What is the problem constituting a crime thats taking four officers time and destruction of property to correct?
Posted by Daboujieboo89@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 73 comments
NYPD stealing bikes because you may not lock to signs...if you couldn't read the sign from the street, I'd see a pain in the ass valid point that could be worked around by putting the bike on the other side of the sign.
xarril@reddit
Who lives in NYC anyways lol
RoboticGreg@reddit
That's not what this video is. This is an alley that delivery drivers were illegal filling with bikes and using constantly. They posted tons of signs for weeks saying this alley is private and you aren't allowed to store your ebikes here, including blocking off the alley with signage saying on this date we will be removing everything from this alley, and then they did it. Don't stoke made up fires with BS
PrudentConclusion248@reddit
Who gives a shit cops are pigs
dhrandy@reddit
So someone's not reading and people are mad about it. From this video it doesn't look like NYPD are stealing anything. Yeah, just sound like someone is anti-police and spreading propaganda.
dodonpa_g@reddit
Thank you.
PrudentConclusion248@reddit
They hope it goes to auction for pennies on the dollar they get stuff all the time in spokane washington like this a cops buy at auction there bad apple cops in Spokane Washington
Ok-Armadillo-392@reddit
Is it because thieves would just cut the sign?
wraith_majestic@reddit
2 mins with a battery powered sawsall…
ohv_@reddit
Grinder in 8sec
wraith_majestic@reddit
It is something i have considered about my grinder resistant locks… 2 cuts through a mild steel bike rack and away they go. Why would thieves even bother with trying to cut my locks, chains, or cables?
amzeo@reddit
Because most bike thefts are committed by cutting the lock and riding off. If you have a heavier ebike like shown in the vid, and put the litelock/hiplock through the rear wheel and frame it makes it impossible to push or ride the bike. Even if they cut the stand
UnitedBB@reddit
i take it you already put the lock through the wheel and frame, to make it harder for them to get away with the bike. otherwise consider an abus alarm lock, the black and red one with keys. i had mine for about 10yrs, with an EBL rechargeable battery
wraith_majestic@reddit
Yep lock through wheel and frame and around the bike rack. I actually use 2 a u-lock through frame and rack. Then a second through the wheel frame and rack. Im a belt and suspenders guy.
Im just thinking: why wouldn’t they grind through the rack and throw the whole bike plus rack pieces into a truck/van and cut the locks later at their leisure?
Capnleonidas@reddit
The idea isn’t that it makes the bike impossible to steal, just that it makes it a less appealing target and they’ll look for something easier
No_Advantage_9566@reddit
Yeah but another guy said 8sec for a sign post. Is there any safe places to lock up, other than a bus stop pole?
Crix2007@reddit
Probably because they have to cut those late on anyway
PlastIconoclastic@reddit
Girndr for Ate Sex
Expert-Physics916@reddit
this is why I stick to my puckipuppy mostly at home and local errands — lock it to something obvious and nobody bothers it. The suspension handles random bumps too, so tossing groceries or small stuff on it is no problem.
oh, and I got mine with a 50USD code, which made the wallet sting a little less
Fit_Touch_4803@reddit
someone below posted a link an article about this,, this is a great response to the problem.
UnknownJuly 31, 2025 at 7:11 AM
That is good news, and it is about time. That block was so congested with those bikes being stored there that I could not even walk down the sidewalk. Not to mention that the drivers of those bikes were so riding them so dangerously that pedestrians like me had to constantly watch out for them speeding down the sidewalk and going right though red lights and ignoring every other NYC traffic law there is. Good job NYPD.
godsburden@reddit
Don’t lock it to a sign. Not hard to figure out.
Superb_Raccoon@reddit
Hey, beats risking your life arresting some violent criminal who the DA will release by the afternoon.
_okbrb@reddit
Mass incarceration is the problem, not the answer
Maleficent_Law_1082@reddit
Want to know why crime markedly decreased after the crack epidemic and up until the 10's? It's because of the mass incarceration in the 90's and 00's. Crime only started to increase again because of the George Floyd Effect and criminal justice reform. If you catch a violent criminal and throw him in a fucking dungeon somewhere he's not going to be able to commit crimes.
_okbrb@reddit
The field of criminology disagrees with you
thewimsey@reddit
Oh, stop lying.
“The field of criminology” doesn’t agree on any one thing.
Criminologists have all kinds of different opinions. But they pretty much all agree that longer sentences had some effect on crime.
They disagree on how much.
So, again, don’t lie. You aren’t entitled to your own facts, even if you personally believe that just giving people a good talking to will stop crime.
_okbrb@reddit
🤷 If you’d rather call me a liar than read a book that’s on you
Superb_Raccoon@reddit
If criminology disagrees with that, criminology has it's head up it's ass.
_okbrb@reddit
Or you do
Superb_Raccoon@reddit
Well, it is a hard fact that a criminal put in prison does not commit a crime while in prison.
Let's here your explanation how a criminal in prison continues to commit crimes against the public outside of prison.
_okbrb@reddit
If you’re actually interested I’d suggest you start at the library. If you really have a brain maybe you can use it
Superb_Raccoon@reddit
I didn't ask for their opinion, I asked FOR YOURS.
Which means you can't back up your claim.
_okbrb@reddit
Oh so you’re not interested in learning the facts. You’re interested in arguing
Ok good luck with that
Superb_Raccoon@reddit
Well, your "facts" may not exist.
So explain your facts.
Superb_Raccoon@reddit
Things I did not say for 1000, Alex...
I said the cops don't want to risk their lives for something that has no result, not even taking a violent criminal off the street... something I find amazing you don't want to happen, but hey... its reddit.
No, I am saying they rather do low risk enforcement because it is not worth getting injured or killed.
Dramatic-Pie-4331@reddit
Capitalism is the problem
elementp6@reddit
Downvoted for pointing out that cops are typically lazy useless people who couldn't cut it at anything else? Guess they don't want to hear my thoughts on school teachers.
IndividualFew1688@reddit
Well cops exist to protect the system not people.. second judges do this mainly because prisons are so over capacity in this mass incarceration society they have little choice..
wdaloz@reddit
Id rather destroy other people's stuff than do my job too
BeSiegead@reddit
Sadly, there seems to be more enthusiasm for a war on (e)bikes than a war on cars.
Not supposed to lock on signs but, really, come on: no impact on pedestrians, road traffic, nor visibility. What are odds that there was no bike rack space easily available / convenient
WredditSmark@reddit
You have zero idea what you’re talking about, this isn’t an isolated incident, location of the video there are HUNDREDS of e-bikes in that area, and all cheap dangerous Chinese crap
Cargobiker530@reddit
You made your own phone to post this on? Almost all ebikes are made in China or their major components are. Quit being a bigot.
HighGuard1212@reddit
Not supposed to lock on signs in NY? That's surprising, Boston specifically allows locking to most sign posts
BeSiegead@reddit
Believe that this remains in some ambiquity which, of course, is ridiculous.
Late-Glove6108@reddit
Seems like a ticket might be the right way to go here.
BeSiegead@reddit
Not even that ... note of warning, maybe, but this is taking "broken windows" enforcement to a ridiculous level. Maybe (MAYBE) if the bike had been there multiple days, cut the lock and seize.
cdizzle99@reddit
No registration so no tickets
IndividualFew1688@reddit
It was a respect mah auutthoority display...
WredditSmark@reddit
First of all none of y’all live in NYC, so you have zero idea what’s going on with the e-bikes and delivery drivers. They have spread like lantern flies, it’s not rare to see 200 nasty dangerous janky Frankenstein E Bikes taking up every square inch of free space on a block. They’ve been told, they’ve been warned, these bikes are NOT legal in NYC, there has been several crackdowns already but like roaches they just spread to another area. It’s gotten so completely out of hand and enough is enough. I don’t blame the actual delivery drivers, but as a society NYC cannot function with 100k food delivery workers going 25mph in a bike lane that was never meant for that speed and that volume.
Again, if you don’t have actual boots on the ground in NYC and know what it actually feels like to ride around please don’t chime in because you simply are clueless
spikeytree@reddit
They exist because there is a need for delivery riders. I was visiting NYC and rode around on the bike share. Yeah people ride crazy but the drivers aren't much better.
GlossyGecko@reddit
The difference is that there is existing infrastructure for motor vehicles. There’s no infrastructure for bikes that rip at 35mph, they shouldn’t be in the bike lane, that’s for sure, but they’re kind of out of place on the road in a city like NYC.
spikeytree@reddit
No there isn't but these delivery bikes are mostly cheap bikes. Their riding style is more of a hazard than anything else. We keep crappy on these folks but yet we need a fast and cheap delivery service. I just feel like the nypd is just picking on whoever they can get away with. Mind you, crazy bike couriers were also a thing before these ebikes came on scene.
With that said I love the New York bike lanes, just wished that there was some way to make this work.
c4ndyman31@reddit
Nobody “needs” to have their food delivered to their house unless they’re disabled and that’s a tiny fraction of the population. Everyone lived fine before door dash
GlossyGecko@reddit
I mean I don’t use these services and I think people in NYC would survive just fine if they actually had to leave their apartments to get food.
spikeytree@reddit
I agree 100% but unfortunately that's not the trend. I just hope they find a way because that's the way a lot of folks earn their living.
Militant_Triangle@reddit
Does the city provide bike racks all over? If NO, then there is a problem. Should cops be wasting time with steeling bikes??? Come on. This is a sign of piss pour city leadership.
TheFlightlessDragon@reddit
How am i supposed to even know what is happening? This video is only 10 seconds long, presented with no context and with a word salad for a title.
Wakappa@reddit
Mine is doing 4 mph above legal limit 😅
bbshdbbs02@reddit
v_SuckItTrebek@reddit
Shred_Flintstone@reddit
And then they put signs in the bike lane and I almost get hit by traffic avoiding it
jim914@reddit
I think the op has missed a recent change in NY city laws they now have made it legal for police to confiscate any illegal e-bike and it doesn’t say how they can do it or when. I’m guessing they are just rolling around looking for them all day with bolt cutters handy!
Short_Redhook_24@reddit
It's never been easier to be a cop I tell ya what
jim914@reddit
Hey I’m just happy I don’t live in New York because my converted e-bike would be considered illegal by them! Especially when I’ve seen videos of how they determine if it’s set to the legal limit which I know I’m a little over here in Chicago because they just lowered it to 20 mph and I can hit 25 mph with me on it, but they just raise the rear tire and hit the throttle which mine will hit at least 40 easily! New York has gone crazy with the bike laws but I understand why with all the delivery drivers riding on the sidewalk.
Short_Redhook_24@reddit
Thankfully area in WA I live in the towns don't really care that much like I'll rip it at 30 on a 20 right by a cop and there isn't even a second look my way
Bikermec@reddit
What did that sign say?
DickweedMcGee@reddit
I’ve been seeing this in a lot of places, not just NYC. A simple traffic stop, non-emergency calls, various misdemeanors, etc. In the past you’d get like one, maybe two cops responding…. today you get three cops cars with lights blazing in what appears to be a simple traffic citation?! I want police officers to be safe, safety is in numbers and just about anybody you pull over could be armed to the teeth and crazy af but idk it seems like overkill.
Not to mention it seems like almost every profession is understaffed except for Chick Filet and police departments. I’m not ready to pick up a ‘defund the oilice’ pitchfork yet but I kinda see where those critics are coming from from now…
Vx0w@reddit
NYPD needs fund from selling ebikes
Mary_Ellen_Katz@reddit
Police responding to shit crimes rather than helping people in need? I'm shocked! SHOCKED! Well, not that shocked.
JPBillingsgate@reddit
NYPD "stealing bikes".
Go grind your ideological axe somewhere else.
darforce@reddit
Except these sign posts are much easier to cut thru than a U-lock. So they probably don’t. Want them destroyed. I ha d bike stolen from one of these signs. That’s how I learned my lesson
Dramatic-Pie-4331@reddit
If that's their logic imagine how many 4ft sections of galvanized street sign pipe you have to sell online to recoup the costs of an ebike.
Few_Cup977@reddit
A 10-second video with absolutely no context, and people still have strong opinions about it? This world is sad.
Pamona204@reddit
Adding onto this, you can't hear anything of what the the officers are saying in the video, so you have no clue what they're actually doing. Also, I can't even tell what OP was trying to say in the title of the post