WIBU about this SELFISH bike parking? WWYD?

[CombineBananaFister]

Bit of background: We live in a tourist town, cycling is encouraged due to congestion and high volume of tourist traffic. Lots of good bike facilities dotted around the town, some nearer the centre than others.

Finished a long, stressful, sweaty day at work and needed to get home to swap with DH for childcare. I'd parked up at 6am and came back to this. (see pic)

It was impossible to even get the rigid locks off MY bike due to the lack of wiggle room left by their short lock. They would have known I'd be blocked in but just did it anyway the selfish twunts.

In the end I had to walk back to work, get help from colleagues who had to tip the other bike upside and hold it mid-air while I unlocked and got out ( nearly 1hr). Even then the handlebars were a problem plus their bike had basket AND panniers.

Am not a mean person and despite their dickheadedness I still tried not to damage their bike. DH says am mad, I should have either cut their lock and left it or tough shit if their bike got dented. WIBU?? WWYD? Is it okay to damage someones property if they leave no choice?

(mines the squashed silver bike in the middle)

A friend had a similar situation. He tried to find out who's bike it was, but no one owned up. Luckily he was close to home, went back and got a saw to cut it off.

If someone is tatty enough not to give a shit about others, they should expect the same.

I'd just cut the lock, fuck em if the bike got nicked, shouldnt have been a cunty bike parker.

at cuntybikeparker.

The socially responsible thing to do is to hack saw the lock, than replace it with a cheap code one.

Then leave a note with you telephone number on explaining that once they've called and apologised for being an ignorant self centred ass hat you'll text them the code to unlock their bike.

Serves you right for riding a bike!

I think cutting the lock off if you are blocked in would be fine.

Actually my first,unhelpful and wrong thought was that I'd have been very tempted to take their saddle.Then they wouldn't have had an easy trip home either...wouldn't have done it,but still v.tempting.

You are probably entitled to heave your bike out, even if you scratch the other one. I'd have done that quickly though, in case they return !
I'd also have stuck a note on the bike about their fecking stupidity.

However, I'm not sure if cutting a chain or lock is legal: if the police spot you or the owner returns with a husky friend while you are sawing, then you could be in a nasty situation.

Anyway, sawing a good chain is really tough - a local bike shop tried for 20 mins after a customer lost their key, but gave up in the end.

Was waiting for that one Ramrod - bit predictable

Residents are encouraged to cycle as we are a tourist dependent city with crap roads due to it's historic nature and traffic volume is high. The community minded amongst us appreciate which way our breads buttered - piss off the tourists = lose your jobs.

I really must be a nice person as nicking the seat or putting a cheap lock on never occurred to me !!! wish I had thought it though!!

Locking your bike on top of someone else's? Very rude, I think you were pretty restrained.

Because I am actually a nice person as well,I wouldn't have done it! Obviously not nice enough for it not to occur to me though (or other things I could do with my handy multitool!)

In a way,it's a pity you could get out as if the idiot thought at all about how tightly they were parked,they will now be thinking that it worked out ok because your bike had gone.

ramrod is obv a dick.

As a bikist in this circs. I'd do what you can to get free and leave the aftermath to the fuckwit who did the stupid thing.

Although..it does highlight a bit of a problem with bike parking in town centres - there should be much more available than there is tbh.

At Cambridge station, many moons ago, I was in a similar position. The bike shop nearby cut the lock off the offending bike and secured it with one of their own locks, leaving contact details. It was very obviously not their first time. I thought it was a brilliant idea.

I don't think you would have been unreasonable to cut the lock or ding their bike a bit if that's what it took to get yours out as easily as possible (i.e without a colleague or taking an hour). But I'm pretty sure both would be illegal. On the other hand, much as I like the idea of adding a cheap lock to make their life difficult, and I don't think that's illegal, I do think it's a bit unreasonable if you actually were able to get your bike out.

I think you need the equivalent of those "You park like a cunt" stickers for bikes.

Even better - perhaps someone could start producing "I secure my bike like a cunt" transfers to put on people's saddles so that they'll imprint on the person's trousers/skirt/shorts when they've sat on the saddle.