If you've been to Pacific Beach, you have probably seen people riding bicycles all over the neighborhood.
But have you ever noticed there are many bicycles that are permanently parked?
NBC 7 learned recently that it’s an eyesore in the area and now police are running surveillance.
While pedals are pumping in Pacific Beach, others are in long-term parking with grass growing in-between the spokes.
Residents Kyle Martin and Azia Moreno think back to the time two bikes popped up outside their place on Reed Avenue.
“Yeah, it’s been about four of five months. Every time I drive by, I see them and think ‘Oh that’s cute’. I’ve never seen them actually move,” said the couple.
One bike is now missing a seat and the other bike is rusting with a flat tire. Both are chained up and leaning against a City “Street Sweeping” sign.
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"Well what happened? Did this person just forget they had their bike there or get abducted or something? It boggles the mind. Why would you leave your bike?” asked Adrian Grayson, who has seen abandoned bikes locked to palm trees and a “Stop” sign at Grand Avenue & Everts.
Andrew Triplett, a neighbor, says that a bike was finally cut off Thursday.
“Every time I came to the ‘Stop’ sign over here, I saw that bike, for two weeks. You see them all over the place tied to stuff. I found my bike right here, the one I ride today. It was in perfect condition, laying in front of the house,” Triplett said.
Police told NBC 7 there are two main reasons for the abandoned bikes.
- Some people buy cheap bikes, have too much to drink and forget where they chained it.
- Nicer bikes are stolen then tied up quickly in another spot. The thief waits for the heat to be off him or her before picking it back up and selling the bike.
As for Kyle and Azia, they have mixed emotions about the two abandoned bikes outside their place finding a new home.
“I’ll be kind of sad honestly. I’ve gotten used to them, like a part of the family,” the couple joked.
To get rid of an abandoned bike in your neighborhood it must meet certain qualifications: it has to be tied to a city sign, missing a part, or seen in one spot for a few weeks.
You can download the City of San Diego's new app "Get it Done" to send in a picture of an abandoned bike.
