Keep Those Bikes Locked, Even in the Garage!

bikelock It goes without saying that you must lock your bike when out and about. Leave it unlocked for one second in most urban areas and you can bet it will be gone when you return. In San Fransisco, for instance, bike theft outstripped iPhone theft 3:1.

But there’s another kind of bike theft that a lot of folks don’t think about–theft from your home or apartment. Yes, even at home base your bike needs to be locked up. Some thieves drive around in pickup trucks looking for open garages with unlocked bikes. Several friends of mine have lost their bikes this way. Others have had bikes stolen from backyards and balconies. When I get around to remodeling the garage, I’m going to upgrade the crappy lock you see above.

Remember it’s in the Koran sayings of Muhammad, “Trust in Allah, but tie your camel.” Have you had a bike stolen? What happened?

Picture Sundays: A High School Bike Rack in Los Angeles Circa 1937

marshalhighbikeracks

Behold the very full bike rack at Marshall High School, which is close to where we live in Los Angeles. It looks like a train station in Amsterdam. Like the photo of airplane factory workers I posted last week, this photo is a reminder of how our streets have changed in the post WWII era. Make those streets safe once again for kids to walk and bike and we could really put a dent in obesity, diabetes and heart disease rates.

Photo via Jeff Jacobberger.