Very possibly it`s all my fault.
I mean, my savvy friends tell me it`s to be expected: When one chooses to live in the city, one runs a greater risk of crime. Yet I can`t help but feel that I`ve been overly victimized, although to say so only brings on a barrage of ”me too” stories and admonitions of ”I told you so.”
OK, so I wasn`t mugged, beaten or even accosted, but my sense of injustice is still reeling from the theft of five bicycles in 18 months:
that`s approximately one bike every 3 1/2 months. Five bikes!
I really don`t consider myself all that naive, although a country girl`s adapting to city life does involve a trial-and-error learning process. In fact, I`ve been accused by my urban acquaintances of being too suspicious.
”Chill out” is their frequent suggestion.
I contend that this experience with multiple bike theft is not an
”innocents abroad” situation, and I`m sure I wasn`t remiss in securing my bikes.
Bicycling is my sole transportation, and I`m sure not riding any of those $1,000 luxury models; in fact, none of my numerous bikes was all that valuable. The first one, a cheap, red 10-speed, followed me from college to the big city, where I soon discovered that a thin, plastic-coated wire lock is not the best choice for securing my property, even when locked to my window bars.
Four hundred dollars later, I was the proud owner of a white mountain bike. What I considered a sturdy lock came with the purchase-to no avail. Thirteen days later an adept individual dismantled the frame and took the bike.
Onward to a cheapie-a 10-speed worth $80 that served my needs if not my pride. This time my choice of locks was irrelevant. The thief simply cut the fence to which I`d locked it.
Next bike. I`m out of money, so a friend comes through with a Fuji 10-speed and locks for front and back. Some words of warning: Bicycle racks are easy prey for ”bike collectors.” Losing the Fuji hurt, for not only did I suffer, but I had to admit to my friend that he, too, was a victim of what was beginning to feel like some heartless game: ”I buy, you keep.”
Then I bought a pretty red mountain bike from Wards at a reasonable price. It`s not everyone`s idea of a quality piece of equipment, but I loved that bike.
My jinx was apparently still in full force, for after getting hit by a Mercedes and later falling through one of those interesting street grates that appear out of nowhere, someone decided to take the bike off my hands-concerned with my safety, I`m sure. This inventive and skilled person removed the bolts on the stairwell railing to which my bike was double-locked as I busily moved into my new home. Welcome to the neighborhood.
So here I am-traipsing around the city, eagle-eyed for one of my lost bikes (sure, what would I do-pull the person off and speed away?) and glaring at the lucky devils who not only own bikes, which they can ride whenever they want, but can actually keep them for more than a few months. How do they do it? Well, on to the want ads for another try.
