San Francisco Bicycle Sub-Culture

Last Friday I went bike shopping for a commuter beast. Did my rounds through Craigslist, came across a listing, and went to the sellers equivalent of an open house. He had several bikes he was showing at the same time to several people.

Showed up at the place. Chatted with a girl who had her bike stolen the week before. That wasn't so remarkable. SF, Berkeley, and Oak-town are notorious for bike theft.

The weird part was how her bike got stolen.

Her bike was stashed in the back of her truck. The thieves picked the lock of the door to her rear compartment (emphasis on picking the lock, no door or window smashing), and took her bike out.

Anywhere else in the country the thieves would have junked the bike and taken the truck!

Funny thing about SF. We love our bikes here.
So much a thief would ignore the bigger and more expensive truck for the cheaper bicycle.

The cops and bicycle advocates say that bike theft is a way of supporting a drug habit. But if you are stealing bikes instead of cars to pay for your junk, you are either a really stupid a junky, or a bike lover with some odd issues.