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Bike Thief 2012

3 videos recommended on HN
YouTube
1 HN user recommended this demo1 month2013–2024 score 1
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

HN cites it as a demonstration of how easily bikes get stolen in public.

Casey Neistat's social experiment in New York City where he tries to 'steal' his own bike with various tools, showing how little stops passers-by from helping.

“First, a white guy. Then, a black guy. Finally, a woman” (HN, 2014)

1 recommendations · 2 citations · Demos · partly dated

3 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@steveklabnik Jul 2014 Recommends
on HN thread Show HN: Please Don't Rob Me
Two relevant videos. This guy attempted to 'steal' his own bike in NYC: [this video] There's also this one. First, a white guy. Then, a black guy. Finally, a woman: [link]
A man attempts to steal his own bike in NYC.

Citations, criticism and jokes

@agumonkey Aug 2013 Cites it
on HN thread Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?
Agreed. - Spacey or dedicated lanes are a major requirement. And in my fantasies I'd like two kinds of lanes, speedy and casual. Riding around 25kmph for commuting can be dangerous if the lane thins out, people ride/run slow, kids play around. - Also, secured parking spots. I refrain from riding when I don't know where I'm gonna park. Too easy to pick/steal [this video] . Or a <20 bucks tagging device (in 2013 it's probably easy for many manufacturers)
Illustrates how easily bikes are stolen.
@frenchman_in_ny Feb 2024 Cites it
on HN thread Paris Vote Targets SUV Drivers with Parking Fees Set to Triple
I haave had a Babboe City (without an e-assist) [0] in the NYC for ~8 years -- and mostly leave it in storage in the NYC suburbs. It's a heavy beast without the an e-assist, and the few times I've had it in NYC & parked it (during daylight hours), people have left trash in it. I can't fathom leaving a ~$6,000 bike locked outdoors overnight, given what happens to cheaper bikes in NYC [1]. I'd love to use it more, but it's impractical. [0] [link] [1] [this video]
Example of what happens to bikes left outdoors in NYC.

Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.

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