We need to stop blaming victims in bike theft!

[MrCaspan]

So I just had my beautiful e-bike stolen. It was my vehicle to get to work, it was my play toy to ride at the HydroCut here in Kitchener, it was my way to let off steam. I was so sad when I saw the guy grab it then spin it around and bike away while I chased them down the street But for some reason people want to ask "was it locked up?" WTF does it matter if it was locked up? I just lost my bike. Why is it so easy to just blame the victim. That's like asking a sexual assault victim "were you dressed provocatively" you should know better... It makes me so mad that we have become a society of people that just love to post blame in situations instead of supporting each other. I posted the bike on Reddit as soon as it happened hoping to get more eyes on it as my bike is pretty unique. It is Reddit so take it for what it is. but the responses I get were 90% people trying to help and supportive people and the other 10 were like "I'd steal it too", "I bet you didn't lock it up" I know better then to expect more from that place but still. Not everyone is like this I know but if you are that person, seriously screw you!! Stop victim blaming. No one asked for your judgement. Hell a guy on Reddit bike store guy decided to tell me that I got taken for paying what I did for my bike and they robbed me and never trust this company as they are just Alibaba resellers (Which they are not). Like who does this?

When stuff like this happens let's support each other and be mad at the problem not the victims.

Sorry rant over and I still miss my bike...

 

[Cowlitz]

So, was it locked up?

 

[MrCaspan]

did you think that was funny?? Really?.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Well it’s not the same as a rape victim now is it. But blaming the thief is not going to stop them from stealing your bike.

 

[SC00CHB00CH]

Sorry your bike was stolen and NO it shouldn't be stolen at all in any form what-so-ever even if it's not locked up. That's called "theft".

My friends went to Japan and they noted how bicycles were everywhere out in open unlocked and nobody bothered or seem to steal them. I'm sure theft happens there but the drastic difference from their experiences in other countries was pretty dramatic.


I hope you find a suitable replacement bike or track down the thief.

Soon we all give account for every idle word we speak and when that happens their will be many with regrets.
Much love if you need help finding a new bike , I got you.

 

[MrCaspan]

I appreciate the kind words. It just blows me away how our society just blames victims all the time and to be honest I don't even think they realize they are doing it.

I don't know what the answer is to bike theft to be honest, CCtv everywhere, homelessness solved, drugs solved.. It's so common place that people are not even surprised when you tell them. That Japan scenario sounds awesome!

 

[MrCaspan]

Well it’s not the same as a rape victim now is it. But blaming the thief is not going to stop them from stealing your bike.

The point is you don't get to decide if I'm a victim or not based on whatever logic you have in your head. I was robbed, I was a victim, you can't justify that away!

 

[rjathon]

Without a doubt you are a victim of bike theft, and that is awful.

Locking the bike up will reduce the chance of being a bike theft victim, but certainly not eliminate it. Your bike could have been locked and still have been stolen.

The bottom line is that you are the victim and that is awful, and the person that stole it is a thief and he is awful.

You have my sympathy.

 

[tomjasz]

It’s a sad state of affairs. just after your first post reporting the theft we heard from someone whose scooter was 5’ from the bench they were sitting on and it was snatched and gone before he could react. A struggling fellow I gave a new eBike build to had it stolen from under his nose, on camera, but he’s old and slow, gone! The screwball that stole it used it and locked it up the next day in the spot it was stolen from.

So many thefts are unplanned just some dick doing a spur of the moment snatch.

Sadly these brazen bastards have me rethinking how and when I lock my ride. Starting today I lock anytime I step off. I’ll add a cafe lock this week. Bastards. I feel your pain. I hope you can sort a new ride or recover yours soon.

 

[Mike TowpathTraveler]

The last thread of significance you created knocked people here as "fear mongerers". Now, you've created this thread, knocking people who dared to ask if you locked your ebike.

Good grief man, enough of the drama and the fire starting. If you don't want judgement or second guessing or opinion............then don't post your problems and issues.....here. The facts as I see it are this: You had the great foresight recently to up your insurance coverage to 10 grand, as stated in the other thread you created; the "fear mongering thread" (this will come in handy as I see you have already picked out the new ride you want).......yet you didn't have the common sense to pick up a $150 dollar Abus Bordo lock that is going to stop every "casual bike thief not carrying a DeWalt 48 volt grinder with a cutting disc" in their tracks. Didn't even bother to disable the ebike, electrically (if that is possible with your bike).

And to that end, your loss is through your own lack of situational awareness in the world we live in today. Your loss is not because of the opinions of people asking if you locked up your bike, your loss is because you cheapskated out on locking up that bike with a good lock cause you wanted a Whopper, with Cheese, hold the mayo......and some 4 hour old onion rings...........

 

[MrCaspan]

It’s a sad state of affairs. just after your first post reporting the theft we heard from someone whose scooter was 5’ from the bench they were sitting on and it was snatched and gone before he could react. A struggling fellow I gave a new eBike build to had it stolen from under his nose, on camera, but he’s old and slow, gone! The screwball that stole it used it and locked it up the next day in the spot it was stolen from.

So many thefts are unplanned just some dick doing a spur of the moment snatch.

Sadly these brazen bastards have me rethinking how and when I lock my ride. Starting today I lock anytime I step off. I’ll add a cafe lock this week. Bastards. I feel your pain. I hope you can sort a new ride or recover yours soon.

This is exactly what I was thinking the other day. I could have been sitting on a bench and had a stolen with a right beside me. like you said going forward My bike is going to have lock on it the second I step off it. that is absolutely horrible that somebody did that. It makes me sick.. Also cameras mean nothing unless somebody knows who the person is. The only thing cameras do is show what happened. If the police know who that person is then it makes it easy. but if the police don't know who it is, the footage is useless. Unless they catch the guy later, they can then use the video footage to prove it was them.

Thanks for this story and that's for doing that build for that person, sounds like you are a good person !

 

[tomjasz]

The only thing cameras do is show what happened.

An advantage of a small city like I live in. The thief of the gifted bike was identified in minutes. Small city, 25,000, cops are more aware of the losers than I realized.

 

[MrCaspan]

The last thread of significance you created knocked people here as "fear mongerers". Now, you've created this thread, knocking people who dared to ask if you locked your ebike.

Good grief man, enough of the drama and the fire starting. If you don't want judgement or second guessing or opinion............then don't post your problems and issues.....here. The facts as I see it are this: You had the great foresight recently to up your insurance coverage to 10 grand, as stated in the other thread you created; the "fear mongering thread" (this will come in handy as I see you have already picked out the new ride you want).......yet you didn't have the common sense to pick up a $150 dollar Abus Bordo lock that is going to stop every "casual bike thief not carrying a DeWalt 48 volt grinder with a cutting disc" in their tracks. Didn't even bother to disable the ebike, electrically (if that is possible with your bike).

And to that end, your loss is through your own lack of situational awareness in the world we live in today. Your loss is not because of the opinions of people asking if you locked up your bike, your loss is because you cheapskated out on locking up that bike with a good lock cause you wanted a Whopper, with Cheese, hold the mayo......and some 4 hour old onion rings...........

victim blaming his victim blaming period. This has nothing to do with fear mongering. I'm trying to educate people that might not know that by doing this you are victim blaming.

 

[MrCaspan]

An advantage of a small city like I live in. The thief of the gifted bike was identified in minutes. Small city, 25,000, cops are more aware of the losers than I realized.

Yeah in a small city it would be perfect. I was just telling someone the other day that I have no criminal records. I could go to Toronto tomorrow and rob the store and There would be nothing they could do to find me based on video footage. The police don't know who I am. The store owner won't know who I am. Unless they put it on TV to say have you seen this person. It's usful but not a s useful as people think. I have cameras all around my house because people keep rummaging through my car. I caught them on camera but literally could do nothing about it because nobody knew who was.

 

[tomjasz]

sounds like you are a good person !

No just to much of a grump to sell a build I don’t like. Habitat Restore just got a valuable 40 year collection of tools. One more low ball offer woulda cracked me up. Almost true….
I’d rather give something away than sell far below value to someone just wanting bragging rights for taking advantage of generosity.

 

[tomjasz]

victim blaming his victim blaming period. This has nothing to do with fear mongering. I'm trying to educate people that might not know that by doing this you are victim blaming.

It’s just another view. My friend screwed up and trusted. those days are gone. Obviously, since we’ve both learned we can’t turn our backs for a moment, or we get victimized. Maybe we take the blame going forward for making ourselves the victims by not practicing due diligence in this new world of blatant thievery. Sucks…

 

[MrCaspan]

No just to much of a grump to sell a build I don’t like. Habitat Restore just got a valuable 40 year collection of tools. One more low ball offer woulda cracked me up. Almost true….
I’d rather give something away than sell far below value to someone just wanting bragging rights for taking advantage of generosity.

Haha I feel the exact same way when selling stuff online. I'd rather give it to somebody then give it to one of those low ball jerks

 

[MrCaspan]

The biggest problem I have is that I want to use the bike also for mountain biking in the trails. it's almost like I'm going to have to have two bikes. one for commuting, one for the trails. I don't want big locks strapped to the bike when ridding but then I forget to put it back on when I'm communing.

 

[tomjasz]

wouldnt a cafe lock have stopped your thief?

 

[MrCaspan]

I wanted one on my bike but it has big old 4" fat tires on them. I could not find one that could go over them. I am pretty sure my new bike will have them. Like you said just even sitting on a bench with your bike right beside you. You need one as a defacto now.

My idea was for a cafe lock on ebike that are built into the frame that would engage when you power off the bike. It would also have an option for holding say your break while powering off to disable this feature so that you can walk with it. This should be a standard feature on all ebikes!!