Dozens of bicycles stolen from city bike-share program

The Baltimore Sun ^ | 5/30/14 | By Carrie Wells

[BBell]

More than 40 bicycles belonging to Baltimore's Recreation and Parks department for a bike-share program were stolen this week, and the activity has been suspended indefinitely, city officials said.

The bikes, which included children's bikes and adult-size blue beach cruisers, were stolen on Monday during the city's Ride Around the Reservoir program in Druid Hill Park. Recreation and Parks spokeswoman Gwendolyn Chambers said staff had set up the bikes to lend out when a large group of youths began stealing them. One staffer was kicked by a youth, though the injury was not serious, Chambers said.

"We don't want our staff in harm's way so we don't engage in fights with them," Chambers said.

Under the Ride Around program, which began in 2006 and expanded from one day a week to four days a week, people can borrow the bikes and helmets and ride through Druid Hill Park. Similar programs also operate in Carroll Park, Lake Montebello and at City Hall for employees during lunchtime. The program is also part of the city's Camp Baltimore summer camp. All of those programs, which serve about 3,000 people each summer, will be affected by the loss of the bikes, Chambers said.

[the OlLine Rebel]

It is an old, old park, long named that. After the estate originally there.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Another tree-hugger program fails, big surprise.

[upchuck]

This might have worked 50 years ago. Today it's just stupid and foolish.

[Fai Mao]

You rote: “I just hope they were $650 fancy bikes instead of $59 WalMart specials.”

A $650 bike is a cheap piece of trash that no self respecting bicyclist would be caught dead on. My cheapest (of 6) bikes is about $1000.00 but they probably average about $4500

No real commuter would EVER use one of these bike share bikes. The are poorly maintained, they don’t fit right, they are not setup right, they are heavy, they are improperly geared. Cyclist look at these things as jokes.

If it isn’t Campagnolo equipped it isn’t worth riding

[tflabo]

Bolt it more.

[Arrowhead1952]

I just hope they were $650 fancy bikes instead of $59 WalMart specials.

Pikers. Heck, the share a bike program in Austin cost about $1,000 per bike. I'm glad we don't live in that liberal hellhole anymore.

[the OlLine Rebel]

I am on several threads in the last hour, all of which are testament to liberals’ always shooting themselves in the foot. It’s constant Schadenfreude with them!

[hal ogen]

Maryland is THE Freak state. This sort of "program" is typical of soft-headed LIBs who enjoy throwing taxpayer money down "black holes". What a vapid response by the city. These limp-wristed, flaccid, feckless LIBs will have their asses handed to them in many, many ways before total collapse of the city. My advice to residents: Leave while you still are allowed to do so. It IS hopeless.

[Vision]

I live in the suburbs and travel into Baltimore weekly. A few weeks ago I took a picture of a bike that was chained to a sign, but everything other than the frame was taken. What would you do with the seat? Or brake cables? Must have been drug addicts.

[the OlLine Rebel]

BTW, Maryland ping.

[Joe Boucher]

Yeah,
Well i was taking the bikes and cutting em up and selling the luminum.
But went back to taking and selling man hole covers again instead.
More money.

[Oatka]

More than 40 bicycles belonging to Baltimore's Recreation and Parks department for a bike-share program were stolen this week, and the activity has been suspended indefinitely, city officials said.

I think some metro areas in Oregon and Washington went through this drill, with the same results.

What that definition of insanity again? (rhetorical)

[savage woman]

“”Druid Hill Park””
The Baltimorones pronounce it “druidall”...

[Shimmer1]

Oh (blush) I thought you meant me!

[ADemocratNoMore]

Even more shocking - nobody put on their bike helmets before riding off into the sunset. Look for lawsuits as soon as a youte cracks his skull open by riding such unsafe transportation.

[Shimmer1]

They were the $59 WM specials, but the city gov’t paid $650 for them

[Shimmer1]

Excellent, concise post. Should see it on billboards!

[Shimmer1]

Racist stereotype? Facts and figures don’t lie.

Right there is a good, even great, tagline!

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

They were the $59 WM specials, but the city gov’t paid $650 for them <<<—THAT I can believe.

[Vigilanteman]

Believe it or not, that is a rough translation of an actual Lakota expression. The Civil War was referred to as the war to free the black white man.