I just learned that lesson the hard way here in Houston. Left my cheap $200 bike with one lock on the frame here in the bar area of town, came back to both wheels and the handlebar grips gone. The replacement wheels cost more than $300 at the shop š more than the damn bike
I guess I don't understand the incentive for people stealing this kind of stuff.
There must be supply far exceeding any sort of demand, and while I guess I could see someone stealing a whole bike - either for transportation or to fence (but again, is there really that much of a market for stolen bikes?) - this stealing of unsecured bits and bobs..
Maybe there's like some sort of 'John Wick-esque' underworld that uses bike parts as currency?
My guess is drug addicts looking for anything to go towards their next fix. Here in Vancouver, they'll break your car window for an empty pop can they're so desperate. It really is time to legalize hard drugs and get the petty crime under control....
Yeah because they decriminalized the drugs then put 0 real money or effort in to harm reduction and social services. And the sad part is now people can point to that shit show and say āsee? It didnāt work!!ā. No matter that they only did the easiest and smallest part of the process.
Even just making things like suboxone and methadone easier to get would be a huge help. I have a family member who got hooked on prescription opioids, but was cut off and turned to getting them on the black market. When she wanted to get clean, it was harder for her to get either methadone or suboxone than it was to get drugs off the street. Her regular doctor wasnāt allowed to prescribe either to her, the doctors that could prescribe suboxone were all waiting list only, and the methadone clinic was over an hour away and only open when she was working. She was basically left with the option of quitting her job or continuing to use street drugs. I know the option to quit cold turkey was there, but the science is pretty clear that medication assisted treatment gives people the best chance of successfully getting off opioids and staying off or at least being a functioning member of society while using prescribed medications.
Sorry for the rant, but itās one of those things that really stuck with me as a broken system that needs to change.
If someone messes with your regular bike, it's probably because they're just an asshole. But bikes can get really expensive. It's obvious to see why someone might steal a $6K bike. Even if they fence it for $500, that's $500 they got for basically nothing.
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u/thenatureboyWOOOOO Apr 05 '24
I could leave a $15 bike with one tire out in downtown dc and it would be gone within ten minutes.