Is locking my bike to a drainpipe in a train station okay?

nathanbloke

I sometimes have to catch the train to work, and cycle to the station. In the past, I have either locked it to the bike rack outside, or taken it on the train. The other day, I noticed that the platform my train left from had bike racks on it. Today, I took my bike onto a different platform, cutting a bit fine to catch the train, and realised there was no bike racks on it. So I locked it to a drainpipe right at the end of the platform and jumped on the train.

When I got back, they broken my lock and I had to retrieve my bike from the duty manager's office. I didn't question it at the time, as I was just relieved to find out it hadn't been stolen. But £30 on a new lock later, was this reasonable behaviour by the train company? I didn't notice any notices saying "Don't lock your bikes here" (or anywhere) and there were no double yellows.

philbill1973

The train companies are still on high terrorist alert, (tried to find a bin on a platform ?)

I know it's a bike but they will remove it 'cos it shouldn't be there, they will argue that it will set a precedence and everyone will start doing it. They'll also say its a hazard for other passengers, pedals/handlebars etc.

Sorry, but you'll have to get up earlier.

Glad I work in a depot and not on the platforms, I'd be furious if someone cut my locks !

woodford2barbican

So, if the bike was a 'bomb risk' why did they take it to the duty managers office? He must be a pretty brave / stupid man!

Big Red S

Irrespective of whether you're allowed to, drainpipes are rarely strong enough to be worth locking a bike to.

AIUI, they don't need to tell you not to lock your bike there, you need to only lock your bike where it's supposed to be. They could probably claim it was removed for health and safety reasons, following a suitably bent risk assesment.

Big Red S

I deleted the duplicate of this thread, so here's ansbaradigeidfran's response to it:

ansbaradigeidfran wrote:

I guess it depends (other than the awkwardness of the station staff) on where the drainpipe is. If it's mid-platform, then your bike would be in the way of passengers. If it's well away from anywhere a person would want to stand, then maybe they were following the policy book to strictly. Of course, it's probably a bit late now to ask them for the £30 toward the new lock.

Of course, a drainpipe is not a very good object to chain (or shackle) a bike to, as a plastic one will break if someone pushes it too hard. But I doubt that you'll choose a drainpipe again in the future.

Llandudno Junction station's bike stands consist of some of those silly wall brackets that you can only secure your front wheel to. I can't think of any convenient railings at that station, but luckily my bike's got a hinge in the middle so I carry it on the train with me rather than leave it behind!

AndyManc

I can't see you getting away with this, cycles need to be parked/locked in the designated area.

The station would argue it was a tripping hazard or causing an obstruction and they had to move it for passenger safety.

Manchester Piccadilly station would have removed it, set fire to it, and melted it down for scrap :?