How to booby trap a bike?

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Date: 22 Sep 2007 13:02:50
From:
Subject: How to booby trap a bike?

I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!

Any thoughts?
Rob

Date: 30 Sep 2007 11:11:33
From: Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

robanzellotti@googlemail.com wrote:
> I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>
> Any thoughts?

Can this be fitted to a bicycle:
<http://www.lojack.com/products-services/auto-security-system/lojack-for-motorcycles.cfm >?

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
A Real Cyclist [TM] keeps at least one bicycle in the bedroom.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Date: 30 Sep 2007 11:00:59
From: Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Date: 26 Sep 2007 01:30:56
From: dabac
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

robanzellotti@googlemail.com Wrote:
> I want to fix a bike ... I don't want to hurt anyone, .. but I can'
> think of anything that would give a predictable
> failure after a minute or so.

How about putting a CO2 tire inflation cartridge in the seat post, sea
facing down, and then a length of broom handle or something with a nai
in it down the seat tube, nail facing up. When you leave the bike, und
the seat clamp. Anyone putting weight on the saddle w/o tightening th
clamp should then cause the saddle to be ejected from the bike, makin
further riding rather uncomfortable..

--
dabac

Date: 25 Sep 2007 21:33:44
From: Leo Lichtman
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

"dabac" wrote: How about putting a CO2 tire inflation cartridge in the seat
post, seal facing down, and then a length of broom handle or something with
a nail(clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I guess a shotgun shell would be overkill. Or would that be "underkill?"

Date: 26 Sep 2007 17:27:47
From: dabac
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Leo Lichtman Wrote:
> "dabac" wrote: How about putting a CO2 tire inflation cartridge in th
> seat
> post, seal facing down, and then a length of broom handle or somethin
> with
> a nail(clip)
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> I guess a shotgun shell would be overkill. Or would that b
> "underkill?"

Now you're talking! Using a tailored pyrotechnic charge and a suitabl
strengthened seat tube one could build a bike with an ejection sea
capable of launching not only the seat but the rider as well into th
air!
Merely thinking about such a system in action got me smiling..

--
dabac

Date: 26 Sep 2007 15:15:13
From: Peter Cole
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

dabac wrote:
> Leo Lichtman Wrote:
>> "dabac" wrote: How about putting a CO2 tire inflation cartridge in the
>> seat
>> post, seal facing down, and then a length of broom handle or something
>> with
>> a nail(clip)
>> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>> I guess a shotgun shell would be overkill. Or would that be
>> "underkill?"
>
> Now you're talking! Using a tailored pyrotechnic charge and a suitably
> strengthened seat tube one could build a bike with an ejection seat
> capable of launching not only the seat but the rider as well into the
> air!
> Merely thinking about such a system in action got me smiling...
>
>

There was this underwater photographer who had the habit of cocking and
tripping a "bang stick" against his palm while unloaded -- one day he
did it loaded.

I had a bike with quick releases on the centerpull calipers. Open, the
bike had no brakes. It wasn't too obvious how to open/close them. A mild
deterrent, perhaps. If you have horizontal dropouts, loosening the rear
quick release might also be a mild deterrent. I just used to always take
my front wheel along with me when I locked my bike on the street.

Date: 27 Sep 2007 16:23:26
From: dabac
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Peter Cole Wrote:
> There was this underwater photographer who had the habit of cocking and
> tripping a "bang stick" against his palm while unloaded -- one day he
> did it loaded.

Maybe an even higher degree of comedy, and a lesser degree of lawsuits
could be achieved with a slowly telescoping seat post, suitably powered.

Thinking back to a few early attempts at riding far too big bikes with
ladies' frames that saddle in the small of your back sure quickly took
the fun out of such rides...

Less risk of accidentally self inflicted damages too.

--
dabac

Date: 25 Sep 2007 10:08:32
From: Tom Nakashima
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

"dabac" <dabac.2xh2x0@no-mx.forums.cyclingforums.com > wrote in message
news:dabac.2xh2x0@no-mx.forums.cyclingforums.com...
>
> robanzellotti@googlemail.com Wrote:
>> I want to fix a bike ... I don't want to hurt anyone, .. but I can't
>> think of anything that would give a predictable
>> failure after a minute or so.
>

When parked put the gearing in a 53/11 configuration, just remember to
re-shift when you get back on the bike.
Fixed geared bike with toe-strap are also harder for a quick get-away.
-tom

Date: 25 Sep 2007 14:58:02
From: Michael
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

robanzellotti@googlemail.com wrote:
>
> I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>
> Any thoughts?
> Rob

I would just avoid the problem by hitching up. BUT! ... if I had a gun to my
head and was told "booby trap the sucker, or else .." I would over-tighten the
mounting bolt of each brake caliper.

Michael

Date: 24 Sep 2007 09:36:41
From: ycleptor2@cs.com
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Date: 24 Sep 2007 02:08:22
From: datakoll
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Bob Hope was a thief: he was hungry.

but it's still not a deterent?
common, be serious. the saudi society is a deterrent from go.
that's the/an iraq problem. effective communication begins with
amputation and carpet bombing just so yawl can communciate with
everyone at the same time, retard to intellectual elite.

Date: 23 Sep 2007 22:06:52
From: A Muzi
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

datakoll wrote:
> Bob Hope was a thief: he was hungry.

Stolen jokes ?

> but it's still not a deterent?
> common, be serious. the saudi society is a deterrent from go.
> that's the/an iraq problem. effective communication begins with
> amputation and carpet bombing just so yawl can communciate with
> everyone at the same time, retard to intellectual elite.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Date: 23 Sep 2007 18:31:36
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sep 23, 5:55 pm, "(PeteCresswell)" <x...@y.Invalid > wrote:
> Per * * Chas:
>
> >In Saudi Arabia the punishment is amputation of fingers or hands - but
> >it's still not a deterrent.
>
> Unencumbered by any firsthand information . . .

[snip]

Dear Frodo,

On the one hand, I can't put my finger on the flaw in your logic.

On the other hand, something seems to be missing.

Cheers,

Gollum

Date: 24 Sep 2007 00:09:44
From: datakoll
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sep 23, 8:06 pm, jim beam <spamvor...@bad.example.net > wrote:
> Jasper Janssen wrote:
> > On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 10:00:05 -0700, jim beam <spamvor...@bad.example.net>
> > wrote:
> >> Jambo wrote:
> >>> "jim beam", r.b.t's legendary
>
> >>> - CF Fork Whisperer
> >>> - "Mettaleuregits" who attended "muterials skool" more than 30 years ago
> >>> - CIA Black Ops operative in Vietnam
> >>> - Privvy to CLASSIFIED military information on composites way before they
> >>> existed
>
> >> take your meds!!! freakin' moron.
>
> > Listen, Jim.. if you're gonna respond to every single freaking time some
> > troll or other posts something about you that isn't even *new* insults,
> > you know what that makes *you* look like?
>
> > Jasper
>
> yes. small-minded, pedantic, and bored. but i don't care - i /enjoy/
> baiting his dumb moronic ass.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

yassah. yawl could strap Beam to it.

Date: 23 Sep 2007 22:15:27
From: bjw@mambo.ucolick.org
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sep 22, 1:02 pm, robanzello...@googlemail.com wrote:
> I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>

You seek a technological solution to a social
problem (not alt schools, but your specific theft
issue). I don't see how you are going to be able
to hang around all day to photograph the aftermath
anyway. If you insist on technology, it seems like
a surveillance camera would be more practical.

However, there is a simpler solution. Paint your
bike pink. No self respecting teenage male is going
to take a joy ride on it.

Ben

Date: 30 Sep 2007 11:35:33
From: Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

bjw@mambo.ucolick.org wrote:
> ...
> However, there is a simpler solution. Paint your
> bike pink. No self respecting teenage male is going
> to take a joy ride on it.

What if they are a fan of the T-Mobile team?
<http://www.worldcycling.com/graphics/00000002/TM07TMOJ.jpg >

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
A Real Cyclist [TM] keeps at least one bicycle in the bedroom.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Date: 23 Sep 2007 13:07:13
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sep 23, 3:52 pm, raam...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Sep 23, 9:54 am, "(PeteCresswell)" <x...@y.Invalid> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Per raam...@gmail.com:
>
> > >You are close- don't bother asking just bring it in, let the boss
> > >decide if he wants to make an issue of it to you. as an alternative,
> > >talk to the building maintence guy see if he could provide a safe
> > >location, pehaps in a stairwell underneath the stairs-
>
> > I like the talking-to-building-maint-guy approach the best -
> > especially with a little "thank-you". Whose gonna mess with him
> > - especially if it's out of sight - unless it becomes an issue
> > with somebody big?
>
> > Problem I'd see with getting my manager's back up is that then it
> > becomes a matter of face: he gets overruled... he loses some
> > face....
> > --
> > PeteCresswell
>
> yeah I understand what you mean- well I was just putting some thoughts
> out there because it all really depends on you to decide what works
> best with your particular situation. I've known lawyers who bring
> their expensive bikes right up into the offices of the glass tower
> where they work- I don't think they were forced to use the frieght
> elevators either; but when your firm has a 20 year lease on a couple
> of floors at a million or so per floor rent, the building management
> has to bend over some to the tenants wishes. Personally I found the
> just show up and lock my bike in a safe out of the way place worked
> best- that way I wasn't asking for anything and I showed that I had a
> good location that I was happy with- these days employers are having
> to consider the employee a bit more than before. The main things to
> watch out for is fire safety; there is no way you can keep a bike in a
> fire route or exit- but no mater where make sure you keep it locked.
> Also, if questioned by management the smart thing to do is to point
> out the health benefits, the fact that because you are commuting on 2
> wheels you aren't going to be late due to traffic or transit problems;
> and present an enviromentally friendly approcarh to the problem of
> commuting; say something like I only live less than 1 hour by bike you
> want me to take my car just for that ?- it gets them thinking, like an
> extra parking space in the lot etc. and their own self-interest then
> takes focus...you can sabotage a bike; you can even catch and charge a
> thief, but it won't make any difference in the end- you just have to
> keep you bike out of their reach and there is no other way around that
> I am afraid.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

just a little brainstorm that I would like to add; you can make a
fixie with a huge huge gear, say a 56t11- surely if you have a good
position and aren't doing any big hills you should be able to roll
that monster along while any other hodlum will dump it after about 10
feet

Date: 23 Sep 2007 12:52:55
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sep 23, 9:54 am, "(PeteCresswell)" <x...@y.Invalid > wrote:
> Per raam...@gmail.com:
>
> >You are close- don't bother asking just bring it in, let the boss
> >decide if he wants to make an issue of it to you. as an alternative,
> >talk to the building maintence guy see if he could provide a safe
> >location, pehaps in a stairwell underneath the stairs-
>
> I like the talking-to-building-maint-guy approach the best -
> especially with a little "thank-you". Whose gonna mess with him
> - especially if it's out of sight - unless it becomes an issue
> with somebody big?
>
> Problem I'd see with getting my manager's back up is that then it
> becomes a matter of face: he gets overruled... he loses some
> face....
> --
> PeteCresswell

yeah I understand what you mean- well I was just putting some thoughts
out there because it all really depends on you to decide what works
best with your particular situation. I've known lawyers who bring
their expensive bikes right up into the offices of the glass tower
where they work- I don't think they were forced to use the frieght
elevators either; but when your firm has a 20 year lease on a couple
of floors at a million or so per floor rent, the building management
has to bend over some to the tenants wishes. Personally I found the
just show up and lock my bike in a safe out of the way place worked
best- that way I wasn't asking for anything and I showed that I had a
good location that I was happy with- these days employers are having
to consider the employee a bit more than before. The main things to
watch out for is fire safety; there is no way you can keep a bike in a
fire route or exit- but no mater where make sure you keep it locked.
Also, if questioned by management the smart thing to do is to point
out the health benefits, the fact that because you are commuting on 2
wheels you aren't going to be late due to traffic or transit problems;
and present an enviromentally friendly approcarh to the problem of
commuting; say something like I only live less than 1 hour by bike you
want me to take my car just for that ?- it gets them thinking, like an
extra parking space in the lot etc. and their own self-interest then
takes focus...you can sabotage a bike; you can even catch and charge a
thief, but it won't make any difference in the end- you just have to
keep you bike out of their reach and there is no other way around that
I am afraid.

Date: 23 Sep 2007 01:07:29
From: Kenny
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sep 23, 4:02 am, robanzello...@googlemail.com wrote:
> I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>
> Any thoughts?
> Rob

About 20 some odd years ago I use to have a motorcycle parked outside
my apartment. The next day when I went to start up the motorcycle I
found my gas tank empty. Someone had siphoned it dry. This happened
about 5 times in a two week span. I tried using a lock cap, but the
thief would just get the gas from the gas line leading form the gas
tank to on-off valve. This really pissed me off. I knew the thief
likes to strike at anywhere from 1 to 5 A.M. so I made up my mind to
wait up in ambush from my discreet location. My plan was to wait with
my trusty Louisville Slugger at my side, and at the first hint of foul
play come a chargin full bore and beat the livin snot outa the bugger.
I laid in waiting 5 nights in a row. Never got a nibble but lost a lot
of sleep. Fantasies of blessed revenge gave way to harsh reality.
There was no way I was going to catch this thief. In the end I decided
to just put enough gas in the tank to due whatever errands needed
doing and no more. If I got ripped, will at least it'll only be enough
for a lawnmower.

With today's technology catching that gas thief would be easier and
comparatively cheap. I would probably set up a cheap surveillance
camera that recorded directly to a hard drive. You might even add a
motion detector that would send you a signal when the bike is being
disturbed. I'd use both at the same time.

Date: 23 Sep 2007 23:22:37
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 01:07:29 -0700, Kenny <Postoasted@gmail.com >
wrote:

>
>About 20 some odd years ago I use to have a motorcycle parked outside
>my apartment. The next day when I went to start up the motorcycle I
>found my gas tank empty. Someone had siphoned it dry. This happened
>about 5 times in a two week span. I tried using a lock cap, but the
>thief would just get the gas from the gas line leading form the gas
>tank to on-off valve. This really pissed me off. I knew the thief
>likes to strike at anywhere from 1 to 5 A.M. so I made up my mind to
>wait up in ambush from my discreet location. My plan was to wait with
>my trusty Louisville Slugger at my side, and at the first hint of foul
>play come a chargin full bore and beat the livin snot outa the bugger.
>I laid in waiting 5 nights in a row. Never got a nibble but lost a lot
>of sleep. Fantasies of blessed revenge gave way to harsh reality.
>There was no way I was going to catch this thief. In the end I decided
>to just put enough gas in the tank to due whatever errands needed
>doing and no more. If I got ripped, will at least it'll only be enough
>for a lawnmower.
>
>With today's technology catching that gas thief would be easier and
>comparatively cheap. I would probably set up a cheap surveillance
>camera that recorded directly to a hard drive. You might even add a
>motion detector that would send you a signal when the bike is being
>disturbed. I'd use both at the same time.

About 40 years ago my great uncle was having problems with local
"bikers" stealing gas from his farm tank, located on the downhill,
road side of his driving shed. They'd come flying down the road, cut
the ignition, and coast up to the tank, fill up, and roll down the
lane to the road, roll a ways down the road, pop the clutch and be
gone.
He fixed 'em. He put the gas tank on the other side of the shed, and
put deisel in the downhill, road side tank. Within a week, he had no
more problems with stolen fuel, and he saw a few "abandoned"
motorcycles at the side of the road within a mile of his place for a
few days after the switch.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Date: 23 Sep 2007 04:12:36
From: CNN_news
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sep 22, 6:17 pm, clare at snyder.on.ca wrote:
> On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:53:19 -0700, robanzello...@googlemail.com
> wrote:
>

> Ride a "ladie's bike". No self respecting homie would be caught dead
> on one.
>

Ladies bike, paint it pink, add tassels. Have you seen what Sheldon
Brown did to make one of his bikes less desirable?

He added bits of paint of different colors all over. Makes me sick
just to look at it.

http://sheldonbrown.org/robinhood.html

Date: 23 Sep 2007 09:47:08
From: (PeteCresswell)
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Per CNN_news:
>Ladies bike, paint it pink, add tassels. Have you seen what Sheldon
>Brown did to make one of his bikes less desirable?
>
>He added bits of paint of different colors all over. Makes me sick
>just to look at it.

I found a certain sense of relief when I heard my
son-in-law-the-farmer (who knows equipment) say of my primary
bike: "Man, that thing looks like it's beat to shit."
http://tinyurl.com/33bwlo
--
PeteCresswell

Date: 23 Sep 2007 02:47:09
From: datakoll
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

flip lock seatpost clamp! take post and saddle to work.
lube seat tube with anti-sieze and linseed oil, use plug for tube when
parked, place seat post in plastic bag.
flip chain off gear cluster onto chain hanger
let air out one tire, buy walmart auto floor pump
find "old fashioned" bicycle lock - regular key lock case with loooong
hasp to fit around seat tube and rear tire.
place paper machete saddle over seat tube.

Date:
From:
Subject:

Date: 22 Sep 2007 19:22:08
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sep 22, 6:02 pm, "(PeteCresswell)" <x...@y.Invalid > wrote:
> Per robanzello...@googlemail.com:
>
> >I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> >it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> >in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> >without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> >us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> >around, and several of us have lost our bikes.
>
> For bike thieves, my darkest fantasies tend towards some sort of
> sub-saddle-seatpost-mounted device involving anal electrocution.
>
> But in the real world, I think the most practical solution is tb
> able to store the bikes inside of the workplace.
>
> Yes, some administrative minion may say "No way Jose'" just for
> their personal convenience... but six people going to the right
> decision maker to say they're finding jobs elsewhere (after all
> six being reprimanded for just taking their bikes inside without
> even asking...) bco their bikes are about tb stolen, might have
> a chance.
> --
> PeteCresswell

You are close- don't bother asking just bring it in, let the boss
decide if he wants to make an issue of it to you. as an alternative,
talk to the building maintence guy see if he could provide a safe
location, pehaps in a stairwell underneath the stairs- or a spare
room, an electrical closet or riser, give him a bottle of good scotch
after a few days if it works out- that will keep him looking out for
you and your bike.

Date: 23 Sep 2007 09:54:47
From: (PeteCresswell)
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Date: 23 Sep 2007 09:51:17
From: (PeteCresswell)
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Per raamman@gmail.com:
>You are close- don't bother asking just bring it in, let the boss
>decide if he wants to make an issue of it to you. as an alternative,
>talk to the building maintence guy see if he could provide a safe
>location, pehaps in a stairwell underneath the stairs- or a spare
>room, an electrical closet or riser, give him a bottle of good scotch
>after a few days if it works out- that will keep him looking out for
>you and your bike.

One of the places that I work at - major pension fund management
player - i.e. probably more security/control conscious than most
- had bike racks out behind the dumpsters.

No problem with theft in that particular environment, but the
racks were on one side of a building and the approach from the
bike trail I use to get there was on the other.

I was dumbfounded when I asked security if I could chain my bike
to the posts under a stairwell just outside of the snack bar and
they said "Sure"....
--
PeteCresswell

Date: 22 Sep 2007 17:53:49
From: Wayne
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

> > failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>
> I don't know any specific answer but in most states if you set a booby
> trap for a criminal who is injured or killed in the criminal act, you
> are very much liable and guilty of a felony. Watch that.
> --
> Andrew Muziwww.yellowjersey.org
> Open every day since 1 April, 1971

This is a very valid concern. I think a fixed gear track bike would
be the best approach. Not a booby trap because it is a standard bike
without modification to entrap the offender. Still most people would
quickly find it difficult to ride.

Of course if you just want to prevent the theft, disable the bike by
taking the front wheel with you. Not much fun joy riding on a bile
with one wheel.

Wayne

Date: 30 Sep 2007 11:16:56
From: Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Wayne wrote:
>...
> Of course if you just want to prevent the theft, disable the bike by
> taking the front wheel with you. Not much fun joy riding on a bi[k]e
> with one wheel.

Hans Rey might steal your bike! ;)

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
A Real Cyclist [TM] keeps at least one bicycle in the bedroom.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Date: 22 Sep 2007 17:37:44
From: SMS
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

robanzellotti@googlemail.com wrote:
> I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!

I think that loosening the headset so that the handlebars turn without
the steer tube turning would be one method. You have to make it tight
enough that the thief doesn't realize it until he rides away, but loose
enough that with their weight on the bike the handlebars turn (or fall
off). Check your liability insurance coverage first.

Date: 22 Sep 2007 23:52:22
From: landotter
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sep 22, 3:02 pm, robanzello...@googlemail.com wrote:
> I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail,

Get inspiration from a master:

http://www.amazon.com/Road-Runner-Wile-Coyote-Chariots/dp/6304107153

Date: 22 Sep 2007 22:19:28
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sep 22, 4:02 pm, robanzello...@googlemail.com wrote:
> I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>
> Any thoughts?
> Rob

Nothing that's a definite solution.

When I park my bike, I keep the front wheel from turning by inserting
a sort of wedge into the open area of a squeezed brake lever. It
prevents the lever from springing open. (Blackburn used to sell a
small plastic wedge for this purpose.) The guy who taught me this
said he'd once seen a thief fall off his bike when he'd parked it this
way. But that effect would be instantaneous.

Time delay? Hmm. I suppose an electical device could be a
possibility, and would probably be easier than a mechanical solution -
say, involving a string winding around the left part of rear hub as it
rotates...

If you want an electrical device, say so and we can attack the
design. But checking local laws would be a very, very good idea.

Where are you?

- Frank Krygowski

Date: 22 Sep 2007 18:02:40
From: (PeteCresswell)
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Per robanzellotti@googlemail.com:
>I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
>it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
>in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
>without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
>us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
>around, and several of us have lost our bikes.

For bike thieves, my darkest fantasies tend towards some sort of
sub-saddle-seatpost-mounted device involving anal electrocution.

But in the real world, I think the most practical solution is tb
able to store the bikes inside of the workplace.

Yes, some administrative minion may say "No way Jose'" just for
their personal convenience... but six people going to the right
decision maker to say they're finding jobs elsewhere (after all
six being reprimanded for just taking their bikes inside without
even asking...) bco their bikes are about tb stolen, might have
a chance.
--
PeteCresswell

Date: 22 Sep 2007 20:02:57
From: vey
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

(PeteCresswell) wrote:

> But in the real world, I think the most practical solution is tb
> able to store the bikes inside of the workplace.

Here, the schools have erected fences around the bike racks and lock the
gate after the students arrive.

Date: 23 Sep 2007 12:49:36
From: A Muzi
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

> (PeteCresswell) wrote:
>> But in the real world, I think the most practical solution is tb
>> able to store the bikes inside of the workplace.

vey wrote:
> Here, the schools have erected fences around the bike racks and lock the
> gate after the students arrive.

Isn't that pathetic? O tempora O mores!!
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Date: 22 Sep 2007 14:01:22
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

>
> Undo brake cables, electrify the saddle, and put Krazy Glue on the grips.

Krazy Glue! Now we're talking! Please everyone, keep the ideas
flowing. I bet I solve this problem tonight!
Rob

Date: 22 Sep 2007 16:21:14
From: Mike Jacoubowsky
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

>> Undo brake cables, electrify the saddle, and put Krazy Glue on the grips.
>
> Krazy Glue! Now we're talking! Please everyone, keep the ideas
> flowing. I bet I solve this problem tonight!
> Rob

Maybe not Crazy Glue... how about the exploding dye packs banks put in money
when robbed? If you could have something like that one the grips & seat,
with a really bright yellow dye... something that won't wash off...

Just don't forget to deactivate it before *you* take off on it!

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

Date: 22 Sep 2007 16:50:32
From: Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition �
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

<robanzellotti@googlemail.com > wrote in message
news:1190491370.801751.4140@y42g2000hsy.googlegroups.com...
>I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>
> Any thoughts?
> Rob
>

Undo brake cables, electrify the saddle, and put Krazy Glue on the grips.

Date: 22 Sep 2007 17:23:18
From: Greens
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

"Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition �" <bjit@bellsouth.net > wrote
in message news:13fb08eg4oo598f@corp.supernews.com...
>
> <robanzellotti@googlemail.com> wrote in message
> news:1190491370.801751.4140@y42g2000hsy.googlegroups.com...
>>I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
>> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
>> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
>> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
>> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
>> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
>> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
>> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
>> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
>> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
>> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>>
>> Any thoughts?
>> Rob
>>
>
>
>
> Undo brake cables, electrify the saddle, and put Krazy Glue on the grips.
>

Nah, rig it so the super glue oozes out. The seat would be a good spot for
this since so much weight it put on the seat. The thief gets on, starts to
ride and begins to notice his pants are getting wet as glue oozes up out of
holes in the top of the seat. By the time it's noticeable the seat is stuck
to his pants and his pants are stuck to his skin. Loss of sexual function!

How about modifying a remote control device to sabotage the bike? This would
give you precise control so long as you're patient enough to watch. You
could have a rod push through the front spokes at your command. The front
wheel will lock up and the thief does a high speed face plant. Don't stick
around to claim the bike or the credit. They'll probably put you in jail.

Remote control brakes - He pedals off and you lock them up after getting him
on film. Nobody gets hurt and you turn the tape in to the police. The thief
leaves the bike behind when he sees you coming.

Date: 22 Sep 2007 13:53:36
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

> easy. get peter cole to say it's dangerous for a bunch of made-up
> seasons that sound technical, but are nevertheless utterly specious.
> that way, the ignorati will stay away, and /you/ can ride in perfect safety.

Following this idea, I could dress up my bikes to make them so ugly or
uncool that no self respecting hooligan would be seen on one (When I
lived in New York City I intentionally left lots of fast food litter
in my car to cut down on breakins - it worked). But in this case it
wouldn't help. Alot of the bikes are being stolen for purely
antisocial purposes, and many end up in the canal after a short
joyride.

Date: 23 Sep 2007 08:03:59
From: John Henderson
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

robanzellotti@googlemail.com wrote:

> Following this idea, I could dress up my bikes to make them so
> ugly or uncool that no self respecting hooligan would be seen
> on one (When I lived in New York City I intentionally left
> lots of fast food litter in my car to cut down on breakins -
> it worked). But in this case it wouldn't help. Alot of the
> bikes are being stolen for purely antisocial purposes, and
> many end up in the canal after a short joyride.

Yes, I once hand-painted my latest expensive bike frame a
ghastly yellow to deter thieves. That was 27 years ago, and it
still hasn't been stolen.

John

Date: 22 Sep 2007 16:28:09
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 08:03:59 +1000, John Henderson
<jhenRemoveThis@talk21.com > wrote:

>Yes, I once hand-painted my latest expensive bike frame a
>ghastly yellow to deter thieves. That was 27 years ago, and it
>still hasn't been stolen.
>
>John

Dear John,

A yellow frame pump and a good parking spot add even more security:

http://i1.tinypic.com/505ukc2.jpg

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

Date: 22 Sep 2007 13:53:19
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Date: 22 Sep 2007 21:17:37
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:53:19 -0700, robanzellotti@googlemail.com
wrote:

>
>> easy. get peter cole to say it's dangerous for a bunch of made-up
>> seasons that sound technical, but are nevertheless utterly specious.
>> that way, the ignorati will stay away, and /you/ can ride in perfect safety.
>
>Following this idea, I could dress up my bikes to make them so ugly or
>uncool that no self respecting hooligan would be seen on one (When I
>lived in New York City I intentionally left lots of fast food litter
>in my car to cut down on breakins - it worked). But in this case it
>wouldn't help. Alot of the bikes are being stolen for purely
>antisocial purposes, and many end up in the canal after a short
>joyride.
>
Ride a "ladie's bike". No self respecting homie would be caught dead
on one.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Date: 22 Sep 2007 13:44:54
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sep 22, 10:39 pm, carlfo...@comcast.net wrote:
> On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 14:13:03 -0600, carlfo...@comcast.net wrote:
> >On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:02:50 -0700, robanzello...@googlemail.com
> >wrote:
>
> >>I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> >>it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> >>in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> >>without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> >>us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> >>around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> >>anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
> >>thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> >>chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> >>valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> >>failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>
> >>Any thoughts?
> >>Rob
>
> >Dear Rob,
>
> >No offense, but do you think that hoodlums are terribly worried about
> >anyone who writes to internet bicycle groups for help with Rube
> >Goldberg schemes to disable bicycles and take pictures of the results?
>
> >Cheers,
>
> >Carl Fogel
>
> Ah! Here's a timely article that I forgot:
>
> http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23412867-details/Tens+of+t...
>
> The failure of massive security camera networks is no surprise.
>
> A cop once explained to me that if something won't stop a stray dog,
> it won't stop a crook.
>
> Banks have plenty of security cameras in plain sight, which take
> pictures of plenty of people willing to rob banks, about 7,000 in
> 2006:
>
> http://www.fbi.gov/publications/bcs/bcs2006/bank_crime_2006.htm
>
> Of the 7,272 banks robbed, 7,158 had surveillance cameras, of which
> 6,985 were activated during the robbery. About 40% of the robbers are
> eventually identified, which doesn't seem to bother them much, since
> they spend 90% of the loot (only 10% of the stolen money is
> recovered).
>
> Particularly reassuring is the careful documentation that $0.00 in
> food stamps was taken in bank robberies in 2006. Apparently, bank
> robbers rarely hand tellers notes demanding that they fill the sack
> with food stamps. Those desperados who do so may receive an apologetic
> note saying that the bank does not accept food stamps and has none on
> hand, but they could try the grocery store down the street.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Carl Fogel

Well.. Thanks Carl, but I fear we've strayed a bit from our topic?
Rob

Date: 22 Sep 2007 13:44:16
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Date: 22 Sep 2007 13:44:08
From: jim beam
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

robanzellotti@googlemail.com wrote:
> I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>
> Any thoughts?
> Rob
>

easy. get peter cole to say it's dangerous for a bunch of made-up
seasons that sound technical, but are nevertheless utterly specious.
that way, the ignorati will stay away, and /you/ can ride in perfect safety.

Date: 22 Sep 2007 21:45:37
From: Jambo
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

"jim beam" <spamvortex@bad.example.net > wrote in message
news:p6udndph_bMF42jbnZ2dnUVZ_tOtnZ2d@speakeasy.net...
> robanzellotti@googlemail.com wrote:
>> I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
>> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
>> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
>> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
>> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
>> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
>> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
>> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
>> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
>> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
>> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>>
>> Any thoughts?
>> Rob
>>
>
> easy. get peter cole to say it's dangerous for a bunch of made-up seasons
> that sound technical, but are nevertheless utterly specious. that way, the
> ignorati will stay away, and /you/ can ride in perfect safety.

Or just say that CF forks talk to people, or they sing with embedded
microphones, and that beamboy will be on their trail quicksmart. Then scare
them with stickers on your bike saying you're a "metellarugist" and that you
have connections with "sikorski" who will track them down with Vietnam era
helicopters with composite rotors. Problem solved.

Date: 22 Sep 2007 20:45:48
From: jim beam
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Jambo wrote:
> "jim beam" <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote in message
> news:p6udndph_bMF42jbnZ2dnUVZ_tOtnZ2d@speakeasy.net...
>> robanzellotti@googlemail.com wrote:
>>> I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
>>> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
>>> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
>>> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
>>> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
>>> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
>>> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
>>> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
>>> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
>>> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
>>> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>>>
>>> Any thoughts?
>>> Rob
>>>
>> easy. get peter cole to say it's dangerous for a bunch of made-up seasons
>> that sound technical, but are nevertheless utterly specious. that way, the
>> ignorati will stay away, and /you/ can ride in perfect safety.
>
> Or just say that CF forks talk to people, or they sing with embedded
> microphones, and that beamboy will be on their trail quicksmart. Then scare
> them with stickers on your bike saying you're a "metellarugist" and that you
> have connections with "sikorski" who will track them down with Vietnam era
> helicopters with composite rotors. Problem solved.

i love this guy! each time you kick his dumb moronic ass, he bounces
most obligingly!

hey jambo, why aren't you responding to my other posts? get with the
program - i'm getting bored. come on, give me lessons on stiffness,
density and the "HOST OF DEFINITIONS" for modulus, you complete fucking
moron.

Date: 23 Sep 2007 12:49:08
From: Jambo
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

"jim beam" <spamvortex@bad.example.net > wrote in message
news:Ma6dnb2Xq_TxfGjbnZ2dnUVZ_o_inZ2d@speakeasy.net...

> i love this guy! each time you kick his dumb moronic ass, he bounces most
> obligingly!
>
> hey jambo, why aren't you responding to my other posts? get with the
> program - i'm getting bored. come on, give me lessons on stiffness,
> density and the "HOST OF DEFINITIONS" for modulus, you complete fucking
> moron.

Yes, I see it all now.

"jim beam", r.b.t's legendary

- CF Fork Whisperer
- "Mettaleuregits" who attended "muterials skool" more than 30 years ago
- CIA Black Ops operative in Vietnam
- Privvy to CLASSIFIED military information on composites way before they
existed

Don't hassle this guy anymore about his sources of info on anything and
everything - they're CLASSIFIED.

Okay?

Date: 23 Sep 2007 10:00:05
From: jim beam
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Jambo wrote:
> "jim beam" <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote in message
> news:Ma6dnb2Xq_TxfGjbnZ2dnUVZ_o_inZ2d@speakeasy.net...
>
>> i love this guy! each time you kick his dumb moronic ass, he bounces most
>> obligingly!
>>
>> hey jambo, why aren't you responding to my other posts? get with the
>> program - i'm getting bored. come on, give me lessons on stiffness,
>> density and the "HOST OF DEFINITIONS" for modulus, you complete fucking
>> moron.
>
> Yes, I see it all now.
>
> "jim beam", r.b.t's legendary
>
> - CF Fork Whisperer
> - "Mettaleuregits" who attended "muterials skool" more than 30 years ago
> - CIA Black Ops operative in Vietnam
> - Privvy to CLASSIFIED military information on composites way before they
> existed
>
> Don't hassle this guy anymore about his sources of info on anything and
> everything - they're CLASSIFIED.
>
> Okay?
>
>

take your meds!!! freakin' moron.

Date: 23 Sep 2007 21:56:34
From: Jasper Janssen
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 10:00:05 -0700, jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example.net >
wrote:
>Jambo wrote:
>> "jim beam", r.b.t's legendary
>>
>> - CF Fork Whisperer
>> - "Mettaleuregits" who attended "muterials skool" more than 30 years ago
>> - CIA Black Ops operative in Vietnam
>> - Privvy to CLASSIFIED military information on composites way before they
>> existed

>take your meds!!! freakin' moron.

Listen, Jim.. if you're gonna respond to every single freaking time some
troll or other posts something about you that isn't even *new* insults,
you know what that makes *you* look like?

Jasper

Date: 24 Sep 2007 15:57:19
From: Jambo
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

"Jasper Janssen" <jasper@jjanssen.org > wrote in message
news:12odf35hsgdalombi7jr0gh5oefl4irl7j@4ax.com...
>
> Listen, Jim.. if you're gonna respond to every single freaking time some
> troll or other posts something about you that isn't even *new* insults,
> you know what that makes *you* look like?

It's too late, Jasper.

Date: 23 Sep 2007 17:06:55
From: jim beam
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Jasper Janssen wrote:
> On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 10:00:05 -0700, jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example.net>
> wrote:
>> Jambo wrote:
>>> "jim beam", r.b.t's legendary
>>>
>>> - CF Fork Whisperer
>>> - "Mettaleuregits" who attended "muterials skool" more than 30 years ago
>>> - CIA Black Ops operative in Vietnam
>>> - Privvy to CLASSIFIED military information on composites way before they
>>> existed
>
>> take your meds!!! freakin' moron.
>
> Listen, Jim.. if you're gonna respond to every single freaking time some
> troll or other posts something about you that isn't even *new* insults,
> you know what that makes *you* look like?
>
> Jasper

yes. small-minded, pedantic, and bored. but i don't care - i /enjoy/
baiting his dumb moronic ass.

Date: 25 Sep 2007 01:38:40
From: Jasper Janssen
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 17:06:55 -0700, jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example.net >
wrote:
>Jasper Janssen wrote:
>> On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 10:00:05 -0700, jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example.net>
>> wrote:

>>> take your meds!!! freakin' moron.
>>
>> Listen, Jim.. if you're gonna respond to every single freaking time some
>> troll or other posts something about you that isn't even *new* insults,
>> you know what that makes *you* look like?

>yes. small-minded, pedantic, and bored. but i don't care - i /enjoy/
>baiting his dumb moronic ass.

Fair enough. As long as you realise what you're doing, I have nothing to
add.

Jasper

Date: 22 Sep 2007 13:33:05
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sep 22, 10:23 pm, Ryan Cousineau <rcous...@sfu.ca > wrote:
> In article <1190491370.801751.4...@y42g2000hsy.googlegroups.com>,
>
> robanzello...@googlemail.com wrote:
> > I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> > it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> > in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> > without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> > us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> > around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> > anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
> > thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> > chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> > valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> > failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>
> > Any thoughts?
> > Rob
>
> Sigh. I can both sympathize with and laud your idea of catching bike
> thieves, but making a bike fail in a non-dangerous way is rather tricky.
>
> My pick? park a fixie in the rack. Very likely to mess up an unaware
> thief quite badly, and about the most ethically acceptable of all
> dangerous bicycle traps.
>
> Similarly, if you had a track bike with rear facing fork ends, you could
> set the screw stops so that the tire juust contacted the seatpost. Ride
> the bike to work with the wheel clear of the seatpost, then park it and
> loosen the rear wheel nuts.
>
> Seriously though, you're doing it wrong. Just hide a nice camera
> somewhere near the rack. It's easy to get high-res video cameras
> nowadays that can film for several hours at a time, and it's easy to
> hack it so it's motion-activated.
>
> --
> Ryan Cousineau rcous...@sfu.cahttp://www.wiredcola.com/
> "I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
> to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

Trouble is, I've got to park a nice bike in full view of the esteemed
group and not lock it up to get action. If I try to just plant a
camera, the bike will be far, far away before any response can be
initiated, and law enforcement will be much less likely to take action
if the crime is hours in the past.

Date: 23 Sep 2007 17:41:10
From: Jasper Janssen
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:33:05 -0700, robanzellotti@googlemail.com wrote:

>Trouble is, I've got to park a nice bike in full view of the esteemed
>group and not lock it up to get action. If I try to just plant a
>camera, the bike will be far, far away before any response can be
>initiated, and law enforcement will be much less likely to take action
>if the crime is hours in the past.

Uhm, yeah. Not locking the bioke, deliberately no less, makes it highly
unlikely they'd try to go after the opportunist thieves and fairly likely
that you'll get a stern talking to about not being Fucking Stupid, and now
get out of here before we nick you for soliciting a crime.

Jasper

Date: 23 Sep 2007 18:55:47
From: still me
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 17:41:10 GMT, Jasper Janssen <jasper@jjanssen.org >
wrote:

>Uhm, yeah. Not locking the bioke, deliberately no less, makes it highly
>unlikely they'd try to go after the opportunist thieves and fairly likely
>that you'll get a stern talking to about not being Fucking Stupid, and now
>get out of here before we nick you for soliciting a crime.

Why all this discussion. Just hook up an alarm that if triggered, has
the ECU disable fuel flow to the engine. Then they can only ride the
bike until the fuel in the lines is exhausted!

Date: 22 Sep 2007 15:30:32
From: A Muzi
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

robanzellotti@googlemail.com wrote:
> I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!

I don't know any specific answer but in most states if you set a booby
trap for a criminal who is injured or killed in the criminal act, you
are very much liable and guilty of a felony. Watch that.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Date: 30 Sep 2007 11:07:03
From: Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Andrew Muzi mused:
> robanzellotti@googlemail.com wrote:
>> I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
>> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
>> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
>> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
>> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
>> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
>> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
>> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
>> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
>> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
>> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>
> I don't know any specific answer but in most states if you set a booby
> trap for a criminal who is injured or killed in the criminal act, you
> are very much liable and guilty of a felony. Watch that.

The thief might sue if the bike was merely poorly maintained, and
mechanical failure became the cause of the accident.

Why is there so much theft in this most moral and Christian of all
societies, any way?

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
A Real Cyclist [TM] keeps at least one bicycle in the bedroom.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Date: 22 Sep 2007 16:18:55
From: * * Chas
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

"A Muzi" <am@yellowjersey.org > wrote in message
news:13faup279jf4l15@corp.supernews.com...
> robanzellotti@googlemail.com wrote:
> > I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> > it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> > in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> > without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> > us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> > around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> > anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
> > thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> > chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> > valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> > failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>
> I don't know any specific answer but in most states if you set a booby
> trap for a criminal who is injured or killed in the criminal act, you
> are very much liable and guilty of a felony. Watch that.
> --
> Andrew Muzi
> www.yellowjersey.org
> Open every day since 1 April, 1971

You can also be sued in civil court by the perps and their survivors.

Plastique! A 1/4 Lb. of C4 with a motion activated time delay fuse under
the seat would tend to deter theft after a few perps got "launched".

Chas.

Date: 23 Sep 2007 12:34:34
From: A Muzi
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

>> robanzellotti@googlemail.com wrote:
>>> I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
>>> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
>>> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
>>> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
>>> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
>>> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
>>> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
>>> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
>>> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
>>> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
>>> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!

> "A Muzi" <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote
>> I don't know any specific answer but in most states if you set a booby
>> trap for a criminal who is injured or killed in the criminal act, you
>> are very much liable and guilty of a felony. Watch that.

* * Chas wrote:
> You can also be sued in civil court by the perps and their survivors.
> Plastique! A 1/4 Lb. of C4 with a motion activated time delay fuse under
> the seat would tend to deter theft after a few perps got "launched".

Thats' a _lot_ of C4, enough to put half the guy's femur through a
window across the street. 3d floor maybe.

If you want to 'send a message' with C4 ( I do not advocate this) on a
bicycle seat you can merely kill him with a gram or 2.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Date: 23 Sep 2007 11:58:03
From: * * Chas
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

"A Muzi" <am@yellowjersey.org > wrote in message
news:13fd8r6aqejn033@corp.supernews.com...
> >> robanzellotti@googlemail.com wrote:
> >>> I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and
ride
> >>> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would
be
> >>> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> >>> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> >>> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> >>> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> >>> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail
one
> >>> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> >>> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> >>> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> >>> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>
> > "A Muzi" <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote
> >> I don't know any specific answer but in most states if you set a
booby
> >> trap for a criminal who is injured or killed in the criminal act, you
> >> are very much liable and guilty of a felony. Watch that.
>
> * * Chas wrote:
> > You can also be sued in civil court by the perps and their survivors.
> > Plastique! A 1/4 Lb. of C4 with a motion activated time delay fuse
under
> > the seat would tend to deter theft after a few perps got "launched".
>
> Thats' a _lot_ of C4, enough to put half the guy's femur through a
> window across the street. 3d floor maybe.
>
> If you want to 'send a message' with C4 ( I do not advocate this) on a
> bicycle seat you can merely kill him with a gram or 2.
> --
> Andrew Muzi
> www.yellowjersey.org
> Open every day since 1 April, 1971

The C4 bike seat is fantasy of frustration. Unfortunately, like many
others I've been the victim of theft a number of times. I've had 4-5 bikes
stolen since I was a kid. For me it's more an issue of invasion or
violation of personal space than property loss. That's why I have such a
negative view towards thieves.

In Saudi Arabia the punishment is amputation of fingers or hands - but
it's still not a deterrent.

Chas.

Date: 23 Sep 2007 19:55:31
From: (PeteCresswell)
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Per * * Chas:
>In Saudi Arabia the punishment is amputation of fingers or hands - but
>it's still not a deterrent.

Unencumbered by any firsthand information, I'd always been under
the impression that it was.

But it seems to me to have a major flaw in that it reduces or
eliminates the convicted's ability to do honest work.

Personally, I could go for something like the first joint of the
smallest finger on the non-dominant hand for the first offense
and succeeding joints on the same finger and then the adjacent
finger for succeeding offenses.

Seems to me, that when you add it all up - property loss,
paranoia, money spent on theft deterrence, people not able to
live normal lives in some places.... stealing is a really,
*really*, REALLY serious offense against society.
--
PeteCresswell

Date: 30 Sep 2007 11:09:52
From: Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
> ...
> Seems to me, that when you add it all up - property loss,
> paranoia, money spent on theft deterrence, people not able to
> live normal lives in some places.... stealing is a really,
> *really*, REALLY serious offense against society.

Unless it is done on paper by white collar criminals, who often suffer
no worse than having their corporation pay a (proportionally) small
civil penalty.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
A Real Cyclist [TM] keeps at least one bicycle in the bedroom.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Date: 25 Sep 2007 15:44:08
From: Jasper Janssen
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 19:55:31 -0400, "(PeteCresswell)" <x@y.Invalid > wrote:

>Per * * Chas:
>>In Saudi Arabia the punishment is amputation of fingers or hands - but
>>it's still not a deterrent.
>
>Unencumbered by any firsthand information, I'd always been under
>the impression that it was.

All the studies show that deterrence isn't about the severity of the
punishment, it's primarily and almost exclusively about the likelihood of
getting caught.

Jasper

Date: 26 Sep 2007 01:24:22
From: dabac
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

(PeteCresswell) Wrote:
> Per * * Chas:
> >In Saudi Arabia the punishment is amputation of fingers or hands -
> but
> >it's still not a deterrent.
>
> Unencumbered by any firsthand information, I'd always been under
> the impression that it was.

Well, no. Crime is (usually) not a rational act. Most crime is prompted
by the belief that "-I can get away with this"- rather than a valid
analysis weighing risks vs gains.
With that firmly in mind, why care about what the punishment might be
as it won't happen to you anyhow?

--
dabac

Date: 30 Sep 2007 11:14:55
From: Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

dabac wrote:
> (PeteCresswell) Wrote:
>> Per * * Chas:
>>> In Saudi Arabia the punishment is amputation of fingers or hands -
>> but
>>> it's still not a deterrent.
>> Unencumbered by any firsthand information, I'd always been under
>> the impression that it was.
>
> Well, no. Crime is (usually) not a rational act. Most crime is prompted
> by the belief that "-I can get away with this"- rather than a valid
> analysis weighing risks vs gains.
> With that firmly in mind, why care about what the punishment might be
> as it won't happen to you anyhow?

Yeah, police never plant evidence and lie on the witness stand.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
A Real Cyclist [TM] keeps at least one bicycle in the bedroom.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Date: 23 Sep 2007 21:07:21
From: * * Chas
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

"(PeteCresswell)" <x@y.Invalid > wrote in message
news:rqudf3pddrkfcou6gpf0h1pd2qp243rnh0@4ax.com...
> Per * * Chas:
> >In Saudi Arabia the punishment is amputation of fingers or hands - but
> >it's still not a deterrent.
>
> Unencumbered by any firsthand information, I'd always been under
> the impression that it was.
>
> But it seems to me to have a major flaw in that it reduces or
> eliminates the convicted's ability to do honest work.
>
> Personally, I could go for something like the first joint of the
> smallest finger on the non-dominant hand for the first offense
> and succeeding joints on the same finger and then the adjacent
> finger for succeeding offenses.
>
> Seems to me, that when you add it all up - property loss,
> paranoia, money spent on theft deterrence, people not able to
> live normal lives in some places.... stealing is a really,
> *really*, REALLY serious offense against society.
> --
> PeteCresswell

In cultures of that ilk only the right hand is used for eating. The left
hand is used for other things. Many places people eat with their right
hand out of a common dish or container. The amputation of the right hand
not only brands the person as a thief but they become a social pariah and
can't dine in public.

Unfortunately a lot of other forms of punishment that go along with Sharia
law are extreme to say the least including amputation, stoning and
beheading.

"Persons violating Saudi Arabia's laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled,
arrested, imprisoned or even executed. Suspects can be detained without
charges or legal counsel, and with limited consular access, for months
during the investigative stage of criminal cases."

"Saudi customs authorities enforce strict regulations concerning
importation into Saudi Arabia of such banned items as alcohol products,
weapons and any item that is held to be contrary to the tenets of Islam,
such as pork products and pornography."

"Penalties for the import, manufacture, possession, and consumption of
alcohol or illegal drugs are severe. Convicted offenders can expect jail
sentences, fines, public flogging, and/or deportation. The penalty for
drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia is death. Saudi officials make no
exceptions."

Chas.

Date: 23 Sep 2007 19:59:52
From: A Muzi
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

> Per * * Chas:
>> In Saudi Arabia the punishment is amputation of fingers or hands - but
>> it's still not a deterrent.

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
> Unencumbered by any firsthand information, I'd always been under
> the impression that it was.
>
> But it seems to me to have a major flaw in that it reduces or
> eliminates the convicted's ability to do honest work.
>
> Personally, I could go for something like the first joint of the
> smallest finger on the non-dominant hand for the first offense
> and succeeding joints on the same finger and then the adjacent
> finger for succeeding offenses.
>
> Seems to me, that when you add it all up - property loss,
> paranoia, money spent on theft deterrence, people not able to
> live normal lives in some places.... stealing is a really,
> *really*, REALLY serious offense against society.

We could easily digress to capital crimes here. Enjoyable but not really
'bike tech'. I'll try to get back on topic, too.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Date: 22 Sep 2007 20:29:12
From: datakoll
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

http://www.naturalsciences.org/education/Ecuador/2006/images/blue-footed-booby-chick.jpg

Date: 30 Sep 2007 11:19:55
From: Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

datakoll aka gene daniels wrote:
>
>
> http://www.naturalsciences.org/education/Ecuador/2006/images/blue-footed-booby-chick.jpg
>
Here is an attractive pair of uncovered boobies:
<http://archiearchive.files.wordpress.com/2007/01/boobies.jpg >.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
A Real Cyclist [TM] keeps at least one bicycle in the bedroom.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Date: 22 Sep 2007 23:35:12
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

datakoll wrote:
>
>
> http://www.naturalsciences.org/education/Ecuador/2006/images/blue-footed-booby-chick.jpg
>

Not the girl I was hoping for.

Date: 22 Sep 2007 13:25:48
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sep 22, 10:13 pm, carlfo...@comcast.net wrote:
> On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:02:50 -0700, robanzello...@googlemail.com
> wrote:
>
> >I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> >it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> >in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> >without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> >us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> >around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> >anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
> >thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> >chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> >valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> >failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>
> >Any thoughts?
> >Rob
>
> Dear Rob,
>
> No offense, but do you think that hoodlums are terribly worried about
> anyone who writes to internet bicycle groups for help with Rube
> Goldberg schemes to disable bicycles and take pictures of the results?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Carl Fogel

No, not at all. I doubt any of them read this newsgroup. In fact, they
probably don't speak English. But, if any do, and are clever enough to
circumvent whatever plans your colleagues can come up with for me,
then I will happily part with the bike!
Rob

Date: 23 Sep 2007 02:01:23
From: Leo Lichtman
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

<robanzellotti@googlemail.com > wrote: (clip) In fact, they probably don't
speak English. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
So, after you figure out how you're going to do this, put a big note on the
bike IN ENGLISH explaining what you have done. That way, no innocent person
will get hurt. Lock the bike, and put on a big note IN ENGLISH describing
where the key is hidden. That way you won't have to worry about it being
stolen.

Date: 22 Sep 2007 20:23:10
From: Ryan Cousineau
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

In article <1190491370.801751.4140@y42g2000hsy.googlegroups.com >,
robanzellotti@googlemail.com wrote:

> I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>
> Any thoughts?
> Rob

Sigh. I can both sympathize with and laud your idea of catching bike
thieves, but making a bike fail in a non-dangerous way is rather tricky.

My pick? park a fixie in the rack. Very likely to mess up an unaware
thief quite badly, and about the most ethically acceptable of all
dangerous bicycle traps.

Similarly, if you had a track bike with rear facing fork ends, you could
set the screw stops so that the tire juust contacted the seatpost. Ride
the bike to work with the wheel clear of the seatpost, then park it and
loosen the rear wheel nuts.

Seriously though, you're doing it wrong. Just hide a nice camera
somewhere near the rack. It's easy to get high-res video cameras
nowadays that can film for several hours at a time, and it's easy to
hack it so it's motion-activated.

--
Ryan Cousineau rcousine@sfu.ca http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

Date: 22 Sep 2007 14:13:03
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:02:50 -0700, robanzellotti@googlemail.com
wrote:

>I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
>it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
>in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
>without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
>us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
>around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
>anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
>thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
>chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
>valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
>failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>
>Any thoughts?
>Rob

Dear Rob,

No offense, but do you think that hoodlums are terribly worried about
anyone who writes to internet bicycle groups for help with Rube
Goldberg schemes to disable bicycles and take pictures of the results?

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

Date: 22 Sep 2007 14:39:08
From:
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 14:13:03 -0600, carlfogel@comcast.net wrote:

>On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:02:50 -0700, robanzellotti@googlemail.com
>wrote:
>
>>I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
>>it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
>>in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
>>without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
>>us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
>>around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
>>anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
>>thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
>>chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
>>valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
>>failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
>>
>>Any thoughts?
>>Rob
>
>Dear Rob,
>
>No offense, but do you think that hoodlums are terribly worried about
>anyone who writes to internet bicycle groups for help with Rube
>Goldberg schemes to disable bicycles and take pictures of the results?
>
>Cheers,
>
>Carl Fogel

Ah! Here's a timely article that I forgot:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23412867-details/Tens+of+thousands+of+CCTV+cameras%2C+yet+80%25+of+crime+unsolved/article.do

The failure of massive security camera networks is no surprise.

A cop once explained to me that if something won't stop a stray dog,
it won't stop a crook.

Banks have plenty of security cameras in plain sight, which take
pictures of plenty of people willing to rob banks, about 7,000 in
2006:

http://www.fbi.gov/publications/bcs/bcs2006/bank_crime_2006.htm

Of the 7,272 banks robbed, 7,158 had surveillance cameras, of which
6,985 were activated during the robbery. About 40% of the robbers are
eventually identified, which doesn't seem to bother them much, since
they spend 90% of the loot (only 10% of the stolen money is
recovered).

Particularly reassuring is the careful documentation that $0.00 in
food stamps was taken in bank robberies in 2006. Apparently, bank
robbers rarely hand tellers notes demanding that they fill the sack
with food stamps. Those desperados who do so may receive an apologetic
note saying that the bank does not accept food stamps and has none on
hand, but they could try the grocery store down the street.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

Date: 22 Sep 2007 22:21:53
From: Ryan Cousineau
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

In article <l4uaf3dqrug4cif38ggj52t5miq52lekk3@4ax.com >,
carlfogel@comcast.net wrote:

> On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 14:13:03 -0600, carlfogel@comcast.net wrote:
>
> >On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:02:50 -0700, robanzellotti@googlemail.com
> >wrote:
> >
> >>I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> >>it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> >>in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> >>without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> >>us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> >>around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> >>anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
> >>thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> >>chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> >>valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> >>failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!
> >>
> >>Any thoughts?
> >>Rob
> >
> >Dear Rob,
> >
> >No offense, but do you think that hoodlums are terribly worried about
> >anyone who writes to internet bicycle groups for help with Rube
> >Goldberg schemes to disable bicycles and take pictures of the results?
> >
> >Cheers,
> >
> >Carl Fogel
>
> Ah! Here's a timely article that I forgot:
>
> http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23412867-details/Tens+of+thousands+
> of+CCTV+cameras%2C+yet+80%25+of+crime+unsolved/article.do
>
> The failure of massive security camera networks is no surprise.
>
> A cop once explained to me that if something won't stop a stray dog,
> it won't stop a crook.
>
> Banks have plenty of security cameras in plain sight, which take
> pictures of plenty of people willing to rob banks, about 7,000 in
> 2006:
>
> http://www.fbi.gov/publications/bcs/bcs2006/bank_crime_2006.htm

Is 7000, given that that's where the money is, low or high?

> Of the 7,272 banks robbed, 7,158 had surveillance cameras, of which
> 6,985 were activated during the robbery. About 40% of the robbers are
> eventually identified, which doesn't seem to bother them much, since
> they spend 90% of the loot (only 10% of the stolen money is
> recovered).

My impression is that bank security revolves around minimizing the take
and maximizing the safety. Most banks want to get the armed robber right
back out on the street asap. The next step is identifying and
apprehending the robber, which is mostly done via witnesses, camera
footage, and maybe fun stuff like exploding dye packs and bait money
(bait money? must be akin to a bait car: radio-tracked bill pack).

Frankly, 40% identification rate of perps puts them well ahead of most
property crimes. The system seems to work.

Don't go to the bank on Friday between 9 am and 1 pm,

--
Ryan Cousineau rcousine@sfu.ca http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

Date: 24 Sep 2007 00:25:08
From: Paul Myron Hobson
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

Ryan Cousineau wrote:
> Don't go to the bank on Friday between 9 am and 1 pm,
>

Is that presumably when folks get fired, then leave work and rob a bank
in a fit of rage/desperation?

\\paul

Date: 22 Sep 2007 13:05:45
From: landotter
Subject: Re: How to booby trap a bike?

On Sep 22, 3:02 pm, robanzello...@googlemail.com wrote:
> I want to fix a bike so that a thief would be able to grab it and ride
> it like a hundred feet, and then it would somehow fail, and I would be
> in position to photograph the event and report the attempted theft
> without losing the bike. I work near an alternative school. A lot of
> us ride our bikes to work, and a few hoodlums are always hanging
> around, and several of us have lost our bikes. I don't want to hurt
> anyone, or to dis alternative school students, but if I could nail one
> thief, I bet the problem would go away. I've thought of pushing a
> chain pin almost all the way out, or doing something with a tire
> valve, but I can't think of anything that would give a predictable
> failure after a minute or so. On a car this would be easy!

Shoot out the tires with a rifle!