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Bike collection addiction gets out of hand
A recently-expired Australian man's house was found to contain 1000 bikes - most presumed stolen...
Apparently, the man dies while attempting to steal yet another bike...
Thanks to Tim Kirk for this link, to a longish article:
http://www.geelonginfo.com.au/readarticle.asp?articleid=10904
And as Tom Riley reports, other news outlets such as Ananova have picked the story up...
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_895419.html?menu=
So - resist the bike collection madness! And if you must accumulate cycles, Velo Vision recommends legitimate means only...
Posted on 19 March 2004
Your comments ...| From: John Turvey (...) on 19 March 2004 |
Yes, but what is the cure ?
John Turvey
(Peer Gynt, Cobra 2000, Brompton, TranSport, Neuss recumbent Brompton, M5 20/20, Ti-Rush, Greenspeed GTC, Xootr (kick scooter),Trice Micro, and (never used now) Airframe, and c-1900 ladies loop-frame bike (originally sold by my great-grandfather) ..... and I am very tempted to get a third trike.) |
| From: Paul Bailey ([email protected]) on 19 March 2004 |
| now I have a total to beat............ |
| From: Ralf Grosser ([email protected]) on 20 March 2004 |
Gazelle 531 Reynolds sportsbike
Gazelle 531 Reynolds Racer
Alex Moulton AM 14 in 531 Reynolds
Peugeot MTB 531 Reynolds
Pedersen in 24cromo4
Unicycle in mild steel
Neckerman Folder in sheet metal steel.
Still 994 bikes to go! |
| From: Arch ([email protected]) on 22 March 2004 |
Let me see...
Dawes Galaxy for holidays
Much altered Halfords Apollo Javelin hack bike for everyday
1969 Raleigh Gents roadster for dry flat days.
Oh, that's only three. How sad...
Tom? |
| From: Seamus (etc) on 22 March 2004 |
The cure for bicycle addiction is easy if somewhat traumatic...
Amputation of both legs above the knee!
Possible side effects include addiction to hand-cranked wheelchairs. |
| From: John Turvey (....) on 22 March 2004 |
| But one of my 'want-list' items (a very extensive document) is the Varna Speedcycle - so Seamus's suggestion will not help - though all my existing machines would ne longer be usable, |
| From: Ralf Grosser ([email protected]) on 22 March 2004 |
Seamus I would never joke about wheelchair collecting.
I have friend who not only uses an electric one, but also has a collection of a dozen or so of them in his shed, from the last forty years or so, that he with the help of friends has restored and tuned. |
| From: andy scaife ([email protected]) on 23 March 2004 |
well, my fleet has just gone down from 24 to 23 after the theft of a lovely restored 1935 Raleigh from York City centre. most of our local scum would not have been able to ride the thing, it being a 28incher and most of them being little squirts on account of having had 14 year old mothers on smack.
one thing's for sure thought... the phrase "died in the attempt" in the report made me smile! Much like the scenario if I ever spot one of the pond life with my bike. The local magistrates in York are pathetic, so it will be a back-alley job. Maybe I could sell tickets to other aggrieved cyclists! |
| From: Semaus (etc) on 23 March 2004 |
This may make you smile Andy.
An article I saw in newspaper a few years ago where two bicycle thieves were caught by an angry mob and stoned half to death before having petrol poured on them and the other half doing. |
| From: Seamus (sdk etc) on 23 March 2004 |
No Ralf, it wasn't wheelchairs per se I was on about, rather wheelchairs with hand-cranks which operate a drive system to a front wheel.
Off track a little, is that oddly spelt posting above pronounced, "sea-mouse,"?
Examples include; the Excelerator XLT, the Mobilis as well as the very attractive Varna Speedcycle John mentioned.
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| From: Peter Eland ([email protected]) on 23 March 2004 |
If all goes according to plan I should have a Hase Kettwiesel titanium handcycle arriving here shortly - review in next issue :-)
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| From: Jim ([email protected]) on 24 March 2004 |
Andy
This may be of some comfort. I heard a story about a bloke in Sheffield (a very hilly city) who rode fixed, nipped into the paper shop only to return seconds later to see his pride and joy being ridden off. Unfortunately the thief didn't know about fixed wheel. When he tried to go round the corner at the bottom of the hill he tried to coast round only to be propelled skyward with great force. The owner of the bike was able to recover his property with only a scratched top tube. The bike thief was still in traction when it came to court and apparently only walks with the aid of crutches to this day. |
| From: andy scaife (bike rescue etc) on 25 March 2004 |
I know that tale! It happened while I lived in sheff, and I know the owner, so can vouch for its truth!
I too had an attempted theft in sheffield, but the lowlife tried to escape up the steep hill upon which I'd parked. I had a couple of full panniers and a BoB trailer on the bike, so I simply walkeed up beside the struggling miscreant and tipped him off the bike! I was so amused, I just said a smiling 'thank you for trying, but i can get it up the hill myself.' Another attempted theft in york occurred when, unbeknown to the thief, my dog was in the trailer. Changed his mind sharpish! |
| From: Arch ([email protected]) on 25 March 2004 |
| A similar effect could probably be achieved by keeping a snake in your saddlebag... |
| From: John Bradshaw ([email protected]) on 26 March 2004 |
Were any of you @ CTC York a few years ago when a local yob unknowingly fulfilled all(?) cyclists' fantasies when he attempted to steal a lightweight diamond framed bike by just getting on and riding off across the racecourse? Within seconds after the cry of "Stop Thief!" a significant proportion of the whole CTC membership were pursuing him, each motivated by a lifetime's frustration... He didn't get away.
(No use of weapons or petrol as I remember, I'm glad to say!) |
| From: andy scaife (bikerescue etc) on 26 March 2004 |
| or in your lycra, sue! but I'm not one to boast..... |
| From: Arch (swooning@the thought) on 26 March 2004 |
| Lawks a'mercy. I've come over all faint. Pass the smelling salts. |
| From: andy scaife ([email protected]) on 27 March 2004 |
| Before this becomes one of THOSE websites, I'd better clarify that I meant 'ones' lycra rather that 'your' lycra, Sue! However you know my number.....HeeHee! |
| From: Antony (at pedalcars dot info) on 27 March 2004 |
> Were any of you @ CTC York a few years ago when a local yob unknowingly fulfilled all(?) cyclists' fantasies (...).
(No use of weapons or petrol as I remember, I'm glad to say!)
If it didn't involve some combination of boiling oil, a deep pit with whirring kinves in the bottom, a slowly-filling crocodile-infested well, suspension via squishy bits with a cheesewire or the insertion of a old, rusty, 53 tooth steel chainring, then I'm afraid there's a number of unfulfilled cyclists' fantasies regarding bike theives.
Or is that just me?
:) |
| From: Leicester's most handsome (cycling historian.) on 28 March 2004 |
I'm with you on that one.
On another subject, my head hurts. I'll just say "Leicester Beer Festival" :-) |
| From: Seamus (sdk etc) on 29 March 2004 |
Spokesfest, not the last one, the one before with the track in the city centre. Some 'tard successfully had a go at stealing one of John Jermy's usually unstealable wobbly bikes provoking large groups of quite nasty looking cyclists to go after him with malice aforethought. Unfortunately he dropped the bike and ran for it which left us all somewhat disappointed.
A 'friend' assures me he's seen an 'innapropriate' cinematographic production entitled, "Three Men Take it up the Bummell," but I don't quite believe him. |
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