Lost a Bike

[Generic]

We had a bicycle stolen overnight. We discovered that one of the two garage doors was left open overnight. Much of the blame is my own. I should never lend a garage remote to a guest. I instead should program a temporary code for the panel next to the garage, but I did. They must have mistakenly hit the other button and left the door open. The bikes are on the wall, hanging. And well, they walked off with it.
Today, our electrician is installing a Garage Butler, which locks the garage door 3 minutes after it is open. I have also put the locks on the bikes, which at least means you can't use it without the combo. Maybe I need to actually lock them to the wall.
This is one of these cases where I can't lay responsibility on the guest. It's an accident. And frankly, a preventable one. We bought the Garage Butlers months ago, but never installed them. And frankly, I had no business lending a garage remote to a guest. Well, it's an expensive lesson. I have to try to not beat myself up about it. And I have to go out and buy one more bike to have in stock.
Is it wrong that I wish ill on the person who stole it? That they should fall off the bike and scrape their knees, weekly?

 

[Samster]

Sorry that happened to you, Eric! We live in a downtown historic district and unsecured bicycles often going rolling away since they provide convenient transportation to folks here without automobiles.

A neighbor's live-in nanny had her bike stolen recently that was locked to a picket fence - the thieves removed the picket & apparently left with the bike & the lock. Determined people are way too creative.

 

[Alibi Ike]

If they had broken in and stolen the bikes you could wish they got hit by a car. In the case of alking off with something that wasn't theirs but was so enticing, yes, ok to wish they fall off weekly.

 

[bbinnsitters]

I think you are lucky that it wasn't a guests bike that got stolen! I was on a job recently where the people rode their bikes to the B&B...no car involved at all! That would have been really rotten to have a guests bike stolen. Like you said - lesson learned, still sorry that it happened to you.

 

[birdwatcher]

So sorry to hear that-they will get theirs in time-time has a way of catching up to you when you do something to another person. I know that it doesn't help you not wanting to run them over if you see them on your bike-he he

 

[Samster]

I think you are lucky that it wasn't a guests bike that got stolen! I was on a job recently where the people rode their bikes to the B&B...no car involved at all! That would have been really rotten to have a guests bike stolen. Like you said - lesson learned, still sorry that it happened to you..

We have a 22 mile riverwalk here & more bike & hike rails-to-trails. Also a BMX racing bike track in one of our city parks. We had guests stay with really expensive bikes but usually they were staying in one of our rooms in our second house where they could secure them out of sight or just bring them in the house. I could never figure out a convenient way for them and me to store them in our garage attached to that house.

 

[Generic]

Went out to Costco and bought a new bike. Then to Canadian Tire to buy a new lock. I put the bike in place in our garage on the wall and then I ran the lock through both tires and the body of the bike so that it can't be used without the combination.
The electrician was here for half a day on Saturday and I had him wire in the Garage Butler and we set it to 3 minutes. Realized it was too short and changed it to 10 minutes. So, the garage, if left open, will automatically close after 10 minutes. The bicycles are immobilized and hung on the wall.
Eventually, I will get closed circuit video for the garage. But at least I'm feeling more secure knowing that the garages will close themselves if left open.
And I will remember to never lend the remote to the guests. Maybe having both doors on the same remote was too much? Maybe not warning them about putting it in their pocket? I don't know, but it could have been worse, I could have lost all four bikes.