The secret life of the cycle lock

[GarfieldLeChat]

Yes, of course it is. Because bike locks block the pavement don't they.

How the cocking fuck do you work out that a d-lock left chained to a bicycle rack somehow blocks other people using the pavement, or locking their bikes to that rack, or any other such fucking thing?

I've said nothing of the sort you illiterates...

if you cannot understand the sentiment behind the selfish action being comparable perhaps you shouldn't comment...

 

[Orang Utan]

i cut my hand tripping on a cycle lock once

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

i cut my hand tripping on a cycle lock once

but was it parked on the pavement that's the important question...

 

[Orang Utan]

but was it parked on the pavement that's the important question...

it was attached to a rack that was on the pavement

 

[Lemon Eddy]

I've said nothing of the sort you illiterates...

if you cannot understand the sentiment behind the selfish action being comparable perhaps you shouldn't comment...

You really are a piece of fucking work. "If you can't understand my drivel, then don't comment". You made the claim that it's equivalent to parking on the pavement, so fucking substantiate that in some way or cock off.

If locking a bike to a bike rack is a reasonable thing to do, how the cunting fuck can it be antisocial to leave a lock there? What fucking impediment can a D lock be that wouldn't make a locked bike an even more antisocial thing to do.

 

[Orang Utan]

the locks tend to end up on the floor, in harm's way. and they're ugly. being ugly is argument enough i think. leaving locks on racks is akin to littering.

 

[London_Calling]

.

 

[Orang Utan]

.?

 

[Lemon Eddy]

the locks tend to end up on the floor, in harm's way. and they're ugly. being ugly is argument enough i think. leaving locks on racks is akin to littering.

The argument that they're somehow in harm's way would have to also apply to any bike you lock up there then. As for the idea that they're ugly, why does that not apply when they're locking a bike to a rack? Hell, bike rack's are not exactly good looking things, so quite how attaching a bike lock to it will weaken it's aesthetics is a mystery to me.

Finally, how is it littering? I'm clearly not leaving something there for someone to pick up and dispose for me. I'm leaving a lock, so I can safely use the rack the next time I come back.

 

[turing test]

the locks tend to end up on the floor, in harm's way. and they're ugly. being ugly is argument enough i think. leaving locks on racks is akin to littering.

Locks are unlike litter. The locks are left there to be re-used, it is helpful to the lock user to leave them there-and the locks are valuable.

Additionally the racks are there to have things locked to them not to look pretty.

 

[Orang Utan]

it's just inconsiderate - just take your shit with you - that's all.

 

[jusali]

Personally if you can afford to have a bike lock left at every fucking bike rack you use, you've got too much money. Also having the extra weight of a lock on your bike will be a benefit for working off some of the excess flab anyway. It's not like you're in a race or anything

 

[Mrs Miggins]

I just find it slightly annoying. It feels like the person who has left the bike lock is claiming it as their parking space and I find that a bit irritating. I quite like to park my bike at a rack where someone has left their lock in the hope that it annoys them a bit too.

 

[quimcunx]

at work, fine, makes sense, even to me although I wonder why you never have the spontaneous need to lock it up when going to or from work.

But outside a gym, as there were, or outside Tesco in Brixton where the same dozen or so have been for the last year or more that I've been noticing them?

People work there too.

 

[plurker]

Also having the extra weight of a lock on your bike will be a benefit for working off some of the excess flab anyway.

I use 2 kryptonite D-locks and a chain - that's one hell of a lot of weight to carry unecessarily, I'd leave them at a rack if I had to (but my bike's next to my desk

 

[Lemon Eddy]

It feels like the person who has left the bike lock is claiming it as their parking space and I find that a bit irritating. I quite like to park my bike at a rack where someone has left their lock in the hope that it annoys them a bit too.

I'm not claiming a rack as mine. I'm just leaving a lock there so the next time I lock my bike up, I can put a second lock on it as a deterrent. I started doing this around the time the gym put up notices telling people to be careful as a couple of bikes had been thieved. Funnily enough a rack outside a gym is a good place to steal bikes from.

Why would the lock owner be annoyed if you lock your bike to a rack? They'll just unlock it and lock the bike next to yours, or at another rack? Why do you feel that someone leaving a locking device on a rack is an attempt to stop you using it?

Seriously, that's a pretty weird way of looking at it.

 

[Orang Utan]

it's being used when a bike is locked to a rack. when it isn't being used, it should be taken away as it's superfluous, hazardous clutter

 

[snowy_again]

Are you really that serious Orang & Garfield? I'm curious, as there's heaps more 'street clutter' about than locks.

Does the same thing apply to the cycle racks in the car park of my office? Should I take home the 10lb lock from there every day?

 

[Orang Utan]

it's one of my pet peeves - i just think people should take their mess with them, not leaving it around looking ugly and tripping people up

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Why would the lock owner be annoyed if you lock your bike to a rack? They'll just unlock it and lock the bike next to yours, or at another rack? Why do you feel that someone leaving a locking device on a rack is an attempt to stop you using it?

Seriously, that's a pretty weird way of looking at it.

I didn't say it was rational! It just irritates me and that's how I think about it

 

[snowy_again]

it's one of my pet peeves - i just think people should take their mess with them, not leaving it around looking ugly and tripping people up

Fair enough, like my own pet peeves, they're sometimes difficult and disproportionate for other people to understand.

Sadly, keeping my bike safe from thieves means I can't help you rectify it.

 

[mattie]

It's not mess, it's a bike lock.

Here's an idea - how about a frame or somesuch to which users can attach their locks and leave for the next time they ride to that destination.

That avoids 'pre-claiming' a bike parking spot and helps mitigate the slightly curious accusations of leaving a mess.

 

[Orang Utan]

Fair enough, like my own pet peeves, they're sometimes difficult and disproportionate for other people to understand.

Sadly, keeping my bike safe from thieves means I can't help you rectify it.

yes you can, you can take your locks with you like most people

 

[Orang Utan]

It's not mess, it's a bike lock.

Here's an idea - how about a frame or somesuch to which users can attach their locks and leave for the next time they ride to that destination.

That avoids 'pre-claiming' a bike parking spot and helps mitigate the slightly curious accusations of leaving a mess.

sounds like a good idea

 

[snowy_again]

yes you can, you can take your locks with you like most people

And most of the time I do too, there's normally 2 or three locks in my bag.

There's just two other locks that live in areas around town, they're too heavy to travel 20 - 30 miles with, but the in places where I need to lock the bike which are too unsafe to rely on my normal 2-3 locks.

I just wandered around Brixton to buy some biscuits. I must have seen 100+ bicyles, and only one spare lock which was only in the way of a pigeon and its lunch.

As I said before, it seems a bit disproportionate. I'd rather focus your ire on bike thieves / RLJers / uninsured drivers / Liz Jones / Delete as appropriate. But then I'm not you.

 

[Orang Utan]

rljers?

 

[snowy_again]

Sorry, Red Light Jumpers, be they cars, motorbikes or cyclists.

 

[newbie]

People work there too.

well yes, but I doubt the staff lock their bikes out the front, and anyway the stand is often empty. Maybe they're all off shift at that moment, maybe there are people sufficiently rich to leave a £30 lock outside Tesco, or maybe it's part of some farfetched loyalty scheme.

 

[Greebo]

Red light jumpers, I think.

(typed this before the last 3+ answers showed up, honest)

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

You really are a piece of fucking work. "If you can't understand my drivel, then don't comment". You made the claim that it's equivalent to parking on the pavement, so fucking substantiate that in some way or cock off.

If locking a bike to a bike rack is a reasonable thing to do, how the cunting fuck can it be antisocial to leave a lock there? What fucking impediment can a D lock be that wouldn't make a locked bike an even more antisocial thing to do.

it is the SAME inconsiderate behaviour as parking on the pavement.

it's the attitude of I'm alright right bugger everyone else what is so hard to equate between the two you fucking gobshite?