Dude where's my d-lock?

itboffin

A while ago I thought I'd be smart and leave my main d-lock at the station, all good until I forgot which station, anyway now I've repeated this several times it's getting a bit silly.

Must over engineer a solution to this simple problem.

Clever Pun

which station? duurrr surely you left it at the one you frequent the most

jeez, you'll be having the painters in at this rate

lost_in_thought

Take your d-lock with you?

MonkeyMonster

lost_in_thought wrote:

Take your d-lock with you?

Who let this crazy woman on the forum?! :roll:

hatbeard

buy a d-lock for every station and keep all the keys on one big janitorial style keyring.

it might take a little longer to unlock/lock up each time but you'll always be prepared.

Oddjob62

hatbeard wrote:

buy a d-lock for every station and keep all the keys on one big janitorial style keyring.

it might take a little longer to unlock/lock up each time but you'll always be prepared.

that's just silly.... give Abus/Kryptonite a call and order 100 identical d-locks so they all use the same key. Then leave them at every station you frequent... and also at the station either side in case the regular station is closed.

wheeled_warrior

Implement your own Boris style bike racks at various locations around town, with swipe card access only to you.

You could have a fleet of bikes so there's always one where you need it.

Employ staff to 'balance' the bikes around the various locations, and to perform regular maintenance on your fleet.

Simple and effective.

EKE_38BPM

Travel everywhere with tools to cut through any lock so that if you forget your key you can cut your lock.
If you've forgotten what station you have locked your bike up at, you will also be prepared to 'borrow' any bike you fancy (not that I condone bike theft).


OT, a bike has been 'abandoned' outside one of the garages behind my gaff. Its been there a few days and looks like a bike someone has stored in a garage for ages and now given up on. Generally in good nick (no rust, nothing bent/broken) but flat tyres, chain needs lube etc. Quite a good bike for a girl too.
531 tubing in a girlie stylee, 650 wheels with Conti Grand Prix tyres, saddle bag (no idea whats in it), triple chainring etc.

I haven't seen the owner of the garage its outside to ask about it, but I have a relative who wants a runaround bike. How long should I wait (assuming I don't see the neighbour), before I appropriate it?

Cafewanda

Til tomorrow morning

jonginge

You need a 'Where I left stuff' app on your gps-enabled phone...

Does that fit your design brief? Over-engineered? Check

itboffin

JonGinge wrote:

You need a 'Where I left stuff' app on your gps-enabled phone...

Does that fit your design brief? Over-engineered? Check

Waaaay ahead of you, I've downloaded the iphone sdk

itboffin

hatbeard wrote:

buy a d-lock for every station and keep all the keys on one big janitorial style keyring.

it might take a little longer to unlock/lock up each time but you'll always be prepared.

I'm pretty much getting there, 4 locks @ 4 stations, 2 @ home and 1 and work :oops:

@LiT think of the weight!!!! :roll:

Mr Plum

EKE_38BPM wrote:

How long should I wait (assuming I don't see the neighbour), before I appropriate it?

Give it a full week. I know I was gutted when I had a bike nicked like that, so give it a full week - I'd locked up my bike (pub bike) near my friends house on a Friday night, had a very heavy weekend, it was there on the Saturday morning, went back to get it on the Sunday afternoon and it had gone. Don't know if I was more gutted about the bike or the 7 mile walk home...

jejv

itboffin wrote:

Must over engineer a solution to this simple problem.

The best solution to an engineering problem is not necessarily technical.

Could you have one of your PA's track the location of your iPhone/Blackberry, and have the bike ready and clean when you arrive at the station ?

And put it away when you depart ?

hatbeard

purchase long-range CB's and give them to a tramp outside each station.

paint your d-lock bright pink

pay the tramps 1x can of special brew a day to keep the CB about their person

when you need to find out where your d-lock is issue a round robin style request to the first tramp in the chain who checks for the pink d-lock and if not found passed on to the next one.

for redundancy you may want to also give cb's to newspaper sellers and/or those annoying students who try to get you to sign a direct debit for amnesty international.

EKE_38BPM

Mr Plum wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

How long should I wait (assuming I don't see the neighbour), before I appropriate it?

Give it a full week. I know I was gutted when I had a bike nicked like that, so give it a full week

Too late, the bike is gone. Looks like the Steptoe and Son style scrap metal man has had it as some other bits and pieces are gone too.

The bike had been there since saturday, so it was a bit early to be 'rescued', but if I had seen my neighbour, I would have had it.
Pity if it has been chucked away as it was easily salvageable. New tyres and a bit of TLC was all that was needed.

lost_in_thought

itboffin wrote:

hatbeard wrote:

buy a d-lock for every station and keep all the keys on one big janitorial style keyring.

it might take a little longer to unlock/lock up each time but you'll always be prepared.

I'm pretty much getting there, 4 locks @ 4 stations, 2 @ home and 1 and work :oops:

@LiT think of the weight!!!! :roll:

Think of the training!

secretsam

itboffin wrote:

A while ago I thought I'd be smart and leave my main d-lock at the station, all good until I forgot which station, anyway now I've repeated this several times it's getting a bit silly.

Must over engineer a solution to this simple problem.

You daft sod

Write it down, you collander-brained ninny :roll:

(Am surprised no-one else has taken this simplistic approach)

hatbeard

SecretSam wrote:

itboffin wrote:

A while ago I thought I'd be smart and leave my main d-lock at the station, all good until I forgot which station, anyway now I've repeated this several times it's getting a bit silly.

Must over engineer a solution to this simple problem.

You daft sod

Write it down, you collander-brained ninny :roll:

(Am surprised no-one else has taken this simplistic approach)

That's far too simplistic, it'd never work...

itboffin

jejv wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Must over engineer a solution to this simple problem.

The best solution to an engineering problem is not necessarily technical.

Could you have one of your PA's track the location of your iPhone/Blackberry, and have the bike ready and clean when you arrive at the station ?

And put it away when you depart ?

I like that idea, I think the PA's would need matching very tight uniforms :P

droooooool

itboffin

SecretSam wrote:

itboffin wrote:

A while ago I thought I'd be smart and leave my main d-lock at the station, all good until I forgot which station, anyway now I've repeated this several times it's getting a bit silly.

Must over engineer a solution to this simple problem.

You daft sod

Write it down, you collander-brained ninny :roll:

(Am surprised no-one else has taken this simplistic approach)

Sigh! and where would the fun in that be ..?

jejv

itboffin wrote:

jejv wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Must over engineer a solution to this simple problem.

The best solution to an engineering problem is not necessarily technical.

Could you have one of your PA's track the location of your iPhone/Blackberry, and have the bike ready and clean when you arrive at the station ?

And put it away when you depart ?

I like that idea, I think the PA's would need matching very tight uniforms

Your organisation has corporate lycra, yes ?

itboffin

We do indeed have company kit, alas out of stock at present ;-)