Abandoned bikes always set off a cascade of questions. Who’s bike was it? Did it get stolen then abandoned? Did the owner just forget where they left the bike? Did their friend borrow it and forget it? Why leave it? Or is an upset someone, somewhere wondering about their lost bicycle?
Ultimately, none of it matters. All that is left is one sad, slowly corroding bike waiting for someone to come along and junk it, sell it off at an auction maybe or rescue it and fix it up. It is just a matter of who.
Here is a bike that has been K-locked to a bike stand for several months at George and Edinburgh. The fruit box on the back rack, slowly mushing down under the pull of a bungee. Its cables gone or frayed.
Sad bike.
If you have a picture of an abandoned bike, send it to us with details of where it is and how long it has been there. Maybe it will get reconnected? Or finally collected. But by whom? Who picks up abandoned bikes in the City?
Well, for now let’s just start up the “milk carton bike” series.