We all know someone who's dealt with the sinking feeling of returning to the trusty spot they parked their bike, only to see it's been lifted.
If you're lucky, a wheel might be left behind, or the remnants of your lock.
It's an issue Dubliners are well familiar with - you're encouraged to buy two locks for your bike, make sure it's secured in the most intricate way imaginable and if possible, not leave it parked in town at all.
There have been stories of attempted bike robberies while someone's actually sitting on their bike (as per David O'Doherty's latest show) and there's even been a film made about the phenomenon (shout out to Bicycle Thieves - Pumped Up by Conor O'Toole - also a crushingly accurate depiction of Dublin's housing crisis).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw3W9FRQlMk
With all this considered, no one would probably be particularly shocked to hear that an estimated 20,000 bikes are stolen in Dublin each year - but the impact is rarely discussed.
Speaking to RTÉ's Prime Time,
Dublin Cycling Campaigner Úna Morrison spoke of the impact the crime has on cyclists.
We would estimate that about 20,000 bikes are stolen a year.
Of people whose bikes are stolen, nearly half either stop cycling or reduce how much they cycle.
So think of how many more cars are on the road, how many more people are on the buses, or how many more people are trapped at home because their bike has been removed.
There'll be a more detailed look about bike crime in Dublin on RTÉ's Prime Time tonight, 9:35pm.
Header image via Shutterstock
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