Vandalism/theft

neilled

Hi guys, juat thought i'd drop a line. Apparently kona isntthe only member of this forum to have suffered loss recent.ly. I got a trek 7.5fx in november, tonight it was destroyed by thieves/vandals at the rack on the corner of dame/georges street.. I went to the gardai who were sympathetic, one owned a trek himself but as theres no cctv footage theres not muc that can be done. The scummer/s attempted to steal the bike vut when they couldn't decided to knock the crap out of it. I love cycling but this kind of thing really put's people off. I never thought u'd ever find myself on the same side as the tories but borris johnstons suggestion of full on sharia style punishment of bike thieves and vandals sounds pretty good right now. I'm a student, that bike is worth the best part of a months wages to m, not sure whether to replace it or not or what with. . I feel fairly down right now. will post pics latter on.

Caroline_ie

Hi Neilled - welcome to the hard reality of being a cyclist in Dublin. If they can't steal your bike, they'll smash it. I was taught when I started cycling in Dublin that, thugs also known as ' biked spotters' ( i just made that one up) existed. Their job consists in making cyclist's life hell. They operate in town and are also very present around train stations. That's their jobs, nick your bike, and if they can't get at it, destroy it.
Very sorry for what's just happened to you. It's shame that we have to live our lives in fear, and therefore, compromise our own happiness ( in this case cycling ) to avoid having to deal with scumbags.

blorg

I have a second bike for cycling into town and leaving locked there. I got this after going through four Trek hybrids in the space of two years (2000-2002.) It's still a decent and very reliable hybrid (Dawes Discovery 201) and I have had no serious problems since getting it - six years or so ago now. I have had the front wheel kicked in and a bottle cage stolen but these were cheap fixes and the worst I have seen in over five years.

The damage may not be as bad as you think, is it possible you are just looking at new wheels? If you want to go the paired spoke route Evans have a pair of Bontrager Selects for £89 (€116.) These wheels would actually be an upgrade on the SSRs that I think come on the 7.5FX (the Selects are substantially lighter) and are very strong (I had them on my Trek 5000.)

ruprect

They are not just theives, some are just vandals, simple and plain. People here have posted before about them drunk kicking bikes for fun. Many have a chip on their shoulder, same was a BMW is more likely to get a wing mirror kicked off than a fiesta. They want on over on the "poshies".

I resorted to painting my entire bike a terrible yellow colour, have seen others on line do the same, pink is what most go for. No knacker will buy a pink bike so none will steal it. But they will see pink as "gay" and I expect most scum are homophobic so would kick it in also. My bike is a dawes discovery 601, worth a bit, but worthless to a thief now, unsellable, far too distinct, and looks like it was fished out of the canal. It would take several days to get the paint off, it is everywhere.

I would love to set a honeypot up and kick them senseless. People don't challenge them.

Ghost Rider

I've said it before and I'll say it again: of all crimes against property, bike crimes are the lowest.

I urge anyone who sees a kid robbing a bike (they are often kids) to either report them instantly to the cops or approach them and challenge them assertively to prove it is their bike. I did this once to two twelve-year-olds. They gave me some bulls*it story about losing their key but eventually they gave up and fecked off.

rubadub

Ghost Rider wrote: »

I've said it before and I'll say it again: of all crimes against property, bike crimes are the lowest.

I urge anyone who sees a kid robbing a bike (they are often kids) to either report them instantly to the cops or approach them and challenge them assertively to prove it is their bike. I did this once to two twelve-year-olds. They gave me some bulls*it story about losing their key but eventually they gave up and fecked off.

Or rather than go up and be given a BS story just roar out from a distance "hey thats my bike".

Victor Meldrew

Ghost Rider wrote: »

I've said it before and I'll say it again: of all crimes against property, bike crimes are the lowest.

Agreed, When I was a kid my bike gave me huge freedom. It was also my livelihood as a paper boy. Ditto when I was a student, Bus fares were too expensive and the service was poor, a bike did more for my quality of life than anything else. (that's the 4 Yorkshiremen sketch over....:D ) I may be back on the bike for largely lifestyle / exercise reasons, but I know what a bike can mean to it's owner, especially if it's transport not sport.....

meglome

I don't actually have a bike but I've lived in Dublin city centre for a long time now and I regularly see people checking out bikes with a view to some thievery. I always ring the Guards if I see them actually going past the looking stage. But what amazes me is that everyone seems oblivious to this behaviour. How can it be that bikes get stolen or wrecked in broad daylight and no one sees anything. Really pisses me off actually.

Ghost Rider

I suspect a lot of that is not obliviousness at all, but people just displaying the national I'm-alright-Jack attitude.

meglome wrote: »

I don't actually have a bike but I've lived in Dublin city centre for a long time now and I regularly see people checking out bikes with a view to some thievery. I always ring the Guards if I see them actually going past the looking stage. But what amazes me is that everyone seems oblivious to this behaviour. How can it be that bikes get stolen or wrecked in broad daylight and no one sees anything. Really pisses me off actually.

rubadub

They do not want the risk of a fight, even a small knacker on his own is likely to have a tool to rip the lock apart, that he would use on you instead.

Caroline_ie

rubadub wrote: »

They do not want the risk of a fight, even a small knacker on his own is likely to have a tool to rip the lock apart, that he would use on you instead.

I wish we were allowed pepper spray in this country ... since we're talking about trouble makers ... i am going to start another thread...

daymobrew

neilled wrote: »

I love cycling but this kind of thing really put's people off. I never thought u'd ever find myself on the same side as the tories but borris johnstons suggestion of full on sharia style punishment of bike thieves and vandals sounds pretty good right now.

Sorry to hear about the senseless vandalism. If I had my very left wing way there would be a lot of sterilisations and we'd have stocks on O'Connell Street.

Yes, this type of stuff puts people off cycling - you should mention this exact issue in a submission to the Sustainable Travel and Transport Public Consultation.

gzoladz

This type of things really put me down. My "good" bike is a folding one and the reason is because I live in an appartment and I wouldn't dare to leave it even in the shared area.
They seem to be the same people the government waste our taxes on by giving them everything for free.

neilled

daymobrew wrote: »

Sorry to hear about the senseless vandalism. If I had my very left wing way there would be a lot of sterilisations and we'd have stocks on O'Connell Street.

Yes, this type of stuff puts people off cycling - you should mention this exact issue in a submission to the Sustainable Travel and Transport Public Consultation.

Have fired off an email to a councillor i know who'll be directing it onwards to the review of cycling facilities in the city

Brought the bike into MacDonalds on or around wexford street and they reckoned €200 to go and fix it. Just seen the post about the Bontrager selects at Evans but I've already gave the gohead and ordered the rear SSR, they'll also be replacing the front chainwheel as that was bent, part of the brake mech and truing the front wheel for me as there was an attempt to kick that one in as well.

Thanks for the advice guys, will let you know how things are going.

blorg

MacDonalds are a good shop, I am sure they will sort you out well.