Urban Bicycle Theft, a Fact of Life

In this City Room post, J. David Goodman blogs about his observations on bicycle theft in New York City--arguably the bike theft capital of the world.

1 minute read

April 2, 2009, 9:00 AM PDT

By Judy Chang


"Having one's bike stolen is a part of our collective experience as urban riders. It provides the rationale for a Web site, 'Someone Stole My Bike,' that appeared recently and features video testimonials from riders about the day their beloved bikes were taken away.

'In one way, it's a deeply personal experience which makes you feel singled out and which has very real repercussions for your daily commute as well as how you spend your leisure time,' said Susie Cooley, a television producer and one of the creators of the site, the genesis of which was, not surprisingly, the theft of a producer's bike.

'And on the other hand, you realize that having your bike stolen is almost inevitable, especially in a city like New York,' she said, adding, 'Despite the ubiquitous nature of bike theft, every case is unique to the victim.'"

Tuesday, March 31, 2009 in The New York Times

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

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