Tag: crime

December 15th – I was in Leeds on a trip, but not on the bike, but this sad sight was worth noting and sharing. Think about your locking strategies.

Someone’s steed – a good quality one, judging by the wheel that remains – was attached to that wheel, left by thieves d-locked too the Sheffield stand. The D Lock had a cable loop around the frame. The thieves cut the cabe – easy to do – and left the wheel.

In all probability they stole a wheel from another bike parked nearby, and rode off.

If you’re looking your bike, use the cable to secure the front wheel, and the D-lock on the frame. Thieves will rarely come tooled up for both locks. Get a set of quick releases that require a tool or key. Look for unusual locks that may not be any more secure, but may require unusual tools to defeat, like disc brake locks. Make your bike a pain to steal.

As to the missing bike, ah to the sadness of things…

January 29th – A horrible, grey, wet and misty day that had very, very little to commend it. I set out in rain, and came back in rain and there was no cessation between the two. 

My heavy heart was not helped at Chasewater, where some scumbag has dumped an old IBC full of what looks like kitchen fitter’s waste: now a repeat flytipping spot, the space next to the Nine-Foot wouldn’t be suffering if the council had put in a barrier years ago. There’s no reason for anyone except rangers to be here in a vehicle, after all.

The mess these filthy toe rags have left will cost us all to clean up. If you know who it was, please dob them in to the police.

November 29th – A dreamy, icy, freezing morning that turned my breath to clouds of steam and air that hurt the back of my throat, all in glorious, glorious hazy sunshine. Utterly beautiful and it’s made me fall in love with winter again. 

About time, too.

Jockey Meadows, between Walsall Wood and Sheffield were gorgeous, from the low mist to the horses grazing peacefully; I noted signs had been put up by local police requesting folk keep an eye out for wildlife crime, which is excellent. We all need to be vigilant.

The beauty continued into Walsall where the canals were the same as they ever were; a quiet, glorious commuting byway.

I’m so lucky to live here and be able to enjoy it.

May 24 – On the cycleway between Walsall and Pelsall, the former rail line crossed Fordbrook Lane in Pelsall. Even when this was a rail bridge, it suffered problems with vandals dropping rocks onto the cars below; finally, Sustrans – the charity that maintain the cycleway – have erected a fence to alleviate the problem.

It’s a complex structure, and I wonder how effective it’ll be. But seeing some of the other odd things they’ve got up to lately, nothing surprises me.

February 9th – Sad to note that at the south end of Victoria Park in Darlaston, beyond the railway bridge, flytippers have been at work. What is normally an fairly clean marshy area beloved of birds and bugs, a quantity of tyres have been dumped, clearly thrown down the embankment from the car-park above.

Only the lowest of the low do this. Scum.

December 24th – An unusual if not unique thing for 365daysofbiking – a photo taken when I wasn’t on my bike; but it’s about cycling, so I figure it’s OK just this once.

I was in Derby for the day, and for once, it was better I was without the bike. I didn’t know what cycle security would be like, and needed to visit lots of places where it would have been parked in the open for long periods. On Christmas Eve, that’s not a good idea as someone unscrupulous may be looking for that last minute cycling gift..

As it happened, I needn’t have worried; in Derby they’re taking cycling seriously; outside the rail station astounding, secure double-deck weatherproof bike park. Dotted about the city, good quality Sheffield stands and even free to use bike pumps.

We need some of this love in Birmingham – I’ll be back, and next time, with the bike!

September 16th – The lanes and key-bys of the area (and probably the country) are currently suffering a rash of dumping. The rules have changed, and scrap yards will no longer accept fridges and freezers, so tatters are stripping the metal from them and dumping the remnants anywhere they can.

This discarded shell of a fridge is in Green Lane, Walsall Wood.

I still see discarded appliances left outside houses for the scrap men to take. Don’t do it, because this is where the shit ends up – as far as I’m concerned, anyone who leaves waste out like that is condoning flytipping and should be prosecuted as a flytipper.

April 26th – Have you recently employed a cheap plumber to refit a bathroom? Perhaps you’ve done the job yourself, and paid someone a few quid to remove the rubbish?

If you’re wondering what became of your bog and fittings, they are currently adorning a lay-by on Northfields Way in Clayhanger. They aren’t doing much for the area, to be honest.

Flytippers are scumbags. People who turn a blind eye for a cheap jack job are as bad.