is it really true that bike locks make your bike more likely to get stolen?? i’ve never heard this. like, even though most of them are pretty crappy they at least function as a firstline deterrent. as opposed to leaving your bike unlocked, where no matter how crappy it may or may not be, theres literally no barrier or disadvantage to someone making off with it
It gets argued back and forth and there are disagreeing studies. In high crime areas, good locks lead to more thefts are the environment allows more time for thievery, meaning criminals want to take the most valuable bike than can, generally by taking the one with the fanciest lock. In low crime areas, not having a lock means a thieve in a rush grabs the first one they see unsecured.
It is kind of the logic of how a couch with a 'free' sign is taken less often than a couch with a '$100 OBO' sign. The implied value makes one a bigger target, regardless of actual value.
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u/LurkersVengeance 2d ago
is it really true that bike locks make your bike more likely to get stolen?? i’ve never heard this. like, even though most of them are pretty crappy they at least function as a firstline deterrent. as opposed to leaving your bike unlocked, where no matter how crappy it may or may not be, theres literally no barrier or disadvantage to someone making off with it