Pay Attention to Your Bikes

[cowboyup3371]

Although our bikes are fairly old and not something most folks would want to steal, please be sure to keep an eye on them while out in public. I'm writing this for you today, with Charmayne's permission, as she just experienced a fairly nerve-wracking situation at work. I will also say immediately that she is unharmed and was able to ride home safely.

While at work this afternoon, a shift manager noticed two males who had previously ordered food sitting on/standing near her bike in the parking lot. He told Charmayne, who was working drive-through, about it and suggested she investigate the situation. After asking her store manager to call the police, Charmayne walked outside and told the two males to get away from her bike. One of the males tried to tell Charmayne off which caused her to threaten to call the cops if they did not move away. Again, Charmayne had an eerie feeling about things which is why she asked the manager to call before walking out . The two males than ran across the street to the Jiffy Lube at which point Charmayne went to check out her bike. She found a heroin needle laying under her tank and told the cops about it as they pulled up at that point.

The police caught the two males trying to leave the Jiffy Lube and found additional drugs, a gun, and a knife. Returning to the restaurant, Charmayne positively identified the two males, one was a guy she graduated with last year, and they are being charged with vandalism (possibly), drugs and weapons violations. The police and Charmayne then began a thorough search of her bike finding two more needles under her gas tank as well as between it and the seat. Additionally, they found blood on her handlebars from one of the guys who she said had looked as though he was messing with his arm before she yelled at them (she didn't know what he was doing).

We are all very thankful she is okay and that she kept her wits about her during the entire ordeal. She knows she could have been hurt but she is also one to not keep her mouth shut when she sees someone messing with her stuff. Fortunately, she and her managers had the wherewithal to pay close enough attention that the two males were caught and neither she nor I would have been seriously hurt had we jammed ourselves on those needles at any time.

The damage done to her tank:

Charmayne Tank by Scott Baker, on Flickr

 

[roeme]

For f*cks sake....either they were targeting her specifically (Unbelievable there are still so many places where men cannot bear independent women), or were trying to do something with the fuel (some modern bikes have plastic tanks, which might have been penetrable by such a needle. The marks to the bike do not make much sense otherwise.

The vandalism bit will be easy to prove, the needles (or keys, or whatever) will still have paint from the tank on them, and either fingerprints of the guys or taken off them to begin with.

The f*ck was their motivation...? Or were just drugged out of their mind, and the bike just happened to be in the wrong place?

 

[cowboyup3371]

We think they were killing time while their car was at Jiffy Lube and just "had" to shoot up

They chose her bike out of convenience and probably thought no one would notice

 

[Nessism]

Heroin is BIG these days. So many people hooked. It's truly sad. Guys like those are living a life of desperation. I'm not trying to excuse their behavior just commenting that there are a lot of lost soles out there these days.

 

[Charmayne]

The cops found the knife that was used to chip away the paint on my bike. It was a very wracking situation as i was noticing that the old classmate was fidgeting with his pocket a little to much. Im not the type of person to jump to conclusions about if they have a gun or not but i told myself that if i stay calm nothing will happen to me nor to anyone else. But staying calm didn’t escalate anything once i mentioned calling the cops they both ran. I went to my bike and noticed that there was one needle sticking out under my seat between the seat and the cover to my battery. I told that to the cops and gave them a full description of the men who were found at Jiffy Lube. Im just thankful i was paying attention as well as my manager about my bike. Who knows if I wasn’t paying attention i would not be typing this nor will probably be here. But for better or worse i have saved my life by doing what i did and have locked up two druggies for their wrong doings and hopefully get the help they truly need or get what they deserve.

 

[GSXR7ED]

So saddened to hear of this...it was good to call the cops ahead of time but that was a dangerous situation you put yourself in. (Just thinking out loud)

You've learned something this time... hopefully, there is no next time. Stay safe!


Ed

 

[Charmayne]

I understand that I may have put myself in a dangerous situation. But like i said im not the one to jump to conclusions. Many people get nervous and will get fidgety and im one of those who fidge. Yes, there was a gun that was after they were put into cars. I was shocked when the cops told me that there was a gun and knife found on the men. Even the cops were very surprised that i was calmed about everything. I hope this never happens again.

 

[KEITH KRAUSE]

I understand that I may have put myself in a dangerous situation. But like i said im not the one to jump to conclusions. Many people get nervous and will get fidgety and im one of those who fidge. Yes, there was a gun that was after they were put into cars. I was shocked when the cops told me that there was a gun and knife found on the men. Even the cops were very surprised that i was calmed about everything. I hope this never happens again.

I'm glad you're OK. Too bad your bike was damaged. Too bad there are people like that running around.
I don't like to jump to conclusions either, but I'm still concerned for you. It was said you graduated with one of the men. So I assume he knows you. Even though there were drugs involved, which can explain odd behavior, I think it's possible they knew it was your bike and did this deliberately. Vandalism won't carry that much punishment. If they do a little time or not, they'll be out again soon. They may hold a grudge and who knows what they're capable of.
Again, I don't want to sound so negative but they really seem like stupid, irresponsible people and I can't help but feel concern for you. Please be careful.

 

[Charmayne]

The guy i had graduated with never knew i had a bike. I never rode to school because teens were always on their phones and not paying attention and would possibly run my bike over. Who knows if i was targeted or even not targeted im just glad that i was paying attention to my ride because who knows what would have happened.

 

[gbw]

That's crazy. So glad you came out ok.

Drugs, guns, and knives aside...who the hell sits on someone else's bike, much less damaging it like that. For that alone they should be publicly flogged.

 

[dorkburger]

Craziness.... Good that your boss and you were paying attention, and especially that you had the foresight to call the police first.
Glad that you?re ok. Bikes can be fixed.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

There's a sudden attrition of kids right out of high school. They're suddenly grown up, but still think like children.
I remember how quickly some of the kids I grew up with were suddenly; shot dead, convicted of a felonies, killed themselves or OD'd and died.
Only the strong survive.

 

[ddaniels]

Sorry to hear about this. I agree they should be flogged for just sitting on someone else's bike. How stupid! So glad you are ok. I can't help but wonder why in heck they left needles on your bike though. What were they thinking?

 

[bwringer]

If any trouble kicks off at the Brown County rally, now we know who to send in: "The Enforcer", Charmayne.



Seriously, very glad you're OK. I've never figured out why, but yeah once in a while some doof with bad judgement thinks it's OK to sit on other people's motorcycles. And I suppose it's no surprise that someone like that also makes many other bad choices.

 

[Wingsconsin]

Okay -- this makes me angry ---

Her Boss (a MALE) told HER (FEMALE) to go out and check on what these two thugs were doing because it was HER bike.
Then she was confronted in a threatening way -- while he did ...nothing??
Wait -- he called the Police... oh ...very ...manly ..

I know Charmayne is perfectly capable -- but she is tiny !?!
WHY did he NOT walk out WITH HER ?!?!?

I guess I grew up in a different time -
The demise of manners and grace and Gentlmanliness seems at an end.:hopelessness:

Okay -- Off the soapbox for now ---
But I found out either of my sons stood by while a woman was in a difficult situation...(azzkickin comin at ya!)

 

[roeme]

Okay -- this makes me angry ---

Her Boss (a MALE) told HER (FEMALE) to go out and check on what these two thugs were doing because it was HER bike.
Then she was confronted in a threatening way -- while he did ...nothing??
Wait -- he called the Police... oh ...very ...manly ..

I know Charmayne is perfectly capable -- but she is tiny !?!
WHY did he NOT walk out WITH HER ?!?!?

I guess I grew up in a different time -
The demise of manners and grace and Gentlmanliness seems at an end.:hopelessness:

Okay -- Off the soapbox for now ---
But I found out either of my sons stood by while a woman was in a difficult situation...(azzkickin comin at ya!)

Dude, no. This has nothing to do with genders. Would your sons get an asskickin' as well if they stood by when a guy was in a difficult situation?

If at all, make this into an age/character issue.

But let's not digress.

 

[dorkburger]

I think Wingsconsin was simply referring to good old fashioned chivalry. In that regard, I fully agree with him, and I'm teaching my kids the same..

 

[Wingsconsin]

Dude, no. This has nothing to do with genders. Would your sons get an asskickin' as well if they stood by when a guy was in a difficult situation?

If at all, make this into an age/character issue.

But let's not digress.

Uhh...YES ...

I think Wingsconsin was simply referring to good old fashioned chivalry. In that regard, I fully agree with him, and I'm teaching my kids the same..

​Thank you for understanding - Chivalry is not dead ! But it is resting...

 

[Gorminrider]

Good on you, Wingcosin, for noticing the 2-on-1 (woman or not but I too tend to "especially so"...) situation...I don't know what the situation was per the "boss"- maybe impossible for him to aid- but, genererally I'd like to think "me'n my friends" would all go out to see in a similar situation.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Heroin is BIG these days. So many people hooked. It's truly sad. Guys like those are living a life of desperation. I'm not trying to excuse their behavior just commenting that there are a lot of lost soles out there these days.

Same here in Canada. Though, with the growing use of Fentynal by heroin junkies, the issue is beginning to self correct.