ablang

If you guys were to walk out to your bike (from inside the store, or from inside your house, etc), what or how would you react to that (in various scenarios)?

Like say what are you allowed to do to a thief that has your seat off and was in the process of taking off other parts (locked outside of a store)?

What would you do in other situations? What if the thief tries to run away?

Nightshade

NOTHING on your bike is worth your life ....is it? So unless you are an ex-Navy Seal let the
thief go. This is a case were it really is only money.

vulcan

Dane-Geld
A.D. 980-1016
It is always a temptation to an armed and agile nation
To call upon a neighbour and to say: --
"We invaded you last night--we are quite prepared to fight,
Unless you pay us cash to go away."

And that is called asking for Dane-geld,
And the people who ask it explain
That you've only to pay 'em the Dane-geld
And then you'll get rid of the Dane!

It is always a temptation for a rich and lazy nation,
To puff and look important and to say: --
"Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the time to meet you.
We will therefore pay you cash to go away."

And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
But we've proved it again and again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
You never get rid of the Dane.

It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation,
For fear they should succumb and go astray;
So when you are requested to pay up or be molested,
You will find it better policy to say: --

"We never pay any-one Dane-geld,
No matter how trifling the cost;
For the end of that game is oppression and shame,
And the nation that pays it is lost!"

Allen

In this order:
Pull cell phone out of pocket,
start video feature, dial 911,
run away like a little girl if need be,
pull tactical knife and become seriously dangerous only if cornered.

Arrowana

Assuming I'd actually catch up to them, I'd beat the **** out of them. Yes, you can argue that your bike isn't worth as much as their life, but they shouldn't be stealing it in the first place.

I guess it does depend on the situation though. The above is what I'd like to do, but I guess in some situations that probably isn't the best choice.

MichaelW

I caught 2 crack-heads testing the locks at the railway station. They inserted an really long screwdriver into each cable lock and gave it a few twists. Most of the locks resisted this amateur thievery.
I know enough about close quatrer combat to know it would be really stupid to challenge these two scumbags. They outnumbered, me, were armed with something long and pointy and had the moral scruples of a cockroach (apologies to any roaches reading this). Plus in a small city they would probably see me again and this time it would be personal. Ive had irrational street people focus their frustrations on me and it can be really scary.
I informed the station staff and suggested they inform the police.

BarracksSi

Walk up and say, "Hey bro, let me help you with that," unlock your U-lock, and beat the %#!@ out of them with it.

Keith99

This is where things change a lot if it is home or elsewhere. Elsewhere you are right it is only money. Home it is a case of someone invading my home. The bike is in the garage. So are the dogs. They are family. This actually means this will never happen at home, no one risks even little dogs for that kind of money. So I'd call 911 then go to help my 2 four legged friends or more likely watch the poor cornered fool until the police get there.

forensicchemist

In Texas you can be licensed to carry a concealed hand gun.......and heck, everyone knows most of us down here have several about the house anyways.....

Allen

If someone breaks into my home it's good that Georgia has passed similar castle laws to Texas'.
They would also have to deal with Norman as well as my crack shot self.

becnal

+1. Although I would say that, unlock my bike, and then stand there looking at him with the lock in my hand.

tekknoschtev

I've pondered this situation with both my bike (too many quick release things, but they are locked down) and my car (convertible which I occasionally will park with the top down but nothing in the car and for only a short period of time). My car will go into lock down if the alarm is tripped, but that won't prevent someone from grabbing at anything in the car or slashing the leather, so I normally put the top back up.

Often times, just asking/yelling "what are you doing?" or "something I can help you with?" will send the would be opportunistic scum booking. I saw that happen once actually, all the guy said was "looking for something?" and the would-be thief took off and probably had to change his pants later. If the thief persisted from that point, I'd let them have at it. I don't like to be a push over, especaily when someone is violating my personal space or property but as it stands, my bike was free and I put ~ $110 worth of stuff into/on it and if they're determined they're going to get it anyways.

MOST of the time, the thieves who are grabbing at quick release seats and trying haphazardly to circumvent locks are more opportunistic scavengers than hard core criminals (though they should be treated the same in terms of justice) and will choose flight over fight when confronted. So I'd personally make my presence known (even if it wasn't my bike, if I saw someone attempting to cut a lock off I'd ask since I know how I'd feel if it was my bike being violated) but beyond that, not get physical.

CastIron

Depends on all the usual variables. Odds are, the fellow would meet me promptly.

BarracksSi

That would be hilarious.

Little Darwin

I like my bike... I like my butt a lot more, and I'm not going to let some sadistic psychopath in jail threaten the one I really want to protect because I decide to whail on some petty thief to protect one I can replace for a few hundred dollars...

But that's just me.

If any of y'all prefer to take the chance to meet Bubba the body building boy banger in order to take out a little vengeance to protect your bike, then that is your choice...

I agree that if the bike is in your home the rules change...

blamire

take down his details politely.

Black Shuck

My brother met someone riding his MTB that was stolen a few weeks ago the day before yesterday, inspected the bike, called the police and gave chase when the other guy took off on the bike. He stayed on the phone with the dispatcher for the whole chase and led the police to a store where the guy had locked the bike up. The police went in and fetched the person, noticed he was also wanted for something else and handed the bike to my brother and took the thief/reciever of stolen goods in custody. I'm still waiting for his write-up in english to be posted to his blog, can link to it when it is.

Goes to show, sometimes a little civillian courage pays off.

jwhit75

id open a can of whip *****.ive been to see bubba several times for less, and he aint so tuff!

Doug5150

Hard to say right off--but if it was just one person, I would most likely jump on them and ruin their day, one way or another. I'm a fairly tall/large guy though, a 75-lb woman would not think the same.

When riding, I usually carry a Spyderco knife on a pull-off cord around my neck, and wouldn't hesitate to cut an adult--just not anywhere or badly enough to be life-threatening. The outside of the forearm is good because it incapacitates the gripping strength of that hand.

....If the thief looked like they might be a minor (under 18 years old) I would not use a knife at all, and probably just try to give them a good kick in the groin. Generally speaking, being charged with assaulting a minor is a considerably deeper amount of sh*t than assaulting another adult is--even if the minor was stealing your property at the time. Kicking a 14-yr old in the nuts is still an assault, but it's one that a judge might chuckle over in his chamber. No judge is going to go easy on you for doing permanent damage to a kid.

I would not call the police in either case above; I would just gather my stuff and then leave. If the thief/victim wants to call the cops then that's fine, I'll take it either way--but it's less hassle for me to just leave and assume they learned a lesson already.

-----

If I was at home and I saw it happening, I would be able to access a handgun, but my plans get murky at this point.... If I confront them and they move to attack me, they're getting shot, if they look twelve or ninety-two. If they dropped the bike and ran off, I wouldn't do anything, just let them go and call the cops.

If they start to leave with the bike, then that's the part I don't know about.... I can't imagine that shooting someone for trying to steal your bicycle is good legal advice (or even philosophically reasonable)--yet I don't like the idea of giving it away either.

-------

I do not believe that you should ever let a thief get away "just because there's no police there". You should always try to make sure that the thief either gets caught, or alternately, gets hurt. As an upstanding member of society, you should NEVER let crime be a risk-free proposition.
~

Kimmitt 

Yeah, a quick kick in the nuts is pretty much where I'd start. Bike thieves don't tend to run in packs.

gascostalot

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Doctrine

+

black_box 

if you cut them with a knife or use a weapon, it might be a good idea to call the police just so the first word to go on paper is yours. Besides, if they go to the hospital, they might be able to cross reference the wound with the report? or maybe thats just wishful thinking.

dobber

A well annunciated "Hey, what are you doing there" would probably be enough to scare him off. Thieves don't like being noticed.

Wiggle

If they were under 200lbs and not intimidating I'd imagine i'd confront them.

MMACH 5

I'd probably yell as I approached something like "Get the F*** away from my bike!"

Where things go from from there, I guess depends on how he reacts, (as well as what "tools" I have at my disposal).