Stop Burning Man's Culture of Bicycle Thievery!!!

[The Drifter]

Your blue bike is missing..
There are a few blue bikes at BM..
You want the cops to stop every one on a blue bike and question them..
Your sure your bike is being kept in "a" camp..
Now you want the cops to get a warrent to search every camp at Bm.
It's BMorg's fault some one took your bike..
The BMorg sold tickets to people that seal bikes..
The Bmorg should run background checks of all ticket holders.

You are a stupid ass..
LOCK YOUR FUCKING BIKE

Yup. The culture of Burning Man has changed, and it now consists primarily of people like you. After a decade of being a contributing member of this community (I have created and financed two official theme camps and one official playa art structure among other projects), it's no longer for me. 2011 was my last year. Goodbye.

If that's all it takes to dissuade you from going, bye bye!

It's not. Comments like this don't mean a thing to me. There is a much bigger picture here, far beyond this thread or any message board. But fewer and fewer people "get it", and that's the problem.

Let me provide another example that might be easier for a wider variety of (open minded) people to understand. In 2011 one of our generous fellow Burners was again offering brief showers to the dirty masses. (This was on the 2:00 side periphery) It was a wonderful service that had been provided at great financial and personal sacrifice by the individual providing it. One day they were unable to provide showers at the exact time that had been advertised. And it was then that we saw the changing culture of Burning Man. The crowd reacted with a vicious rancor toward the person providing the service. They were shouting vulgarities at him and unleashing terrible negativity that one would not have seen ten years ago.

Here's another example. My camp contributed to the playa art in 2011, and with that came the necessary lighting to prevent it from being hit by art cars and drunkards on bikes (myself included). We accomplished this lighting in part with solar ground lights. About halfway through the week, someone had broken open all the solar LEDs and left the shells for MOOP. They did this knowing full well that our project would be deprived of proper lighting and therefore may have been destroyed... And BTW people urinated on our project and left garbage around it too, so it was not just one person.... It was at that point that I understood that BM culture was changing in a way that no longer valued respect for others above all else. To destroy another person's gift in order to gain one small thing. This is new. And it is no longer isolated.

Few people "get it" anymore, and it seems, most people don't want to. This thread is merely another example of that.

[unjonharley]

Hey, Oh Great Burner Than Tho.
Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

[A Jester]

But fewer and fewer people "get it", and that's the problem.

Let me provide another example that might be easier for a wider variety of (open minded) people to understand. In 2011 one of our generous fellow Burners was again offering brief showers to the dirty masses. (This was on the 2:00 side periphery) It was a wonderful service that had been provided at great financial and personal sacrifice by the individual providing it. One day they were unable to provide showers at the exact time that had been advertised. And it was then that we saw the changing culture of Burning Man. The crowd reacted with a vicious rancor toward the person providing the service. They were shouting vulgarities at him and unleashing terrible negativity that one would not have seen ten years ago.



Few people "get it" anymore, and it seems, most people don't want to. This thread is merely another example of that.

I heard it's even worse than that. I heard that people have started blaming the Org, the Rangers, and LE for problems either out of their control, or unrelated to their missions.

For my part, if someone was mad at me for not giving free shit away when and where they wanted it, I would do my best to educate them. I would also try to educate someone I found uselessly criticizing the shower guy, people like you who provide art, the Org, the Rangers, or LE. Heck, I'd even encourage that person to go ahead and effect the change they wanted to see.

Of course, that's only my intention, so who knows how that would come across. I can understand why some people would see someone they feel "doesn't get it' and either yell at them to lock their bike or tell them that they've been contributing for a decade and are now going to stop contributing.

In my opinion, neither of those tactics seem likely to effect any real change, but I can see how they'd be fun to write.

[MOOP_Czar]

Shit happens.

The core is still there.

With a population of 50k+, you are going to get a few asshats.

Some jacknut was tagging shit this year.

Inclusion means everyone can purchase a ticket. Even assholes.

If you are trying to say that because a few assholes are acting out that the core ideals of Burning Man are no longer there and that the Burners have changed-

I disagree.

I bet there isn't a person here that would call the people you describe a Burner. Tourist or Fratboy, but I seriously doubt they are Burners.

[Bob]

The yellow bike program is funded by a private party. Maybe the OP could provide another private sector solution -- burner insurance. The Empire Store could probably rent you space for a kiosk.

[moonrise]

Many of the bikes look exactly the same! What if someone honestly took the wrong bike by mistake and the cops ticketed/arrested them? (the horror)

Is it that diffcult to lock your bike? (maybe if you're a 5 year old)

PleaseLOCK YOUR BIKE

How would you feel if someone "borrowed" your golf cart?

I would feel upset.

It's a different animal, not like there's a bunch of indentical disabled person's golfcarts out there.

Was there ever a time when it was safe to leave your wheels unlocked at burningman? It's hassle to babysit keys and remember all the security features we built into that cart, I even locked myself out of it a couple of times during the burn.

Why is it a big deal to lock a bike? Is it because of the key babysitting? Or one cannot remember a combination?

[Bexx]

LOCK. YOUR. FUCKING. BIKE.

It's a city - with real city stats. I sure in the shit wouldn't leave my bike unlocked @ home - so why would I @ BM? Bike theft anywhere is one of the shittiest things ever. You could be stealing someone's only means for transpo. Going to the jots? LOCK YOUR FUCKING BIKE! going to see the man? LOCK YOUR FUCKING BIKE.

We can police our selves and be just as effective. It would be nice to have outside help - but prevention starts with your self reliant ass.
end of story.

[SouthernExposure]

I read the posts on this thread where people write that anyone who does not secure their property under lock and key while on the playa is simply a naive sap that deserves to spend the rest of the week hoofing it in shame as their own personal abject lesson in slackery.

While I must admit that the bike that I had stolen this year was left unlocked at the Center Camp bike rack (along with 750 others), and that I learned a bitter lesson following it, I wonder just how far one needs to go to truly secure your shit while out there. While you are out and about day and night, dutifully following the expressed instructions by locking your bike every time you un-ass that seat, even for one fucking minute, answer me this question - What kind of lock do you propose to put on all of the rest of your shit sitting in your nylon tent back at camp? Discounting the RVers, just about every other resident of BRC is gapingly vulnerable to the beady-rat eyes of the thief that shifts from the confounding puzzle of the lock tumbler to the screamingly easy pickin's found in a tent, hexayurt, lean-to or monkey-hut. Lock a tent? Oh, Bitch, Please.

Are you slightly interested in the possibility of having a sanctimonious RVer smugly lecture you on the vast superiority of thin metal housing and cheap key locks, while you try to figure out how to reconcile this practical dilemma of still having your dutifully locked bicycle and not much else other than your own new definition of "radical self reliance." Rant and rave all you want, but according to your considered rationale, which if it is sound advice should be universally applicable, you have become the NEW Naive Sap. Choke down your own stinging medicant and rewrite your wisdoms on security while still under it's stupefying effects and trumpet with great authority what everyone else should now do.

Catch a thief, rapist, vandal, someone with a gun on the playa? Place them immediately in the hands of the LE, drag their asses off of the playa and prosecute them to the full extent of the law. Plain and simple. Until the blame is legally riveted to the law breaker, this will simply go on and on.

SE

[Dr. Pyro]

I think you will find it is a statistical certainty that nearly all of the thefts of bikes at Burning Man were done by liberals and Democrats. If we simply exclude them from the festival the problem would solve itself. Now it's time for me to go back and take a nice nap in my RV.

[Bob]

For as long as I can remember, you people *have* been asked to lock your valuables in your vehicle. Just like in any campsite. Camped much anywhere? Ever?

Law enforcement isn't the only remedy. The org via the BR Rangers has evicted dozens of people over the years -- some simply for pissing off their neighbors to the point that the neighbors were in imminent danger of committing assault -- ie, nuisance evictions.

But feel free to treat Burning Man like some kind of magic rainbow community <drink>, I suppose that notion sells tickets.

[A Jester]

I read the posts on this thread where people write that anyone who does not secure their property under lock and key while on the playa is simply a naive sap that deserves to spend the rest of the week hoofing it in shame as their own personal abject lesson in slackery.

While I must admit that the bike that I had stolen this year was left unlocked at the Center Camp bike rack (along with 750 others), and that I learned a bitter lesson following it, I wonder just how far one needs to go to truly secure your shit while out there. While you are out and about day and night, dutifully following the expressed instructions by locking your bike every time you un-ass that seat, even for one fucking minute, answer me this question - What kind of lock do you propose to put on all of the rest of your shit sitting in your nylon tent back at camp? Discounting the RVers, just about every other resident of BRC is gapingly vulnerable to the beady-rat eyes of the thief that shifts from the confounding puzzle of the lock tumbler to the screamingly easy pickin's found in a tent, hexayurt, lean-to or monkey-hut. Lock a tent? Oh, Bitch, Please.

Are you slightly interested in the possibility of having a sanctimonious RVer smugly lecture you on the vast superiority of thin metal housing and cheap key locks, while you try to figure out how to reconcile this practical dilemma of still having your dutifully locked bicycle and not much else other than your own new definition of "radical self reliance." Rant and rave all you want, but according to your considered rationale, which if it is sound advice should be universally applicable, you have become the NEW Naive Sap. Choke down your own stinging medicant and rewrite your wisdoms on security while still under it's stupefying effects and trumpet with great authority what everyone else should now do.

Catch a thief, rapist, vandal, someone with a gun on the playa? Place them immediately in the hands of the LE, drag their asses off of the playa and prosecute them to the full extent of the law. Plain and simple. Until the blame is legally riveted to the law breaker, this will simply go on and on.

SE

Close.

We're repeatedly advised to lock out bike at all times. We're also told to keep our valuables locked in a car, and to keep our keys secure. If you're talking about a rash of sleeping bag thefts, I guess I'm just blissfully unaware of such crime.

It's not the fault of the victim, it's obviously the fault of the thief. BUT, doing stupid shit can make bad things happen to you. I don't think we should blame the victim, I think we should keep people from becoming victims.

This isn't about hoping the Org will suddenly say magic words that makes everyone not steal bikes, this isn't about hoping that Law Enforcement will suddenly become mall cops and watch over out bikes so we don't have to lock them, and this isn't about creating a new sub department of the Rangers just to deal with bike theft.

If you want to ride on your bike all week, lock it up. If you don't lock it up, there's a chance you won't be able to ride on it all week.

I know you're pissed because someone stole your bike. It probably doesn't make you feel any better that people keep repeating in all caps to LOCK YOUR BIKE. You know why it's good of them to do that? So that someone reading this thread who might not have locked their bike will lock their bike.

You know what would have kept your bike from getting stolen? (Pro-tip: it doesn't have anything to do with the Org, the Rangers, Law Enforcement, or magic ponies.)

You know what else? The culture of Burning Man HAS changed. It will keep on changing, too. It's an experiment, it's not going to be exactly the same every year. Maybe you need to go to an event where 50k people can get together and nothing ever needs to be locked. Let me know how that works out for you.

Just as a side note, that part in green is a bit fallous. Just because advice is good for one situation doesn't mean it's good for all situations. If you have a broken leg, you need a cast on your leg. If you have a broken arm, you don't need a cast on your leg.

Also, we aren't "trumpeting with great authority" (thought that does sound fun).

We are "repeating what you've been told many times before".

DON'T WANT YOUR BIKE TO GET STOLEN? OK THEN ... If you don't want your bike stolen on the playa, then always lock it up wherever you leave it. Rocket science, right? The unfortunate reality is that bicycles get stolen (or "recklessly borrowed") because they're unlocked. This has been the case for years and years.

Heck, I think I'm going to put that in my sig.

[unjonharley]

If your do not have a lock for every bicycle on your vehicle at the gate.
The whole vehicle is turned away..

[The CO]

While you are out and about day and night, dutifully following the expressed instructions by locking your bike every time you un-ass that seat, even for one fucking minute, answer me this question - What kind of lock do you propose to put on all of the rest of your shit sitting in your nylon tent back at camp?

Most, if not all, of the shit back at camp doesn't have wheels on it. Those things that do are not as simple as a bike. They are also at camp, surrounded by campmates.

I like a bungee cord from wheel to frame instead of a lock. It lets the thief move the bike just a bit, then it rolls backwards. over, and over, until they give up or you catch them.

[theCryptofishist]

It's a different animal, not like there's a bunch of indentical disabled person's golfcarts out there.

Apparently all electric golf carts have the same key. One year at least one, or maybe two, ESD golf carts were driven off by non-authorised people. I think they went to gas something or others the next year.

[NessaZee]

it's amazing that one who claims to be open-minded is so mired in a pit of complaints, inaction and attachment.

you get what you give.

when my bike was borrowed, it was because it wasn't locked. yes, it disrupted my flow for a few hours, and soon I realized that I had given up control of my enjoyment. Fuck that!! by the end of the burn, i actually wished i could find said person who borrowed my bike to thank them. they ended up teaching me such a valuable lesson...why let things out of my control ruin my day/week/life?

I have a hard time with what locking my bike represents. it means that i am attached to a material object. it feels very contradictory to the transient(i say that with love) feel of the playa. I only lock my bike if i can do it quickly and thoughtlessly.
get a combo lock, wrapped around the bike seat stem, put through back wheel, only move one of the numbers one notch. unless i'm locking a friend's bike to mine (annoying!!) it takes me less than 10 seconds with my eyes closed. no key to lose.

TD, from your posts it seems you are one of those people who have lost the meaning of BM.
perhaps a change of attitude/perspective might help stop these so called shitty things happening to you? oh, but wait....the other people have to change their shitty attitude first...good luck with that!

[moonrise]

It's a different animal, not like there's a bunch of indentical disabled person's golfcarts out there.

Apparently all electric golf carts have the same key. One year at least one, or maybe two, ESD golf carts were driven off by non-authorised people. I think they went to gas something or others the next year.

Thanks Fishy...I have have a gas golfcart, more reliable and it's equipped with some extnesive locks and security features. It also cost me 25xs what an average new mal mart bike costs. I can't affod to lose it to theft or "joy riders', hence the insane locks and security systems. I need it and I protect it with the best methods I know of.

I hope would be joy rider/thiefs aren't THAT low, to steal a disabled person's golfcart, buuut, eh, they can try. It's doubtful they'll get mine try if they may, goooooood luck! (it explodes if it doesn't hear my voice every hour! Shhh, it's a secret anti-theft feature)

[Lord Of Ruin]

.... As Burning Man grows, the community must begin to protect it's citizens by changing small parts of the culture. We can all help in small ways, but only BOrg has the power to make that change to the community as a whole.

Whoa. For someone that's been attending as long as you have, methinks you've missed the point by a considerable margin. You see....oh nevermind. You won't get it. Go back to your dance party.

[Elderberry]

I think you will find it is a statistical certainty that nearly all of the thefts of bikes at Burning Man were done by liberals and Democrats. If we simply exclude them from the festival the problem would solve itself. Now it's time for me to go back and take a nice nap in my RV.

[A Jester]

I think you will find it is a statistical certainty that nearly all of the thefts of bikes at Burning Man were done by liberals and Democrats. If we simply exclude them from the festival the problem would solve itself. Now it's time for me to go back and take a nice nap in my RV.

I have emoticons turned off (I hate them more than bike thieves) so I don't know what looks like, but I do think that Pyro is on to something....

[theCryptofishist]

It's a different animal, not like there's a bunch of indentical disabled person's golfcarts out there.

Apparently all electric golf carts have the same key. One year at least one, or maybe two, ESD golf carts were driven off by non-authorised people. I think they went to gas something or others the next year.

Thanks Fishy...I have have a gas golfcart, more reliable and it's equipped with some extnesive locks and security features. It also cost me 25xs what an average new mal mart bike costs. I can't affod to lose it to theft or "joy riders', hence the insane locks and security systems. I need it and I protect it with the best methods I know of.

Yeah, that's pretty much something I say when it might be pertinent because other people may be reading this and may want to know that about the electrics.

[theCryptofishist]

I think you will find it is a statistical certainty that nearly all of the thefts of bikes at Burning Man were done by liberals and Democrats. If we simply exclude them from the festival the problem would solve itself. Now it's time for me to go back and take a nice nap in my RV.

I have emoticons turned off (I hate them more than bike thieves) so I don't know what looks like, but I do think that Pyro is on to something....

:ProfessorPlum:

[A Jester]

:shirtcockingatwork:


:almostcaughtbythesecretarysoI'mputtingpantsbackong:

[robrob]

It's not the fault of the victim, it's obviously the fault of the thief.

eh. i dunno. leaving your bike unlocked at center camp? sounds kinda like the fault of the victim.

now, where was my beatin' stick?

[moonrise]

What a beautiful horse rob, why is that mean man hitting it with a stick? haha, just foolin' rob how's the windy city?

soooo, major thread drift here, heh heh...

Ayup Fishy, gas over electric, whenever possible (we should look into rocket fuel for your chair! hee hee)

A Jester...I didn't notice emoticons can be turned off (I leave mine on, I like 'em) and jkisha and others seem to use them at the peeeerfect moments.

And last but NOT least, holy cow! is everyone's regional list "lit up" with OWS stuff? yikes! Sadly suscribers are sayin' they're unsuscribing,
I don't believe that, buuut, maybe it's true (I hope not!)

The New York list is said to be on fire with OWS stuff; Reno list mods and Andie Grace! have requested OT: be posted for any OWS posts e.g. OT:OWS [or whatever title the poster chooses not directly burn related] I hope it calms down, because we need the lists for burning man related activities more than anything else.

Okay, bike thievery thread has now been drifted hard (I"m feeling spunky today!) Fuck you..I love you and fuck your day, in a nice way.

[A Jester]

It's not the fault of the victim, it's obviously the fault of the thief.

eh. i dunno. leaving your bike unlocked at center camp? sounds kinda like the fault of the victim.

now, where was my beatin' stick?

As long as we're spiraling into horse beating, let me bring us to absurd and unfair comparisons.

No, it's not the victims fault.

Should the victim have known better? Yes. Does that take any of the blame away from the thief? No.

If you were to dress up in a mini skirt and halter top, with no undergarments on, get black out drunk, and pass out on a bed in a frat house you might wake up having suffered an assault. That does not make it your fault.

Should you have known better? Yes. Does that take blame away from the perpetrator? No.


IF you want to keep your bike, you lock it up.

I guess I would be ok blaming the victim of a bike theft for not securing their goods enough before they ended up as Moop at the end of the event which someone else had to deal with. That might be a bit of a stretch for me, but I'd consider it.

[The Drifter]

Many of the bikes look exactly the same! What if someone honestly took the wrong bike by mistake and the cops ticketed/arrested them? (the horror)

Is it that diffcult to lock your bike? (maybe if you're a 5 year old)

PleaseLOCK YOUR BIKE

How would you feel if someone "borrowed" your golf cart?

Actually, that happened in 2011. I heard it BMIR one afternoon on the playa. Someone had stolen a man's handicap golf cart leaving him unable to get anywhere at all. Apparently the cart was clearly marked as handicap transport as well. The gentleman was on the radio begging to get it back as it was something he also needed at home....

In the great fervor of the majority here to protect the inalienable right of thieves to steal, we tend to lose sight of what comes next. Perhaps next is when you cannot leave your camp as it will likely be plundered. After all, only an idiot who deserves to be robbed would leave his or her camp unattended. And a thief has every right to take what's not constantly guarded.

[Simon of the Playa]

drifter, thru the years you continually question the "direction" that burning man is going, and i notice a certain whiny bias to your posts.

quite frankly, you are throwing the baby out with the bathwater by presenting one piece of evidence to back up your claim that the BM community condones thievery.

thats rainbow gathering, BTW...

anyway, i find BRC to be much safer as a whole, personal and possession wise than any other place on earth of its size.

i think alot of people feel that way.

now, if you want to be a negative nelly and point out the warts, i would be the polly anna and say the whole package, warts and all is a helluva lot more attractive than most.

i never lock my bike and have never had an issue.

[graidawg]

BAN BIKES NOW! problem solved.

[Kinetik V]

[youtube][/youtube]

I propose using one of these on bike thieves. I know it's overkill but the blast would sure look good on the playa!

[MOOP_Czar]

[youtube][/youtube]

I propose using one of these on bike thieves. I know it's overkill but the blast would sure look good on the playa!

While I agree it would be effective,

Please take note of all the MOOP coming off the projectile.

If this were used, I have high hopes that an excellent MOOP plan would be presented.

Both for the weapon and remains of the target.

There would be a whole lot of meat spread out across the playa.