A london TV stations takes on bike theft- complete with COPS style takedowns of thieves:
Unfortunately I can't imagine either the police or the press taking this much interest in the topic.
It was somewhat disheartening that the "king of the bike thieves" gets only 5 months of suspended sentence. The trackers under the bike seat seem like a great idea. I would pay $100 for something like that, but I think that the technology isn't quite there.
I was locked up yesterday next to a bike that appeared to be held to the rack with a piece of wire- thinner than a pencil. It always makes me feel a bit safer to park next to something so poorly secured :)
Frightening! Makes me think about getting a second U-lock, and using both.
ReplyDeleteIs this an old video? It shows Boris Johnson as a MP, instead of Mayor of London (since 2008).
Mark
Unfortunately, it is true: there isn't really absolute bike security, only relative security. We play the odds that the average bike thief will find someone else's bike an easier target than ours.
ReplyDeleteWhile a Lojack-type tracker sounds good in theory, in practice I think it would be hard to make something that was usable on a bike that wouldn't also be easy for the thief to find and remove, unless it were an integral part of the frame itself.
Thanks for posting this. It's interesting to see how quickly even the best chains can be cut (although it is worth noting that high quality 36"+ bolt cutters do cost $150-$200 and will likely be damaged by cutting Kryptonite-style non-round chains).
ReplyDeleteWow! I want this sort of journalism in San Diego!
ReplyDeleteI'm absurdly paranoid to the point where friends here constantly mock me. But you know what? I don't care. My bike is my baby and I'll do everything I can to protect it.