What would you do?

[mycirus]

Chances are that the bike is enough out of the way in the commuter lot that probably noone would have noticed the key in the ignition and nothing would have happened.

[jcrawford]

but still a very foolish thing to do, i'm sure it was an accident though. What takes more balls to steal a bike tucked back out of view
or a bike on the curb where everyone can see you?

[NobodySpecific]

Never mind reading comprehension, how about looking at the picture as well?

This thread was posted hours ago, yet people still think he might have "Just run to the store".

What picture?

[jcrawford]

What picture?

think they meant the "big picture"

[e30addict]

Except a dead battery. I'd personally prefer someone to switch it off and leave the key. It would be hard to be upset with someone who's heart was in the right place though. I wouldn't be pissed if I had to call someone to get my key back though. Minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things.

A twist to all this would be what if the owner was OK with the bike being stolen in the first place. Insurance payoff and no winter storage

[NobodySpecific]

Also NESR, your problem with reading comprehension never fails to amaze me


THE BIKE WAS IN A COMMUTER PARKING AREA.

THE OP HAS SEEN THE BIKE PARKED THERE NUMEROUS TIMES.

THE PARKING PLACE IS ENOUGH OUT OF THE WAY THAT THE PERSON WASN'T JUST RUNNING INTO THE STORE.

Bunch of morons.

I think that's all my fault. I asked the question (because none of that info was known at the time), which was then answered in such a way to show that it wasn't somebody just popping in somewhere for a bit, but apparently nobody saw that part. Sorry

[e30addict]

think they meant the "big picture"

Yeap. Thanks. My mind moves faster than my fingers on the phone.

[NobodySpecific]

Yeap. My mind moves faster than my fingers on the phone.

Ok, that's a relief, because I thought I missed a very obvious piece of this puzzle

[TheIglu]

Chances are that the bike is enough out of the way in the commuter lot that probably noone would have noticed the key in the ignition and nothing would have happened.

Except the battery running down and the guy would have been stranded. Guess he woulda needed a cell phone to call someone with a set of tools and jumper cables.

[Garandman]

When you live in my town with a zero percent chance of it getting stolen....you'd understand.

Cool post. So I take it from your profile you live in Lowell?

Except a dead battery. I'd personally prefer someone to switch it off and leave the key. It would be hard to be upset with someone who's heart was in the right place though. I wouldn't be pissed if I had to call someone to get my key back though. Minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things.//

+1. The nightmare scenario when I leave my key in the bike is someone takes the key. You then have to get it rekeyed.

...Or ride a V-Strom, no one wants to steal them....

[mycirus]

I wouldn't be pissed if I had to call someone to get my key back though. Minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things.

Can I ask what is going to happen when you are at your bike 1st and guy who left key isnt there yet. Do you wait for him? Go home and wait for a call? Put key back and pretend nothing happened? Im just wondering if you are gonna ride home with the key and then go back when he calls you.

[Rusty the Scoob]

Yeah, I didn't take a picture, or post one.

The bikes are tucked away from the general public eye, but a few people do walk through there and homeless people camp out near there pretty often. Nobody in their right mind would leave their keys there for 6 minutes, much less 6 hours. It's a perfect scenario for bike thieves.

Contacting the police is a good thought.... getting kind of late in the day though, and I'm sure the Boston police dept won't want to deal with it. If I don't hear from the guy, maybe I'll do that.

[SRTie4k]

You are talking to a guy who lives in a town of 1200.


Ask me how many times my house has been broken into.

The population of your town doesn't have all that much to do with how trustworthy the people there are. Massholes are massholes, despite the size of the town

[Rusty the Scoob]

Can I ask what is going to happen when you are at your bike 1st and guy who left key isnt there yet. Do you wait for him? Go home and wait for a call? Put key back and pretend nothing happened? Im just wondering if you are gonna ride home with the key and then go back when he calls you.

This is a great question, I'd like to know the answer myself. I think I'll either:

A: leave the key in his tool bag.

B: Call the BPD, likely exposing myself to tons of hassle

C: Leave the key with the front-desk security guard at the nearby news station, hoping they really are there 24 hours, and amend my note.

or

D: ????? no idea

[SRTie4k]

D. Take the bike home and leave a note with a rock on it in the parking space.

[e30addict]

Can I ask what is going to happen when you are at your bike 1st and guy who left key isnt there yet. Do you wait for him? Go home and wait for a call? Put key back and pretend nothing happened? Im just wondering if you are gonna ride home with the key and then go back when he calls you.

Didn't say I'd take someones key, so I can't answer for the OP. While I would prefer someone leave MY key after switching off the ignition I did say if someone DID take the key I wouldn't be overly upset about it, assuming they had good intentions.

[ThisBitch]

What I would do in your case is also contact the state police and provide them with your name, cell number and the plate number of the bike. You never know they might have the guys employer on file and be able to get you in touch with the person sooner than EOD today.

I will also stand ground and say you did the right thing. Sure if it was my bike and some stranger took my key and left a note I would be grateful but not everyone would be I guess. I know I'd rather have a missing key until 5pm than a missing bike forever, I just went through a stolen bike and it is not fun. Breaks your heart more than it pisses ya off

Do the state police have your employer on file? They're not the FBI or CIA.

Mental midgets, all of you.

[Rossco]

When you live in my town with a zero percent chance of it getting stolen....you'd understand.

Yea, uhh Mike, I hate to break it to ya, but a firefighter in Westford had his bike stolen from the station not too long ago. Shit does happen in our town.

[nhbubba]

OP: I'd do what you did. I think you did the right thing.

I've left my key in the ignition more than once. Once had a guy stop my in the grocery store and say "Dude, you left the light on on your bike." Either he wasn't a rider and didn't realize you need the key to leave the light on, or was politely not saying "Hey dumbass, your lucky your bike isn't gone yet."

I've left it in the seat lock once or twice too. I do dipshit, forgetful stuff like that now and then.

If you took my key in a situation I'd probably offer you a finski for helping me out like this. I definitely wouldn't give you a hard time over it.

[Rusty the Scoob]

Didn't say I'd take someones key, so I can't answer for the OP. While I would prefer someone leave MY key after switching off the ignition I did say if someone DID take the key I wouldn't be overly upset about it, assuming they had good intentions.

This is kind of what I'm counting on. I guess it boiled down to this:

Worst case scenario if I took the key: Forgetful biker is slightly inconvenienced and gets pissed at me. Or doesn't check either his helmet or toolbag, and gets extremely inconvenienced.

Worst case scenario if I didn't take the key: Forgetful biker gets his bike stolen.

[TheIglu]

The population of your town doesn't have all that much to do with how trustworthy the people there are. Massholes are massholes, despite the size of the town

You are right. And the people who broke into our house last time were from Swanzy NH.

[SRTie4k]

You are right. And the people who broke into our house last time were from Swanzy NH.

Whew, glad I'm not from Keene.

[Rossco]

You are right. And the people who broke into our house last time were from Swanzy NH.

Wait, how you know that, did you catch them?

[TheIglu]

Wait, how you know that, did you catch them?

I didn't, cops did. Druggies from Swanzy, coming over the border to smash and grab, then take the loot straight down to Fitchburg to be pawned, then buy drugs while still in the 'berg.

Two guys and a girl, girl sang the entire opera after being picked up on an unrelated warrant.

[DankDirtyBird]

This is a great question, I'd like to know the answer myself. I think I'll either:

A: leave the key in his tool bag.

B: Call the BPD, likely exposing myself to tons of hassle

C: Leave the key with the front-desk security guard at the nearby news station, hoping they really are there 24 hours, and amend my note.

or

D: ????? no idea

D: Launch a Kingcast investigation, and report back