You are hereA report of dastardly anti-cycling measures at The Triangle...
A report of dastardly anti-cycling measures at The Triangle...
I received the following email late last night, regarding something that happened to a reader as she parked her bike at The Triangle to visit a resident. Read on for a story of WTF:
I just wanted to report to ATXBS a particular bit of bike douchebaggery that I just experienced. I went to see a friend who lives at the Triangle tonight, carefully locked up my bike, took off my lights, etc around 6:30. I went to grab the bike and get home around 9:30 but when I pulled it away from the rack it made some strange clanking noises. Now, my bike isn't in the greatest shape, thanks to a November Critical Mass spill, but this sounded out of the ordinary. Upon closer inspection, I saw that some asshole had fastened a cheapo padlock to one of the spokes on my front wheel. WTF? I made the short ride home, clanking the whole way and doing god knows what damage to my poor little bike. Anyways, just wanted to report, and see if anyone else has had this heartwarming experience. Guess I'll hunt up some bolt cutters tomorrow, but as a non-driver I'm fairly pissed that my main mode of transportation is out of commission for right now.
Has anyone else ever had something like this happen to them? I'll admit I've had my tires slashed once before, and I've yelled at a dude for climbing on my bike to get a better view, but besides that I've never had a bicycle fucked with by anybody. If you've got a similar horror story, let me know. Thanks for writing Hannah. I guess I'll think twice before frequenting the businesses in The Triangle if I know that my bike might get fucked with.
I think we should be on the lookout for a man dressed in black with a top hat and a long, curley mustache. May be found near railroad tracks.
This shot.
The 'stache isn't really long and curly, and the hat isn't a top hat, but he's got the appropriate clothes, and the railroad tracks can be seen in the background!
Curses, foiled again!
haha, man I wish I hadn't missed the tweed ride. I don't give a shit what Jason says. I've got a need for tweed!
NEVER give a shit what I say! Hell, even after talking copious amounts of shit I was there with a bike stereo in tow!
... it's one of many things that people do when they find a loose lock. You don't know the combination, so you can't use it, but you can lock it once on to something.
Be glad that they didn't have some chain too, or it wasn't a loose bike lock they had, or the bike would have been locked to the rack.
To fix, you could unscrew that spoke with a spoke wrench (or crescent wrench in a pinch) and remove it that way (then re-true the wheel, but with only one spoke to worry about that's really easy.) Or for now, just get a bunch of tape and tape the lock so it can't move up near the hub.
everything is so "anti-cycling", huh. the WHOLE town is just OUT to get the cycling community (particularly those yuppie, transplants in the Triangle)! no one EVER does stupid stuff like this to...CARS! Gasp!
I guess the focus on bicycles in this report is due to the fact that it was bicycle that someone maliciously attached a lock to and not a car. Oh, and then there's the fact that this is a website that primarily concerns cycling. Perhaps if you want a less cycling biased take, you should visit one of several sites devoted to the driving subculture in Austin. Sounds a little more your speed, Mr. Cruz.
yup. i own a couple, why (and have likely been riding a lot longer than you...1991 to be exact). i also got my license on a motorcycle (which suffers the same malady as all in the cycling community). the plight of the cycling community, most often highlighted on this board, is exactly the same as that of any 2-wheeled mode of transportation. if anything, using motorcycles as an example, i'd say: "motorcycling ain't for everyone". For one thing, it's plain dangerous (surprise). Well, guess what...so is bicycle riding.
your post is interesting because it indicates that you believe only a non-cyclist could possibly post what i did, right. "we" cyclists, you may think, can certainly identify with being "hassled" by "the man" (or in this case, a schmuck with a lock).
my previous point was that it's not clear/conclusive the lock was attached with any malice towards cyclists in general. i've had my windows in my (gasp) car bashed and nothing was stolen. shit just happens sometimes.
It's cool, dude. I was just curious as to where you were coming from. And you have a point-- we can't really extrapolate one act against one bicycle to be a hate crime against all cyclists.
Let's see, I bought a Bianchi Nuovo Racing back in November of '81 for $669 when I was 15 from a great shop called Cycles, Etc. in College Station. So, I've been riding a while, as well. Never got my driver's license. Guess that makes me Clint Eastwood around these parts, huh pardner? (Cue Moricone soundtrack as incredibly badass cyclist pedals away. . .)
Anti-cycling? I said no such thing. Didn't even imply it. In fact, I was suggesting the opposite, that it was likely a prank.
Of *course* people do stupid stuff to cars too. Pranks don't discriminate!
Got a rotten banana? Jam it in that tailpipe!
Got a tire valve tool? Loosen/remove the tire valve on that car (or bike, I guess)!
Got a tire iron? Loosen (or remove) all the bolts on one of the tires on the car!
Got a padlock? Throw it on a bike spoke!
Got an entire bike lock? Lock that bike to it's rack again!
Got a few pennies? Jam them into that door so it can't be opened!
Got some glue? Gum that lock up with it so nobody can open it!
See a business sign? Move the letters around so it says something obscene or funny!
Sure, some of these can do real damage, be dangerous and cost money to resolve, but ultimately it's usually not a hate crime -- it's usually a prank, and usually there's no reason behind it beyond it being fun. And the target is usually only a target because it was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
... actually, looking at the entire thread more carefully, I think you meant to reply to Jason's story rather than my comment. (Your comment makes more sense in that context, anyways.)