This sign appeared outside a neighbor’s residence last night. I think everyone in the building had a nice laugh then oh-that-sucks moment. Everyone except for the owner of the bike, maybe, who probably just had the latter.
Bike theft in South Beach is rampant. There are a couple of worthwhile and entertaining threads on MiamiBeach411.com dealing with the issue which I encourage anyone who owns (or is thinking of owning) a bike In South Beach to read:
I’m just pleased I didn’t cluelessly witness this one like I did the last time a bike was stolen. I STILL get busted on for that.
(Here’s the original without my fancy red splotches.)
So when are we going to start demanding that landlords and employers provide secure bicycle parking as a matter of course? The City of Miami Beach could bring that about with a zoning ordinance. Seems like a no-brainer in a district with such low car ownership.
I’m always impressed when I see a newly remodeled building that has a bike rack out front.
It’s a curious point you raise. Why shouldn’t we have one with every building, when you consider it as one of the major means of transportation in South Beach? Providing that service would probably encourage more bike usage as well. Seems like a win-win.
John, I’ll tell you flat out, based on my experience with the MB Bikeways Committee: the city is diddly-squat interested in such ordinances. There is a proposed ordinance to make bike parking mandatory on new constructions/renovations, both short- and long-term, but that’s been floating in the aether for months. To boot, the city has no intention of matching it with a public counterpart of their own, so there’s no incentive for the private sector to comply.
I’ve had 2 bikes stolen from SoBe as well. Trust me, this is personal.