Mark Holtom (aka Kingbeard)Sep 26, 2025
"Back to work today, forgot my pass so locked bike outside Cannon Street station. Left work at 6pm to find just the cut lock and no bike, resigned to never seeing my trusty stead again asked the station if they have cameras. A guy appeared waving at me, asked me to put the code into my cut lock. He replied ‘I have your bike’ with a smile I will never forget!! His name is Abdul Muneeb and he works for South Eastern Railways, he was on a break and saw a guy bolt cut the lock and challenged him to give it back, he then took it inside and waited 4 hours after his shift finished to personally make sure I got my bike back. The world needs more Abdul’s, he is a legend of a man and a credit to his employer."
Story Credit: Steve Farmer
Show threadmyrmepropagandistSep 26, 2025

@MarkHoltom

I'm glad you got your bike back. But also if it's not a U lock it's not doing anything for a bike.

I used two U locks and my bike is old and frankly worth less than the locks.

Show threadDavid Chisnall (*Now with 50% more sarcasm!*)Sep 26, 2025

@futurebird @MarkHoltom

I had a friend lose a key for a lock like that one, and we found that squeezing the barrel with some garden sheers popped it open. My bike came with a lock built into the back that has a slot for a chain (close it and it immobilises the back wheel). I really like that design and still have one, but the model it came with has the world’s worst lock: you can open it with a key blank.

And no lock works against the attack that a gang did here 10-15 years ago: they came with a forklift and a low loader and pulled up the metal hoops that you attach the bike to. In five minutes, they were able to take an entire bike park. They presumably cut off the locks later.

This is the main reason I haven’t bought an e-bike. My bike looks old and cheap. My main defence against theft is to always park near a more expensive-looking bike.

Show threadmyrmepropagandist

@david_chisnall @MarkHoltom

The whole bike thing kind of radicalized me because, coming from Ohio when I first moved to NYC and had the brand new 300 bike I bought on my very tight budget stolen (I used a lock like the one in the photo) I went to the police expecting they would be helpful and interested in the CRIME. They were so rude and mean about it I became totally self reliant. I do not need bike theft police. I am my own sheriff.

*cue western music*

Sep 26, 2025 at 9:41amWeb
Show threadDavid Chisnall (*Now with 50% more sarcasm!*)Sep 26, 2025

@futurebird @MarkHoltom

When my father went to university, he had heard that Cambridge had a big problem with bike theft but that cycling was the easiest way to get around, so he bought an expensive bike lock. He parked his bike using it and came back to find that the bike was still there, but the lock had been stolen.