Hold it, Lock it, or Lose It

Matthew Reid: “I feel really lost without my bike,” said Matthew. “My whole social life revolves around going out on my bike with my mates

This sad story was in the Newcastle Journal on Monday. Local paper boy, Matthew Reid was doing his morning round on his pride and joy customised Giant Glory. Like most paperboys, he used his bike to get from house to house, but then left it at the garden gate while he walked to the front door to drop the news on the mat.

The trouble was, he was riding a bike that had cost him over £3,000, specially built for downhill racing. Despite its distinctive bronze colouring and being engraved with his name, it was just too tempting for a thief to grab and ride off on. Matthew’s now been reduced to riding a beaten-up old mountain bike that the papershop owner has lent him.

Like so many of us who’ve had bikes stolen, Matthew said, “I feel really lost without my bike. My whole social life revolves around going out on it”.

The lesson from this? Quite simple, really:

1. ALWAYS lock your bike
2. If your stops are too frequent & short to make locking your bike convenient, always take it with you. If you’re a paperboy, that means wheeling it up the garden path of every house you deliver to.

Both options probably sound inconvenient, but trust me, they’re no-where near as inconvenient as getting a £3,000 bike stolen.