I told you so...
Over the past year, DDOT received 250 requests to remove abandoned bikes. "We've removed a little over 200," he says.
Holben says it takes about 30 days to remove the bikes, including a 10-day period where the bikes are tagged, giving the owners a chance to retrieve them.
Currently, Holben says DDOT has nowhere to store the abandoned bikes, and says they are simply thrown out. "A lot of times they are just junk, and I don't know, but I assume that they are recycled, as we recycle things at the landfills," says Holben.
Phoenix bikes says they'll take them, maybe that's a good alternative.
I've seen several of these bikes tagged over the past year. A vast majority of them are nothing more than mangled frames and have no salvageable parts left on them. While the idea of throwing away bikes sounds bad, in almost all the cases I saw it was the right choice.
Posted by: ontarioroaderthe ontarioroader | July 19, 2012 at 07:47 AM
There's usually something salvageable. One of the first things we have novice mechanics do is strip bikes for parts. Even if it's just a mangled frame, it's useful in teaching how to use tools and they don't have to worry about breaking anything.
Posted by: Henry | July 19, 2012 at 08:32 AM
At least from a news story this morning, it appears that DC either doesnt know or doesnt care about Phoenix Bikes, or Bikes for the World, and has no plans to stop trashing these bikes.
Posted by: SJE | July 19, 2012 at 09:18 AM
First, give them to Phoenix Bikes if they are willing to pick them up. Sounds far simpler than their current plan. Or at least sell them for scrap metal.
Posted by: T | July 19, 2012 at 11:23 AM
No morning post?
Posted by: antibozo | July 19, 2012 at 11:26 AM
no, no morning post. I only had this one link, so it seemed silly.
DDOT does know about both of those programs. The problems with BFTW is that they want bikes in good working order or close to it AND they want a $20 donation to pay for shipping them. So that doesn't really work for them.
Posted by: washcycle | July 19, 2012 at 12:16 PM
Only one link? You didn't want to get in on the "war on cars" story on NPR? More angry Lon Anderson quotes. :^)
http://www.npr.org/2012/07/18/155917197/motorists-to-urban-planners-stay-in-your-lane
Posted by: twk | July 19, 2012 at 05:43 PM
Stop trolling me, twk. (Tho' Shane had the best response, on Twitter.)
Posted by: MB | July 19, 2012 at 09:48 PM
WAMU announced this morning that they were looking for photos of abandoned bikes to map them around town - sounds like they're going to be keeping on the story.
And yeah, the Lon Anderson quotes in their 'war on cars' story were precious. :P
Posted by: Moose | July 20, 2012 at 07:05 AM