About Those Portland Bike Thefts (Hillsboro: law, dangerous, store)

[Bluesmama]

Originally Posted by Raisinet

It is not only a very real, but rampant problem, especially in the downtown area.

About ten days ago I was walking across the Hawthorne Bridge and there were three, young bicycle riders coming in my direction, pedaling like crazy.

But it wasn't their speed so much that got my attention, even though it was way higher than normal. It was the fact that they had their faces covered up in these burlap looking scarf things to hide their identity, because each one of them was hauling a bunch of bike parts. Rims etc.

Looked like something out of a Mad Max movie.

Hopefully you pulled out your phone and reported them? On bikes they should have been easy enough for a cop to find, especially after crossing a bridge.

[borntorun1180]

Originally Posted by BLAZER PROPHET

Seems to me that if bikes were registered they would be easier to recover. Also, a small registration fee would help defray the costs of building bike paths and bridges...

Exactly, cyclist need to be registering their bikes and paying yearly fees for their silly bike lanes. Plus they should be required to take a biking test before being allowed to bike on public roads because clearly almost all of them are ignorant to the rules of the road.

[Raisinet]

Originally Posted by Bluesmama

Hopefully you pulled out your phone and reported them? On bikes they should have been easy enough for a cop to find, especially after crossing a bridge.

Did you miss this quote?

"Prosecutors routinely dismiss the theft charges that police lodge against them. Most frequently, prosecutors say, that's because there's not enough evidence."

I didn't see them actually steal anything. And have you ever actually called the Portland Police non-emergency number?

I have, and they purposely waste your time with so many prompts to get to a human that I'll probably never call it again unless I'm actually the victim.

[ccjarider]

Originally Posted by borntorun1180

Exactly, cyclist need to be registering their bikes and paying yearly fees for their silly bike lanes. Plus they should be required to take a biking test before being allowed to bike on public roads because clearly almost all of them are ignorant to the rules of the road.

Yea right - let's instill more government into our lives to protect us from bikes. What the hell ya thinkin?

[ccjarider]

Better solution and (cheaper to implement btw) would be to allow people the right to use deadly force to protect property. Worked really well in TX and Louisiana to bring down car jackings and home break ins.

Probably would never happen here in the "enlightened" PNW; also known as Pacifist Central.

[bler144]

Originally Posted by ccjarider

Better solution and (cheaper to implement btw) would be to allow people the right to use deadly force to protect property. Worked really well in TX and Louisiana to bring down car jackings and home break ins.

A similar law would seem unlikely to do much about the typical bike theft, which tends to be quite different than a home invasion or car jacking.

Most professional bike thieves seem adept at taking the bike when no one is present, and take them from outside or quasi-outside (porch/garage) spaces.

Home invasions/car jackings are different because there is a real physical threat involved already, so the trade-off risk of escalation is at least somewhat more defensible.

[thedownlow]

Does anyone actually think those bike sharing programs would work here? I know those bikes will be stolen the first few days of being out there.

[borntorun1180]

Originally Posted by ccjarider

Yea right - let's instill more government into our lives to protect us from bikes. What the hell ya thinkin?

No more than we currently have with the DMV that drivers are suppose to obey. There are too many idiots on bikes in this town.

[Bluesmama]

Originally Posted by Raisinet

Did you miss this quote?

"Prosecutors routinely dismiss the theft charges that police lodge against them. Most frequently, prosecutors say, that's because there's not enough evidence."

I didn't see them actually steal anything. And have you ever actually called the Portland Police non-emergency number?

I have, and they purposely waste your time with so many prompts to get to a human that I'll probably never call it again unless I'm actually the victim.

Good point about not witnessing them steal it. Actually, yes. And you're right - PDX police lacks balls when it comes to theft and robbery, and that's why the problems persist.

[bler144]

Originally Posted by Bluesmama

Good point about not witnessing them steal it. Actually, yes. And you're right - PDX police lacks balls when it comes to theft and robbery, and that's why the problems persist.

The one time I called the non-emergency number I didn't find the phone tree too cumbersome, but it took them about 75 minutes to send anybody out.

Not going to catch anybody red-handed with that sort of response time.