Proof of ownership (police stopping cyclists and seizing bikes)

[rockyraccoon]

Lancashire Police has in the last fortnight been asking cyclists to prove the bikes they are riding are their own.

The rider is then asked to prove, either with a receipt or some other proof, that the bicycle actually belongs to them. A failure to convince the police that the bike is not their own could see the bike being confiscated by the police.

http://www.goinggoingbike.com/blog/stop-and-proof-campaign-brings-results/

Any comments?

 

[Erudin]

I would imagine most cyclists are used to being ignored by the police. I've only been stopped once by police when cycling through an industrial estate late at night, there had been some break-ins. When I explained why I was there and gave them my name/address (which they checked) they let me be on my way.

It says in the article that not every bike is confiscated, presumably if you let them check your identity and show some knowledge about the bike details that would satisfy them, otherwise how is it any different than being robbed of your bike. I'd be worried if they asked me to dig out receipts as I don't have them for most my bikes, but I have got loads of pictures.


I've registered my bikes on http://www.immobilise.com/ so that I have a record of bike details if stolen, or to prove ownership if required. It's worth doing and does not take long, I did not even have a record of the frame serial numbers before registering them.

 

[marzjennings]

Wow, what a dumb bleedin idea.

I'm pretty sure I don't carry a picture of myself on my own bike or receipt for a bike I bought 10 years ago.

Do the boys in blue also want to check that the phone I carry is mine, my watch or laptop in my bag?

 

[david k]

i suspect the purpose is to make people think. if they have bought or are thinking of buying a knock off they need to beware. i suspect they will also find it hard to remove the bike from you if you answer several questions

more of a frightener


good idea for me

 

[marzjennings]

Make people think what exactly? Watch out, some idiots may ask you some stupid questions for no reason other than it's easier than actually doing something real.

What are they looking for, jeans and on Pinarello, trainers on spuds, hoody and titanium frame, Trek team kit on a Cannondale (dead give away that one).

 

[screenman]

Did any of you even take the time to read the article properly, no I thought not.

Or maybe even notice there is already a quiet full post on this very subject.

 

[apollo179]

Anyone whos had a bike stolen will probably be in favour of this , in fact any cyclist should be in favour of anything the police to do to combat bike theft. The knee jerk "how dare the police stop me" responses are unhelpful. Ive nothing but a clear conscience to prove i own my bike but have confidence in the police knowing how to do their job properly.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Duplicate topic: https://www.cyclechat.net/

 

[byegad]

I have receipts for all our bikes, I filed them when we bought them, as they were bought new this was easy to do. I don't have receipts for watches, ipods, or anything costing less than a couple of hundred pounds.

The idea's good but where do you stop. 'Excuse me sir? Is that your biro? Can you prove it?'

 

[Cyclopathic]

Post code stamping seems like a good idea. It could help get your bike returned to you in the extremely ulikely event that it is found and it would also show that you owned the bike (wouldn't work if the bike in question got nicked by someone at your address but that would be a bleak old world to live in).

I keep meaning to get my bikes coded but haven't got around to it yet. I'm not sure how it might affect any resale issues though but on my sub £250 machines it isn't that much of an issue.

Also I am not sure of the wisdom of stamping ones postcode into a carbon frame.

 

[Cyclopathic]

Anyone whos had a bike stolen will probably be in favour of this , in fact any cyclist should be in favour of anything the police to do to combat bike theft. The knee jerk "how dare the police stop me" responses are unhelpful. Ive nothing but a clear conscience to prove i own my bike but have confidence in the police knowing how to do their job properly.

I have had a few stolen and I am not entirely ok with the idea. I can be a bit of a scruff bag myself and to some may well look like I might be the sort to nick a bike and I wouldn't apreciate being stopped and made to prove that I own my bike. I'm not sure its all that legal and it is yet another nibble at the edges of our civil liberties in the name of protecting us. I think there are better ways that the fuzz could be employed to tackle bike theft.

 

[apollo179]

I have had a few stolen and I am not entirely ok with the idea. I can be a bit of a scruff bag myself and to some may well look like I might be the sort to nick a bike and I wouldn't apreciate being stopped and made to prove that I own my bike. I'm not sure its all that legal and it is yet another nibble at the edges of our civil liberties in the name of protecting us. I think there are better ways that the fuzz could be employed to tackle bike theft.

It isnt about looking "to some" like you might be the sort to nick a bike its about looking to the police like you may be the sort to have nicked a bike. I dont appreciate having to pay council tax but hey ho thats what society decrees so tough .
How do you think it may not be legal ?
Do you regard the right to cycle without being stopped by police as a civil liberties issue.
I accept a certain amount of wealth redistribution by theft but the idea that the police cannot stop on suspicion of theft because it infringes someones civil liberties is beyond even my own extreme opinion.

 

[gb155]

I only have paper work for 2 of my 4 bikes ( as one was eBay & the other was built by myself ) so I'd have issues

 

[MontyVeda]

I have had a few stolen and I am not entirely ok with the idea. I can be a bit of a scruff bag myself and to some may well look like I might be the sort to nick a bike and I wouldn't apreciate being stopped and made to prove that I own my bike. I'm not sure its all that legal and it is yet another nibble at the edges of our civil liberties in the name of protecting us. I think there are better ways that the fuzz could be employed to tackle bike theft.

I tend to ride in jeans, sports jacket and baseball cap and am a bit of a scruff (according to my mother). I have been stopped a couple of times by the Rozza's asking me about the bike I'm riding. It doesn't bother me in the least as the 'proof they require' is not a receipt for a 15 year old bike (which i do still have), they just ask a couple of questions before saying 'nice bike by the way' and driving off.

If my bike had been stolen I'd be more than happy if the police returned my bike to me using the same 'stop and ask a question' method if the rider doesn't quite match the bike. It's all part of living in a fascist police state.

 

[screenman]

Just out of interest to those who object to being stopped what do you think the police should do.

Cyclopathic, you are not a lucky guy to have had a few nicked most of us get wise after only one. I would not fancy your insurance premiums.