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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To remove this bike

23 replies

bodgerthebadger · 15/05/2014 09:11

Someone keeps locking their bike to my front fence. Apart from the inconvenience (it's a big bike) and it being an eye sore, it is also being locked to my wooden fence which has only just been replaced so I worry about damage to the posts.

The council advise that this is a civil matter. They are unclear however as to whether the bike is on my property or on public property. The person I spoke to said this could be an exception and that the bike would be considered on my property. The wheels are on the pavement but the bike is resting on my boundary wall and locked to my fence.

I have been leaving polite notes asking the owner not to chain the bike to my fence but these are ignored. WIBU to cut the lock and remove the bike and leave a note asking them to knock on the house to get the bike back so I can then ask them in person not to do it again? They already know where I live anyway. Or would this BU or indeed illegal (thinking this may be damage to someone else's property?).

OP posts:

ThinkFirst · 15/05/2014 09:20

Leave a note saying if they do it again you will be removing the post it is locked too and if the bike gets stolen it will be their own fault.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 15/05/2014 09:21

I don't know the answer just wanted to use the emoticon. But at a guess I'd say you shouldn't tamper with it or cut the lock. Otoh if you were planning on creosoting (or whatever the equivalent is these day) or painting the fence you could warn the owner in advance and I suspect you wouldn't be held responsible for any splatter damage. Disclaimer: no legal knowledge.

BoomBoomsCousin · 15/05/2014 09:40

If they are using the bike in between chaining it up then add your own lock to the bike and leave a note asking them to come and speak to you.

Ioethe · 15/05/2014 10:52

I like the way BoomBoomsCousin thinks.

I think if you cut through the lock it would be criminal damage.

JerseySpud · 15/05/2014 10:55

If you move the bike it would be considered theft. i would add another lock to it.

Then convieniently be out when they come back....

YoniMitchell · 15/05/2014 10:57

I'd also probably do what BoomBoomsCousin suggested and add another lock with a note asking them to knock on your door. Being charitable, could they be doing this in innocence? Is it clear that the fence is yours and not council/public boundary? If it is, they're being cheeky feckers.

Either way, I wouldn't snip their lock as that would probably be seen as criminal damage.

SarahAndFuck · 15/05/2014 10:58

I was also going to suggest adding another lock to try and force them to come and speak to you.

SistersOfPercy · 15/05/2014 10:58

Your fence is your property, they have no right to attach anything to it. I agree with the other lock idea, then watch the ignorant bastard squirm.

whois · 15/05/2014 11:00

Quite a few buildings near me have signs up saying 'bikes locked to these railings will be removed'. I'd put a sign up like that first, then if it's left there again chop the lock off and take the bike inside. I wouldn't leave it out on the street to get stolen.

You'll need some power tools to get thru the lock though.

You could also add a lock of your own as someone else suggested - but you risk them damaging your post trying to get it off.

wowfudge · 15/05/2014 11:12

Ooh - how annoying for you OP. I can't believe the bike owner has the nerve to carry on leaving it there when you have left polite notes to them. I would put you own chain on and get the passive aggressive ignorant bugger to speak to you to get it back.

Incidentally, if you removed the bike, with the intention of giving it back to the owner, that would't be theft as you do not 'intend to permanently deprive the owner of it'; especially not if you left a note saying where they could collect it from.

Let us know what happens.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 15/05/2014 11:15

Another vote for don't cut the lock - they can cost a lot! Add your own lock and a note.

Stinkle · 15/05/2014 11:20

I'd add another lock too

Then when they come and knock, inform them that the next time it was left there it would simply be removed

What kind of fence is it? Is it one of those picket type fences that you could take out one of the posts, slip it through the lock and then put back? Then you wouldn't have to cut the lock

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 15/05/2014 11:31

Second lock, definitely. If you have a really sturdy one, all the better.

WowOoo · 15/05/2014 11:34

I like BoomBoom's idea. How rude!

HowardTJMoon · 15/05/2014 11:48

If you want to be really passive-aggressive, put a second lock through a wheel but don't attach it to your fence (otherwise they might damage your fence trying to remove it). Then throw the key away and just deny all knowledge. They'll be able to remove their bike from your fence but be unable to ride it home.

limitedperiodonly · 15/05/2014 11:56

HowardTJMoon wins

Original poster

bodgerthebadger · 15/05/2014 12:02

Thanks for the suggestions! I've actually just come back home and the bike is gone so the note today seems to have worked. However, if they do it again I like the idea of a second lock. I don't have the tools to remove the bike anyway and I can't remove it w/o damaging my own fence. So they probably assumed (correctly) that my note was an empty threat. I'm thinking that if they have to knock on the door to ask me to unlock my lock, if asked in person nicely not to do it again, most (reasonable) people would surely be too embarrassed to do it again.

It is really cheeky! It is clearly not public property. The bizarre thing is that there are several lamp posts (the tall ones) along the street that they could have used. Even better, 30 metres down the road one way there are public bike posts (the metal ones provided by the council) and 50 metres the other way there's a public park with railings all round it they could use. AFAIK we haven't offended anyone so I can only assume it's someone visiting one of the houses on this street and being lazy!

Thanks to the wisdom of MNetters! Will keep my second bike lock handy :-)

OP posts:

wowfudge · 15/05/2014 12:34

A polite note and an empty threat are two different things OP: what did your notes say?

However, if it happens again, do lock the bike up yourself - I wonder if the idiot leaving it there will come back with bolt cutters? - and fix a notice to the fence which simply states: 'Public bike racks 30m -->', with the arrow pointing the right way of course.

The problem with people who do this kind of thing (I mean the cyclist) is that never think how they would feel if someone did something similar to them.

Original poster

bodgerthebadger · 15/05/2014 12:42

My note said: "Hi, please could you kindly remove your bike from this fence. If the bike is not removed by the end of today, regretfully this bike will be removed from the fence. Thank you for your co-operation."

I think that's polite? But since I do say that the consequence of non-removal is the removal of the bike, that's a threat? And an empty one at that as I don't actually have any means of removing the lock unless I damage my own fence.

I cycle myself and would never do this but then I live in London and there are so many places (not on private property) against which I can lock my bike - even if it means I need to walk a bit to get to where I really want - so there's never been a need to.

OP posts:

Oldraver · 15/05/2014 12:42

Loads of cheap locks, locking the bike at different points...then give them a big bunch of keys or the various codes

Sneezecakesmum · 15/05/2014 12:50

I think cutting and damaging their lock would be criminal damage so no to that. Hope the polite notes continue to work but I love the second lock idea!

Tiredmumno1 · 15/05/2014 13:05

Oldraver. I love that idea, that'd be fun to watch

limitedperiodonly · 15/05/2014 13:15

oldraver's suggestion reminds me of a film where someone was frantically trying to find the right key to a padlock before a booby-trap bomb went off. I can't remember what the film was now.

I'm not suggesting you do that OP.

It might damage your fence.

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