Commentary

Mitchell Kahn: Somebody stole my wife's bicycle by unbolting the rack outside Waterfront Station

by Mitchell Kahn on August 6th, 2013 at 1:15 PM
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      My wife’s bicycle was stolen yesterday. I do not believe this will be any surprise—bicycle theft seems to be epidemic in this city—however, how this bicycle was stolen may be of interest.

      This is the second time in two years we have lost a bike to theft. After the last theft, we replaced the bicycle and added wheel locks and a very good lock.

      Yesterday, B.C. Day, we securely locked the bike frame to a bike rack outside of Waterfront Station at about 2:00 in the afternoon. When she came back at about 3:30, the bike rack was unbolted and lifted from the sidewalk.

      I am stunned. This is a failing not of the lock or the way the bike was locked; it is a failing of the attachment of the bike rack to the ground.

      Are all bike racks installed in such a fashion? Shouldn’t these bolts, and there was only one on each side, be better secured?

      I understand this is petty theft but losing a bicycle a year is extremely discouraging. This is especially so as we are trying to use this as a means of transportation in a city purported to be bicycle-friendly.

      How is it that I cannot count on the integrity of bicycle racks, which I presume have been installed by the city?

      Mitchell Kahn is a Vancouver cyclist.

      Comments

      27 Comments

      Westcoastboi

      Aug 6, 2013 at 1:36pm

      I noticed a rack unscrewed from the ground by the library as well - it seems this is a new technique.

      newcyclist

      Aug 6, 2013 at 2:01pm

      What I always wonder - is how they get away with stealing a bike in such a public location during the day...especially unbolting a bike rack. What are passerby's seeing/not seeing or saying/not saying?

      iang

      Aug 6, 2013 at 2:16pm

      my suggestion is make your bike look as crappy as possible in order to not attract the attention of theives

      Chris

      Aug 6, 2013 at 2:20pm

      Hmmm this happened to my buddy last year, except whoever removed his bike locked it up with their own lock to a street sign. We convinced security to cut the lock off. I would go after the building manager if I was you. They have all sorts of security, and cameras pointed at that area. The racks are provided for their customers and while locking up your bike is your responsibly, I would argue it is their responsibly to provide secure bike racks. Ones that cannot simply be removed. They should replace your bike!

      Charles Dunn

      Aug 6, 2013 at 2:32pm

      Passerby's are obviously not cyclists.

      Tony Tone

      Aug 6, 2013 at 2:56pm

      Sorry to hear Mitchell. I wish the police would stop ticketing riders for minor moving infractions and make parking our bikes safer. I would ride EVERYWHERE if I had a safe and secure place to put the bike and kid trailer. Hopefully our Mayor attacks this next.

      Skippy Kangaroo

      Aug 6, 2013 at 3:03pm

      It's anarchy out their because the police seem to be uninterested in dealing with bike theft, despite the massive amount of tax dollars they consume, the huge number of bike stolen and the cost of some bikes like mine running into thousands of dollars.

      To serve and protect is the motto. The reality is different.

      Get everything figured out about how not to get robbed. Lots of locks and the back wheel locked and locked into the rack. Don't count on the police.

      IHeartBiking

      Aug 6, 2013 at 3:16pm

      The guy who installed my wall mounted bike rack in my condo's garage said he put in a bid for all the new bike racks along Dunsmuir / Hornby, but they went with made in China racks. He warned me never to lock to the edge of these types of racks as they used standard bolts (vs keyed) that can easily be removed, which is what happened here.

      i like bikes

      Aug 6, 2013 at 3:29pm

      i always look at the rack and lock my bike in such a way that even if they unbolt the rack the bike is still locked to it. in an unfamiliar area i use my second bike lock to immobilize the front wheel in addition to the main lock....

      tracey

      Aug 6, 2013 at 3:29pm

      Outside of Starbucks in Maple Ridge at 240th @ Dewdney all that is left is the bolts coming 4" or of the pavement. Thieves took the rack and the bike locked to it. That was over a month ago. Bolts still there.