial number...

He'd be lucky if the cops came...

EvilV

This all depends where you live. Here you are entitled to use reasonable force to defend yourself, your property, or someone else. Reasonable force means an appropriate level of force in the circumstances you find yourself in, but not grossly disproportionate force. You are not allowed to stab someone in the back who is fleeing for example, or to sneak up behind a burglar and chop off his head with a sword (which has happened here and been held to be grossly disproportionate).

I usually carry a few tools on me while cycling, including a 3/16 sharp, flat bladed screwdirver with a four inch shaft. It wouldn't be that surprising if a bike jacker fell onto my screwdriver and stabbed himself if such an event were ever to happen. I have the driver taped under the seat, handy in case a screw comes loose.... 'What's that about my bike only having hex nuts?' Never - surely there's a flat screw on the bike somewhere?

DVC45

Deadly Force to Protect Property
(Texas Penal Code)
(Briggs p. 96)

"A person is justified in using deadly force against another to protect his property to the degree he reasonably believes the force is immediately necessary to prevent the other's imminent commission of arson, burglary, robbery, theft during the nighttime or criminal mischief during the nighttime, and he reasonably believes that the property cannot be protected by any other means."

"A person is justified in using deadly force against another to pervent the other who is fleeing after committing burglary, robbery, or theft during the nighttime, from escaping with the property and he reasonable believes that the property cannot be recovered by any other means; or, the use of force other than deadly force to protect or recover the property would expose him or another to a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury. (Nighttime is defined as the period 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise.)"



The Texas Constitution
Article 1 - BILL OF RIGHTS
Section 23 - RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS
(https://www.capitol.state.tx.us/txconst/sections/cn000100-002300.html) "Every citizen shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defense of himself or the State; but the Legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms, with a view to prevent crime."

lecky

A friend of mine came across a cyclist confronting someone who was trying to steal his bike, the cyclist was getting beaten. My friend involved himself and beat the thief to the ground giving the cyclist a chance to get away, my friend left the thief on the ground advising him to stay where he was whilst my friend gets a baseball bat (obviously he wasn't going to). The cyclist was lucky that my friend got involved as other bystanders were doing nothing, and my friend was lucky to come out of the situation safely. This is in the UK so my friend is also lucky the police weren't around; he may have gotten away with it, and maybe not, I don't think any very serious damage was done to the thief, but either way it would involve lawyers and a lot of worry.

yamcha

One time while I was riding, I came across three guys beating up a cyclist. The cyclists was on the ground and they were stomping and kicking him. I just couldn't take it anymore so I rode over and jumped in to help. The four of us kicked his ass.

Bacciagalupe

If I saw someone stealing my bike, I'd probably start yelling at 'em and chase them off. I don't leave anything more valuable on the bike than a light. Except when I'm touring.

But in general, I'd rather not risk injury or stupid lawsuits for a cheap and easily replaceable material object.

stevegor

What makes me really angry is the little thieves, if caught, get their lawyers to plead in court that.."They had a troubled upbringing, fueled by drugs, alcohol and abuse" or "The defendant has serious social and mental problems" Then the useless judge gives them a slap on the hand and lets them off light, so when you storm out of the court room in disgust, you find the little mongrel trying to steal the bike you locked against the pole outside the courthouse.
I say, not only bash the thief, but bash his lawyer....and the judge...and the court stenographer..and Denny Crane.....and Oprah...and when you're finished....bash yourself, (John Cleese aka Sir Lancelot).

EvilV

Yeah - makes me sick. I think we should bring back transportation and send all our convicts to Australia. Those were the days.

stevegor

They certainly were, however, my ancestors came as settlers ON the ships, not convicts in the ships.....no bog Irish rebels here.