junkmail for blankets

You should leave the handlebars with it for him; kind of a take my cloak, get my staff thing.

Rawr. Dicey, but I'd have to say don't do it. Have you ever bought something from an antique store, then taken it home and just stared at it, wondering what it looked like new, 70 years ago? What its history was and how its little ghosts would break into your life? I think this is a modernized version. This dorkwad has your bike, and somehow, that baptized bike is ministering Christ into his life (or negatively, damning him until he dies or repents). Keep your eye on that kid.

I'd prolly be looking for a "hell yes" in this situation.

But, as barlow said: Matthew 5:40 - "And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well." Giving him your handlebars seems to be the way to go. It'd either be a gesture of witnessing or a gesture of sarcasm. Win/win.

Sigh. I'd prolly tack a note on it as well, with the verse, to avoid the sarcasm (tempting as it is). =P If he did steal it - point made. If it was hawked then the guy reads a little Scripture and goes about his merry way, wondering why he was targeted for free handlebars.

How about putting a note on the bike that says something like this: “I have been trying to track down my stolen bike for weeks now. I know who you are and where you live. If you want everything to turn out okay then please clean the bike up and reassemble it on the frame you stole it from. The frame is still where you left it.

Sincerely your secret admirer”

it's your damn bike. take it back.

A friend of mine had the very same thing happen to him. He rode a pink Bianchi racer, the *only* pink Italian bicycle in the city. His was insured, however, so he replaced it with something he'd had his eye on. Two weeks later, he was riding his new bicycle, when he saw a guy on a pink bicycle heading the other way. My friend turned around, caught up with the guy, engaged him in friendly conversation. "Where'd you get that bike?" "You wouldn't believe it: a friend of mine sold it to me for $50!" etc.

They kept riding and talking, and eventually my friend laid it out for him: either the two would go to the police and hash this out, or this guy would hand over the bicycle *right now*, no questions asked. My friend was a muscular enough guy to back up his proposal with a hint of threat. He rode away with both bicycles.

Not very helpful, I realize. But his story, like yours, leaves me wondering what *I* would do in the same situation.

I'd mix a few of the other suggestions above: I think dismarum's Les Miserables-like suggestion to give him the handle bar as well could be an effective move--strangely both gracious and inciting. Leaving a note like: "You forgot the handle bar--Jeremy" could be impactful. And whisky makes a good point about talking to the kid. I might just add that it might be useful to bring along one other imposing-looking friend as a bluff: he wouldn't do anything (or even snarl), but the kid won't think that you're just some lone begger. I'm doubting that scripture would work at this point for the kid(s). I think you could possibly get your bike back through these subtle yet powerful moves.

My brother-in-law went into a Home Depot for five minutes and had his beefed-up car stolen by the time he returned. He ended up finding everyone involved and had many of them arrested and had several car-theft rings busted. He got his car and most of his parts back; unfortunately, his engine barely slipped through the cracks. He accomplished most of this by talking....

there's still hope here. i think i can see it.

sorry, i wanted to add this. would it be ethical to "repossess" you bike? how can anyone tell someone who is so good with language that a shift in terms doesn't really shift what something is--except perhaps in how you perceive it? but, then, it seems that your perception of the situation might not change with a different word. if you're interested in remaining ethical, then by stealing your bike you, of course, run the risk of being inconsistent--being unethical--with that ethic that you might believe in. so no matter what you call it--"stealing," "repossessing"--it's unethical (to you). but sometimes it takes inconsistency to get some things (justice?) done, no? is this too simplistic??

thanks for all the suggestions, folks. i saw him again this morning, and i'll post an update when i have one (for the record, he's not a "kid," which is interesting in itself. he's actually a middle-aged guy who).

and justin, i was just kidding about the semantic fallacy. though i'm not above justification by shift-in-term, that wasn't the case this time, at least.

replace "steal" with "repossess"? hmm... you can if you like... just be careful. i'd hate to have to replace "jeremy sustained a fatal gsw to the upper torso" with "nigga' got capped"

* just throw a rock in his spoke. or a stick. even twigs might work. watch the guy fall, laugh, and ride away in the bike. then go home, feel guilty, and write about it.

he's actually a middle aged guy who stole your bike?
did you ever hear the story about the pastor who came back to his car to find a man in the process of breaking into it?
the pastor told the man, "I like your car." The thief said thanks and got in the driver's seat. The pastor got in on the other side and asked him for a ride. Then he told him who he was (the owner of the car), and he led him to the Lord.
This is called an exemplum, or a story with a moral.

in other words, ask him if he's ever tried tandem.

YEAH!! how's THAT for a punch line!
hahahah i didn't mean to do that but it's really ironic considering i was trying to be funny.

so this isn't nearly as bad as having your bike stolen (which is very sad and i send my sympathy)
but i had the attachment that holds my bike basket on was stolen.

but i struggle with the idea of stealing a replacement one so that my basket is again functional, since i love my basket and miss being able to take it to grocery stores and such.

this would probably just create a vicious cycle though of other people having to steal basket attachments to replace the one that has been stolen from them.

anyway, i guess what i'm saying is that you shouldn't steal the bike back. because someone else is just going to get their bike stolen in turn. it sucks having to be the bigger person though, huh?

my orange bmx with blue forks got stolen today from outside my school.

the lock wasnt good enough. my friend saw some people smoking crack who had my bike but thought maybe it was a different bike but i saw him later today and told him

I hate it when people steal bikes