Reesha
06-12-2009, 12:40 PM
Yesterday, I decided to be more industrious about my errands and go by bike. I was pretty excited about this prospect as I'd never really been on my bike through the eastern end of downtown, St. Louis (I live on the west end of downtown and generally only ride west). As I arrive at my first stop, I take out my lock and lock my rear wheel and frame to a sturdy tree in front of the shop. I go about my business, come back out and grab my keys. *Cue psycho music*
I didn't have my lock keys with me. :rolleyes: Usually they were on my key chain with my car keys and the only other key I knew of was 15 miles away at my work. I hadn't the foggiest clue where I'd left my other keys (and why I'd taken them off my key chain in the first place).
My first thought was, "How am I going to convince anyone that this is my bike and I'm not trying to steal it!" :eek: I was all decked out from head to toe in a bike outfit. I could probably have produced a few different forms of ID from Lake Placid, NY which would match the shop sticker on the bike. After obsessing for a minute, I flagged down a cop and he pulled over.
He examined the situation, cheerfully offered, "Well, I could shoot it :cool:" (I couldn't tell if he was serious, but explained that I was uncomfortable with him shooting anywhere close to my bike.) After trying for a while to break it with his bare hands, he said: "Call a locksmith". Bummer sauce! I figured a cop could at least cut the measly little cable and a well-seasoned cop could pick the lock. He felt bad that he couldn't help but probably had better stuff to do, it being St. Louis.
Now a locksmith in Lake Placid (my former city of residence) cost me $20. Naively believing that it couldn't cost too much more I called a locksmith from my cell. They came within 25 minutes. He attempted to pick the lock for about a minute then gave up and lopped off my lock. The whole ordeal took perhaps 3 minutes. He then rang everything up and I was handed the 84 dollar bill. I guess I'm not in the country anymore! Still-- considering the locksmith was located just a few blocks away and that the whole cutting/paying process took the guy approximately ten minutes of his time, 84 dollars seems a bit steep.
I felt pretty sheepish though... next lock will almost certainly be a combination lock!!!
I didn't have my lock keys with me. :rolleyes: Usually they were on my key chain with my car keys and the only other key I knew of was 15 miles away at my work. I hadn't the foggiest clue where I'd left my other keys (and why I'd taken them off my key chain in the first place).
My first thought was, "How am I going to convince anyone that this is my bike and I'm not trying to steal it!" :eek: I was all decked out from head to toe in a bike outfit. I could probably have produced a few different forms of ID from Lake Placid, NY which would match the shop sticker on the bike. After obsessing for a minute, I flagged down a cop and he pulled over.
He examined the situation, cheerfully offered, "Well, I could shoot it :cool:" (I couldn't tell if he was serious, but explained that I was uncomfortable with him shooting anywhere close to my bike.) After trying for a while to break it with his bare hands, he said: "Call a locksmith". Bummer sauce! I figured a cop could at least cut the measly little cable and a well-seasoned cop could pick the lock. He felt bad that he couldn't help but probably had better stuff to do, it being St. Louis.
Now a locksmith in Lake Placid (my former city of residence) cost me $20. Naively believing that it couldn't cost too much more I called a locksmith from my cell. They came within 25 minutes. He attempted to pick the lock for about a minute then gave up and lopped off my lock. The whole ordeal took perhaps 3 minutes. He then rang everything up and I was handed the 84 dollar bill. I guess I'm not in the country anymore! Still-- considering the locksmith was located just a few blocks away and that the whole cutting/paying process took the guy approximately ten minutes of his time, 84 dollars seems a bit steep.
I felt pretty sheepish though... next lock will almost certainly be a combination lock!!!