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Ethics of taking an abandoned frame

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Old 12-05-07, 12:16 PM
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Ethics of taking an abandoned frame

This frame has been locked to a parking meter for about 4 weeks. Nice frame I believe it's a Sterling. I don't know who makes that. Thats beside the matter. This frame has no rust. The wheels are missing, so is the chain. I didn't note the brand of the cranks or chainring, but both looked nice. The handle bars didn't have brakes levers, and there were none on the frame. So part of me wonders if this frame has either been picked clean already or the owner who lost his key, decided to pull his components. But the latter seems less likely due to the fact the wheels were not locked with the frame.

I'm curious about this. I'm not sure I want to or even would go through the trouble of breaking the ulock and such. So my question is, What do you guys think about the ethics of taking a bike like this or what would you do in this situation?
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Old 12-05-07, 12:18 PM
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Not again.
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Old 12-05-07, 12:21 PM
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Yes, again. Take the bike. It's yours now.
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Old 12-05-07, 12:23 PM
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ethics...of...liberation?
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Old 12-05-07, 12:25 PM
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Originally Posted by import600
This frame has been locked to a parking meter for about 4 weeks. Nice frame I believe it's a Sterling. I don't know who makes that. Thats beside the matter. This frame has no rust. The wheels are missing, so is the chain. I didn't note the brand of the cranks or chainring, but both looked nice. The handle bars didn't have brakes levers, and there were none on the frame. So part of me wonders if this frame has either been picked clean already or the owner who lost his key, decided to pull his components. But the latter seems less likely due to the fact the wheels were not locked with the frame.

I'm curious about this. I'm not sure I want to or even would go through the trouble of breaking the ulock and such. So my question is, What do you guys think about the ethics of taking a bike like this or what would you do in this situation?


it is called stealing if you take it, say hello to your new butt-buddy in jail.
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Old 12-05-07, 12:30 PM
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Originally Posted by edzo
it is called stealing if you take it, say hello to your new butt-buddy in jail.
Yes, if you take an abandoned frame from a parking meter in Detroit, you will almost certainly end up being ***** in prison.
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Old 12-05-07, 12:30 PM
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Originally Posted by import600
So part of me wonders if this frame has either been picked clean already or the owner who lost his key, decided to pull his components. would you do in this situation?
People do this? I wasn't aware that breaking a lock was so much trouble that the better alternative is to strip everything else off.

Logic over locks.
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Old 12-05-07, 12:31 PM
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Mods, please sticky one of these damned threads
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Old 12-05-07, 12:35 PM
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Just steal it and "jusitfy it" later. Someone else might take it while you are "solving" the morality questions on the interweb.
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Old 12-05-07, 12:37 PM
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Originally Posted by bonechilling
Yes, if you take an abandoned frame from a parking meter in Detroit, you will almost certainly end up being ***** in prison.
My sarcasm meter just asploded.
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Old 12-05-07, 12:38 PM
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take it if you won't feel bad about it. or even if you will feel bad about it. or don't take it. no one here is going to care/notice/whatever
 
Old 12-05-07, 12:38 PM
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I think 4 weeks is an all-new low. Next it will be 4 hours.
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Old 12-05-07, 12:39 PM
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instead of asking BF just make a decision out-side of the internet.
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Old 12-05-07, 12:41 PM
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are you kidding? i can't decide what the hell to eat for lunch without asking you guys!

(falafel or lentil soup? or both!?)
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Old 12-05-07, 12:42 PM
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Originally Posted by jdms mvp
instead of asking BF just make a decision out-side of the internet.
Not possible.

And to the OP, go ahead and steal it. Just make sure you shove it up your ass afterwards. Yep. Just right on up in there. In your ass, that is. Shove that bike straight up your ass.
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Old 12-05-07, 12:44 PM
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Take it and use it but it is stealing, there is no other word for it.
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Old 12-05-07, 12:53 PM
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Originally Posted by jet sanchEz
Take it and use it but it is stealing, there is no other word for it.
How about "free"?
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Old 12-05-07, 12:58 PM
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Originally Posted by fender1
How about "free"?
It's not free because it is secured to something implying the owner doesn't want others to have it.
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Old 12-05-07, 01:05 PM
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That depends.





Were you the original owner who locked it up in the first place?




If not...IT IS NOT YOUR BIKE.

In fact, I have a Sterling locked up in Detroit. If that is my Sterling and you are ******* with it when I happen to walk by it, you will wish you had left it alone.
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Old 12-05-07, 01:07 PM
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Originally Posted by crushkilldstroy
Not possible.

And to the OP, go ahead and steal it. Just make sure you shove it up your ass afterwards. Yep. Just right on up in there. In your ass, that is. Shove that bike straight up your ass.
I just "LS"ed
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Old 12-05-07, 02:03 PM
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I often wondered the same thing, I ride in NYC every weekend and I see a ton of great frames that are all stripped down, no wheels, etc. and I just think to myself if you spent a day walking around teh city with a hack saw you could bring home a dozen great frames to use for single speed/fixed gear conversions. I know it isnt really ethical, but is it ethical to just leave your bike laying in the street for a hand full of weeks or months, and some point doesn't it just become garbage chained to post?

I'm new ot the site, and I have been involved in other forums whre we kill guys for going over topics that have been discussed in the past, so dont kill me too much if this point has been brought up in a previous thread.
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Old 12-05-07, 02:16 PM
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Originally Posted by crushkilldstroy
Not possible.

And to the OP, go ahead and steal it. Just make sure you shove it up your ass afterwards. Yep. Just right on up in there. In your ass, that is. Shove that bike straight up your ass.
Best fu(king quote in the history of the interweb.
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Old 12-05-07, 02:26 PM
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yoink...
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Old 12-05-07, 02:29 PM
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Originally Posted by crushkilldstroy
My sarcasm meter just asploded.
bonechilling wins at the internets
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Old 12-05-07, 03:01 PM
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Just take it.
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