When does an 'abandoned' bike become fair game?
Okay, let me say first up - I'm completely against stealing bikes. It's not cool.
However... there is a old beat up racer with flat tyres, no pedals and it has been chained up to road sign (one which you could lift the bike chain over) for 3 weeks now. I know this because it is literally around the corner from me. So I'd like a beat up bike to jet around town... would need a fair bit of work but is it wrong to take it?
Part of me says yes because whoever (if anyone) who owns it does not seem to care about it and it is unridable as it is, but part of says its bad bike karma and wrong to take something that isn't mine.
What are other people's thoughts?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Richard on -
Just wondering if you knew about them mate, a lot of people don't.
I had a trail bike dumped outside my house years ago. I rang the cops and they said it'd been reported stolen so they contacted the owner ... who never turned up to get the bike, even after the cops spoke to him again, personally. So I started using it offroad myself. Good little bike, just needed petrol and the right swear words when you jumped on the kick starter.
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Permalink Reply by Clive Palfrey on -
A registered vehicle, even if the reg is expired is a whole differant kettle of fish. Be careful, we often have problems with vehicles (cheap ones) that students abandon at the end of their course, we can't get them towed until we have written authorisation from the owner which can be difficult when they live overseas.
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Permalink Reply by Richard on
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Yeah, I know. In this case, the cops were on the case and the owner was local - he just didn't want the bike.
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Permalink Reply by GlenM on -
Interesting that you should mention white bikes. This evening on the way home I saw an all white bike with a white helmet locked up outside the apartment block on the Balfours factory site in Morphett St. It was definitely not a ghost bike.
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Permalink Reply by Clive Palfrey on
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Take the bike to the police station as lost property, if it's unclaimed after 3 months it's yours.
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Permalink Reply by heather on -
Clive, like your idea. I saw a locked rusty bike with pedal missing and spider webs. Too rusty to tempt a thief but calling out for removal and recycling as scrap metal.
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Permalink Reply by emu legs on -
OMG.
I can imagine some poor mentally ill guy having been in hospital for 3 weeks or so and returning to find his bike missing !
Not a pretty image in my mind !
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Permalink Reply by Darren Bosanko on -
Oh gees...You just left out the fluffy white dog sitting at his bedside....Its junk plain and simple. I left a BBQ, TV and lounge out the front of my place. Gone in 5 mins!
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Permalink Reply by Sam Young on -
Saw an interesting video on this just the other day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW6gGyfxn1U
I think this guy is a little too loose with his ethics of bike theft, but the principle itself probably holds. Turning 'nobody's bike' into 'somebody's bike' that gets used and loved is a good thing.
Just make bloody damn sure it's 'nobody's bike'!!!
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Permalink Reply by Don (Who's lost?) Nairn on -
Mitcham council had a by-law that you could only park on the street for 24 hours.
if it still applies I don't know.
if you are after a basic shop or pub bike try ebay many bikes are retired very young.
Also the bike workshop have a variety secondhand bikes and the money goes towards getting bikes on the streets.
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