moved bike

[Patrick_Krivacka]

before I got on my bike for my fire ride yesterday, I came out to find that someone had moved it. I guess they needed a little more space to park, so they tucked it in behind the car that I was parked behind. That stuff really gets under my skin, and it only gets worse the more I think about it. I hope I never catch someone doing that, and if I do, God give me the strength to keep my cool.

[dav]

So your bike was parked in a parking spot, then someone comes along & decides your bike has no right to take up a parking spot all of its own. So he/she goes about moving your bike out of the way so they can park there car there .

Mate, i would have been fumming, seeing red, this is not right. Nobody has the right to move another persons bike. If that was me i would have deflated there rear tyes.

How could they think it would be ok to move your bike? like if you moved there car (with a forklift) so you could park there, do you think they would be ok with that?

[Patrick_Krivacka]

thanks for that dav. I am more then a little pissed about it, for all of the reasons you stated.
by the time I got back to my bike there were two car spaces behind me so the person was gone. not only did they move my bike, but they did it in such a way that if there hadn't been a space behind me, then I wouldn't have been able to get out, and the person that they wedged my bike against wouldn't have either without knocking my bike over.
I think part of the reason it makes me so mad is the disrespect the people have for motorcyclist rights over here in the states. 'there just toys, so why shouldn't I move someones silly toy so I can park my car?'

[azcycle]

Wow. I can't imagine someone doing that... I never would.  But I think it just goes to show that people in cars just don't consider motorcyclists (and bicyclists to a greater degree) to be worthy of their roads and parking lots.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

There are these cameras for hunters that take a picture at a set interval.  (for pre-stalking game from the comfort of your sofa...)



I can imagine one or two of these thing, perhaps with the lens peeking out of a saddlebag, to catch them in the act.

Of course, if you get a judge that thinks motorcycles are toys, it won't get you anywhere.

[montmil]

...I can imagine one or two of these thing, perhaps with the lens peeking out of a saddlebag, to catch them in the act. Of course, if you get a judge that thinks motorcycles are toys, it won't get you anywhere.

I can certainly understand your anger and frustration, i-man. Some sad peeps just have a misplaced sense of entitlement. It's all about ME. Courtesy is almost a vanishing value system in many people.

But what might the actual code offense be? And might you need to play Dog the Bounty Hunter and track down the perps? Then what?  

I agree that stupid is as stupid does. Or as my Texas buddy Ron White would say, "There ain't no cure for stupid."

And then there's John -Darwin_R65- who lost his laptop when it bailed out of his saddlebag. Yet a good soul found it and returned it to him.

Perhaps pity the individual that showed such a lack of respect for your personal property, but there's really nothing that can be done. I'm sorry you've had a bad experience. Take heart in the knowledge that your mother obviously raised you right.

Monte

[Patrick_Krivacka]

thanks for all of the replies. I'm not sure what I'm looking for by posting this. It just really got under my skin and I suppose I just want to vent with some folks who'd understand the frustration.
I had thought of the camera thing, but I have enough on my plate without the expense of and the hassle of dealing with that. And then what to do once you have the evidence? Cops? court? lawyers? No thanks.
I think I'm going to put a sign on my bike saying, in effect, that I'm legally parked, and no one has any right to move my bike.
I was sincere when i said that I hope to never catch someone doing it, and if I do I hope I can keep my cool. I'm too old for shouting matches or, heaven forbid, a fist fight.

[Melena]

Totally understood, I-man.  I would be livid also.  In fact, this makes me so mad I splutter, splutter,  fume!    Oh, sorry.  

I would never ever touch someone's bike.  I never would have touched one before I rode a bike.  It just isn't done.  Maybe a sign would be good.  

[size=14]Don't Touch Upon Penalty of Bad Karma![/size]

[msbuck]

How about a cable lock through the wheels so they CAN't move your bike? ....oh wait,  they'd probably try anyway and dump it...leaving it behind in a mess.  That could be worse.  

I like the sign idea.  It would infuriate me as well.  No respect.  

I like Melena's sign idea.  

[aussie]

You know, many years ago I parked a former bike in front of a friend's house in a quiet sidestreet. When I came out the bike was on it's side with a broken indicator lens, stalk and mudguard. I didn't hear a thing. The car that parked behind me was nowhere to be seen. Now THAT peeved me!

The thing from your point of view i-man is more to do with - as Monte pointed out - a total lack of consideration for other people's property. It would infuriate me as well.  I'd probably take a leaf from Dav's book and let down the tyres if I knew who it was...but not only two - I'd make it all four.

Having said all this though, I also have to ask....if it was a Harley that was parked where you were - would they have moved it? Me thinks not. Why? Because of the general image that is portrayed of a Harley rider - tough, mean and generally not to be messed with. Beemer riders are seen as generally considerate and nice people.

[Darwin_R65]

I picture a sign that says "this bike employs a dental protection device, move it and I'll knock your teeth out."

[montmil]

...Having said all this though, I also have to ask....if it was a Harley that was parked where you were - would they have moved it? Me thinks not. Why? Because of the general image that is portrayed of a Harley rider - tough, mean and generally not to be messed with. Beemer riders are seen as generally considerate and nice people.

This is an idea I can get wrapped around! Since we've already established the fact that these people are inconsiderate idiots, I just may stick some HD badges on the fuel tank of the R65s.


"UhOoooh, Bubba. Don't touch that motorcycle. It's a Harley!"

Monte

[Patrick_Krivacka]

I'm kinda leaning towards Melena's sign idea. Now that I've had a couple of day's to cool off, I'm more inclined to be philosophical about it.
More sign idea's might be fun. so far we have melena's and darwin's representing the far end's of passive and aggressive!

[Bob_Roller]

In legal terms, a motorcycle is considered an 'attractive nuisance', if someone sits on your unattended bike, knocks it over and damages it, believe it or not, you don't have much in the way of legal recourse to get the person to pay for damages .

I've got a co-worker that's a Ducati fanatic, his wife is an attorney, one of his bikes got knocked over by someone sitting on it,  caused around $4500 damage to the carbon fiber bodywork, after all of the legal hassle his wife went through, the only reimbursement they got, was the $500  insurance deductible .

If you were thinking, gee I wonder if his insurance went up due to the claim, it did .

[k_enn]

I feel your pain, i-man.  I really hate it when anyone messes with my bike.  

While it won't prevent someone from moving the bike, an alarm may help.  I have a very sensitive motion sensor alarm on my bike, and even a slight movement of the bike (e.g., starting to move it upright to take it off the side stand) will set off the audible alarm.  In addition, the alarm has a wireless transmitter that sets of a small pager type device to let me know someone is messing with the bike.  I guess you can't stop someone, but you can maybe scare them off and/or catch them in the act.  

k_enn