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Theiving gits

JulesJules Posts: 987
Had my bike nicked.



I ride it to work. Previously I'd stashed it under the fire stairs. Other people put bikes in the office garage.



This week we got an email saying that we could no longer keep the bikes inside. The space in the garage was needed and my bike under the stairs was a fire risk - it was a fire accelerant apparently [8|]



They fitted a back rack outside and we had to use it from today. I decided I didn't want to do that with my best bike so I'd decided I'd go back to using the old hybrid but I needed a bell and lights and a mudguard for it so I brought the road bike today with the intention of buying them. It was locked with a heavy duty lock (not heavy duty enough evidently) and obscured by cars in the car park and it's quiet round the back of the office and a fairly safe area. I thought one day would be OK.



In fact I didn't make half a day. At lunchtime it was gone, the lock cut in two with bolt-cutters.



So now I feel stupid and angry with myself for taking the risk and exceptionally angry with the theiving scrote that's taken it and strangley sad that the bike is gone, as I've let it down (as if it were alive!).



Yes it's insured and it was only an Allez not a carbon dream machine and I'll get a new one but I'd got it how I like it and now I have all the hassle of getting a new one and getting used to it - six weeks until my first duathlon of the series.



Not happy [:@]



(If anyone sees an 09 Allez 18 large for sale, with one set of bottle cage screws missing it's mine!!)

Comments

  • A fire accerant.............didn't run on petrol did it???????



    Gutted for you. My bike is only a second hand Trek, but the thought of having it nicked....................



    Note to self, when buying new bike next week, insure it!!!!!!!!!
  • BlurredgirlBlurredgirl Posts: 292
    Awful. same thing happened to me last year. I know what you mean by feeling that you've let it down. I was worried for mine - was it being cared for? I'd ridden up Mont Ventoux on that bike, it felt like part of me. I'm a girl and cried.



    Gutted for you. Was it insured? The upside for me was that the insurance helped me to buy an upgrade. But I do still think about my old OCR and where it is now.



    All the best



    blurredgirl

    [align=left] [/align]
  • So, so sorry Jules!

    Castrate the buggers [:@][:@][:@]
  • pigsy65pigsy65 Posts: 25
    real sorry about your bike. any CCTV near by?



    Pigsy
  • Xyzee_ukXyzee_uk Posts: 100
    Is there any sat tracking etc that you can buy for bikes (like for cars)?
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    Thay try this on me occasionally, I always ask, how much is my employers insurance cover for my bike (yes I am insured separately but I like to make them think) & point out that if it less than £1,000 I will sue for the balance. I also point out that I would rock up to work bang on time & spend the next 10-15 mins taking off each wheel, light my saddle etc as its all QR & therefore nickable..& claimable on insurance, then I ask if they would be prepared to leave their cars unlocked in the car park all day, as although I have expensive locks, bolt cutters still work, no matter how much you spend oh & point out that at the end of my shift they may have to wait around another 15 mins whilst I reassemble my bike. Usually goes quiet after that.
  • Britspin thats a very good point that often car users / non-cyclists totally forget, our bikes are their cars if you like. i use my mountain bike for short commuting and my road bike for longer journeys and having either one nicked would devestated me!!! even though thyre both cheap bikes... x
  • clarkey30clarkey30 Posts: 270
    Jules, sorry for your loss i had mine nicked recently over night.



    Were did you get it from? SBR in windsor were brilliant with mine, they prepared a full quote including added extras that i had purchased and even spoke direct to the insurance company for me.



    As a result i had the insurance payout within 4 days and a new bike ordered....



    With regards to the work thing, companies will say items are left at the owners risk.
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    I agree about the owners risk thing...which I why I make such a song & dance when they try to change things. I am taking every reasonable step to avoid theft (as insureres like you to) & they are changing rules & seemingly going the opposite way, hence I make it clear to all & sundry that this is not acceptible, if they persist & theft results I have the evidence to show I took the steps, they did not, probably not work in a court if it came to it, but duelling insurance companies might settle in my favour.
  • clarkey30clarkey30 Posts: 270
    With regards to court proceedures, civil matters are based upon the balance of probabillities, so a 51 - 49% sway would mean a win in any claim or case.



    With regards to the above then when attempting to claim from employes, the cycle to work scheme is becoming more and more popular and it is written into the agreement that in order to get on to the scheme your employer must have some form of secruity in place. I would suggest in light of this that if you worked for a company or organisation who are taking part in this then you may be able to argue negligence on the companies part if they instruct you to leave a bike in a place where it is subsequently stolen.
  • julesojuleso Posts: 279
    Jules, you poor thing. I can sympathise, having had mine stolen last year from outside my flat. The realisation that it's been stolen is just horrible. I was gutted. I know that if someone is determined to steal your bike, they will, but I see the small curly locks that people use on their new shiny bikes and I just wonder how long it will be til someone snips through them. Shame, really...
  • FlavadaveFlavadave Posts: 749
    Thieving gits doesn't even come close in describing these scumbags! Gutted for you.



    Might not be any consolation, but this post has prompted me to finally sort out insurance for my bike. Can't imagine it would ease the emotional pain if my pride and joy got nicked, but would ease the financial burden.



    Here's hoping your new bike is the dogs nackers!
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    Thanks for the replies. Feeling calmer now!



    At least I will get a new bike from the insurance.



  • jacjac Posts: 452
    Hi Jules,



    Are you going to stick with the Allez or upgrade?

    I'm enjoying riding mine (having followed your recommendation!)



  • clarkey30clarkey30 Posts: 270
    Jules one bright spark to this, i used the insurance payout i got,(slightly more than id paid for the bike due to the add ons etc) to upgrade to a fully loaded carbon machine. It doesnt feel the same riding him though feels like im cheating.



    Anyway make yourself feel better and upgrade
  • TTX PROTTX PRO Posts: 225
    Thats bad,bike theft is on the up unfortunently,even bike shops are being broken into.The sad reallity is it was chained up aswell,the other sad thing is that most thieves use the money to buy drugs wich probably make you even more angry that there are people out there that do these things.the up side is,it was locked(hopefully by an aproved lock from you insurer) and you had it insured so you should get a payout.Its a hard thing to have to deal with but we learn from it,just think,you can probably get that carbon mean machine you want but just take extra measures,think one step ahead of the thieves,get an aproved gold rated lock,get it taged using the datatag system http://www.datatag.co.uk/ and make your bike very non standard(non standard bikes are less desirable as they are harder to sell on)
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    jac wrote:


    Hi Jules,



    Are you going to stick with the Allez or upgrade?

    I'm enjoying riding mine (having followed your recommendation!)







    I'm probably going to get another Allez, but I thought I'll have a look around.



    I'd need another £500 at least for a carbon dream machine, even with the value of the add ons on the old bike. Dilema - I could stuff up my season and ride my crappy hybrid all year, wait to October and put £600 towards another ride to work bike. I could then afford something pretty decent.

  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    Just be glad that you weren't on it when it was nicked. Seriously. Some mates who ride in France had warnings from local bike clubs that they should never drop anybody off the back. There are scum who drive around in vans looking for people on decent bikes on their own. They'll jump you and have your bike.



    I'm not aware that this has caught on in the UK yet. It will be a sad day when I have to change the contents of my cross-bar food box from Soreen to a knuckle duster.[:@]
  • TTX PROTTX PRO Posts: 225
    I hope not Bopomofo otherwise im a dead man with my TT Mean Machine.Just hope ile still be able to time-trial without the fear of being jumped on by a bunch of Thieving Wallys.[:@]
  • clarkey30clarkey30 Posts: 270
    Could be a new and interesting form of brick training though!



    The fourth discipline, boxercise. This country and indeed worl makes me sick. What do people who kick in a front door steal a bike and walk off get by the wonderful justice system, a couple hours community service and a fine they dont have to pay because theyre too poor. Oh and then they get a free prescription to help them with a drug addiction and free anything else they want because they CHOSE to throw their life away.
  • jibby26jibby26 Posts: 261
    One of my friends had his bike stolen at traffic lights a few years ago here in Southampton. Two teenagers came up to him, pushed him over, then rode off on his bike before he could get up off the floor.
  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    I live in Southampton! It would be a very sorry muppet who pushed me off my bike and tried to have away with it: first off, their puny unshaved legs wouldn't be able to do anything with my triathlete monster gearing; secondly, I would change plan to a brick session and run after them; thirdly, how far do you think they'd get once I'd pulled an entire Soreen out of my jersey pocket and shoved it into their thieving faces to blind/choke them.



    Remember: Don't let them get away with it!
  • gingertrigingertri Posts: 277
    A waste of soreen Bopomofo! just use your helmet instead!
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