SF's cycling yogis, beware

02.28.13 - 2:43 pm | Steven T. Jones |

(61)

Maybe next time I'll take BART to yoga, or just do yoga in a BART station.

Tim Daw

As a regular yoga practitioner in San Francisco at a couple different studios, I was already aware that classes are especially full these days, with the New Year's resolution crowds still not substantially subsiding yet. And after getting the front wheel stolen off of my bicycle last night while I was in a Yoga to the People class in the Mission, I also learned of another trend: people's bikes being targeted for theft while they're inside stretching themselves.

While the SFPD tells me they're unaware of any bike wheel theft trend targeting yogis, it's also not something that many people would report, and if they did, not something tracked in the SFPD's Compstat system. But when I did a Facebook post last night, I heard from several people who say they were similarly victimized recently.

And it sorta makes sense. How tough is it for the cretins who steal bikes and bike parts to note when lots of cyclists seem to be arriving and leaving from a certain spots at predictable times? So I just thought I'd throw this one out there to my fellow cycling yogis (or students, theater goers, or anyone who might similarly situated): Beware situations where blocks of bikes are left alone for a set period of time.

Comments

Plus, the average yoga student is the perfect victim

1) Will be gone for an hout
2) Is probably affluent, with classes costing 10 to 15 bucks
3) Probably not the kind of guy (or mostly, woman) who could fight you off if they catch you

Insurance. Problem solved.

Or gentrify, and reduce crime . . . Oops.

Posted by Guest on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 3:27 pm

he only reason a man goes to yoga,

that I know of is that his significant other talked him into it.

Posted by matlock on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 8:37 pm

It ain't easy for we stiff

It ain't easy for we stiff white honkeys to loosen up, at least not within our own culture. It usually involves appropriation of the exotic to fill that yawning chasm. When we went to India in 2010, we did not notice any Indians scurrying to yoga practice with their mats tucked under arms...but they readily have incorporated aspects of Euroamerican culture. It takes different strokes to rule the world, yes it does, it takes different strokes to rule the world.

Posted by marcos on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 9:02 pm

You're attending a different subsection.

I drink beer and ride a bike. Thats enough relaxation and exercise, I'm getting close to fifty and am in better shape than most people younger than me.

For most hetro males like me, the only reason to go to Yoga is because the S.O. is up your ass about it. Thats why I ever did it, the GF wanted some together time and things were noticeably going south, she decided unilaterally, I gave in.

Being packed in on those mats by choice with all those Steve Jones hipsters? No thanks.

Posted by matlock on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 10:36 pm

SF's cycling yogis, beware

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Posted by monavie on Apr. 21, 2013 @ 3:59 am

And the reason why you did

And the reason why you did not secure your bike, and then expected it to be there was...

Dude, you all write about gentrification on one hand, say that all these new residents and partiers with money are descending on our neighborhood and outspending everybody not nailed down, and then wonder why when CA has 25% poverty, people are stealing from places where people are not in poverty but doing quite well flock to.

Posted by marcos on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 3:37 pm

Outstanding point, Marcos.

Steven writess about how bad gentrification is, and then whines because the Mission is not yet gentrified enough to ensure that his bike doesn't get stolen when he goes for his "oh so yuppie", $15-an-hour yoga class.

Probably ruined his plans to have some tapas and cocktails afterwards as well.

Posted by Guest on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 3:51 pm

Public service announcement

Calm down, trolls, I wasn't whining about my wheel or calling for some grand policy solution, this was a simple public service announcement. It's not about gentrification (bikes gets stolen in rich neighborhoods and poor, in San Francisco and Oakland), yoga (my class was donation-based, catering to the rich and the poor), my post-class dinner choice (I shopped at Rainbow and made some green curry at home, whatever that says about me and my writing), my locking protocols (true, I didn't use a cable to connect my front wheel to my U-lock, my bad), or any other "ah-ha, gotcha!" barbs you want to create. It's just a friendly reminder and possible heads-up to watch out for bike thieves in this situation, one that I wished that I'd read myself about this time yesterday. Moving along...

Posted by steven on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 4:07 pm

You might have noticed the

You might have noticed the theft disclaimer warning stickers on the bike corral at Rainbow on Folsom. This week I asked some friends at Rainbow to consider installing webcams to provide some security to the bike corral there.

But the point still stands, if we're not going to even try to reverse gentrification, then we'd best get ourselves used to higher property and violent crimes that comes with massive income disparities.

Posted by marcos on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 4:13 pm

Gentrification only increases crime in the interim

If you take neighborhoods that are 100% gentrified, like Presidio Heights, there is almost no crime.

The crime problem with improving neighborhoods ceases when the last of the bad guys has moved out.

Steven should have taken the yoga class in Noe Vallet and then gone to WholeFoods. But he's not "arrivee" yet.

Posted by Guest on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 5:07 pm

And you're a troll idiot and

And you're a troll idiot and I'm not writing this for your benefit because that would be a complete waste of my time.

Why would anyone shop at WholePayCheck? It's a mega-corporate chain store and....

Go to this video on YouTube:
Organic food made in China ???? Whole Foods Mkt

Rainbow is a locally-owned, worker-owned and worker-operated cooperative. The workers are the owners. I was glad to read that Steven went to Rainbow. That's very good. Of course the corporatized sheeple would never understand that....that's why they go to corporate WholePayCheck to buy their "food" from China.

Posted by Guest on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 7:20 pm

Most produce at Whole

Most produce at Whole Paycheck is commercial, not organic, and their CEO believes that in libertarian solutions to financing health care. I'll get my rare meat at 4505 and fish from Safeway if it is wild and fresh instead.

And, yeah, I shopped at the very first Whole Foods in Austin on North Lamar BEFORE it got flooded out in May 1981, and then only for that which Wheatsville Food Co-op did not carry.

Posted by marcos on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 7:38 pm

WholeFoods is clean and the staff look human.

The staff at Rainbow are a bunch of misfits and freaks, and they look filthy. I wouldn't touch the food there.

Oh, and good luck finding meat or fish at Rainbow.

Posted by Guest on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 6:59 am

"Oh, and good luck finding

"Oh, and good luck finding meat or fish at Rainbow."

Why would I want to find meat or fish? I haven't eaten either in nearly 25 years. I'm a vegetarian. You're not clear on the concept. Typical. Rainbow is a vegetarian/vegan store, so of course they don't have meat or fish. Duh.

Posted by Guest on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 3:21 pm

So because you're a vegetarian, we all are?

The great thing about WholeFoods is that they do not make assumptions about who you are, do not stereotype you, and do noy discriminate against anyone based on their food preferences.

Posted by Guest on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 3:35 pm

So you didn't watch the video

So you didn't watch the video about WholePayCheck "made in China?" (It was from legitimate corporate U.S. news reports). Or does that not bother you? If not, then you could shop at any place---since you obviously don't care what goes in your body---rather than at WholePayCheck. But then I guess when you work at WholePayCheck you get a 20% discount, correct?

Posted by Guest on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 6:09 pm

Did I watch some biased link you provided?

Wait, let me check for a minute.

Oh yes, that's right, I did not.

Posted by Guest on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 7:18 pm

ABC 7 is "biased" to you? I

ABC 7 is "biased" to you? I would think you would like ABC. It's very mainstream, corporate and sheeple, just like you. Or is it not rabid right-wing enough for you?

Posted by Guest on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 8:20 pm

Gentrified?

I think calling a neighborhood that has always been wealthy "100% gentrified" is a little silly. Isn't gentrification a specific process?

Posted by Hortencia on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 4:32 pm

Gentrification is a process that can be measured in terms

of how far it has progressed towards being 100% gentrified like, say, Presidio Heights.

Posted by Guest on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 4:52 pm

Just a heads up from a street

Just a heads up from a street person: there are organized rings of bike thieves who target garages of 'secure' buildings in upscale neighborhoods. They watch & slip in and know the diff tween 4k Colnago with all Campy and a run of the mill Trek. Bike thieves are the scum of the universe!

Posted by pete moss on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 4:47 pm

And they hang in RVs on the

And they hang in RVs on the south side of Division between the Best Buy and Bryant.

Posted by marcos on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 6:23 pm

My ex bike got taken by ring

My ex bike got taken by ring working out of an industrial park in Hayward.

Posted by pete moss on Mar. 02, 2013 @ 8:15 am

fencing rings

I actually rode by there and the other spot on the other side of the freeway that night looking for my wheel, with no luck. We ran a great story about these rings several years ago, and it may be time for an update. http://www.sfbg.com/2007/02/13/chasing-my-stolen-bicycle

Posted by steven on Mar. 04, 2013 @ 10:32 am

They often yell at me "hey,

They often yell at me "hey, gimme back my bike!" when I cycle by them.

Posted by marcos on Mar. 04, 2013 @ 11:00 am

You might try along 16th St

You might try along 16th St or Iowa St under the 280 between 20th & 24th. Or maybe not. There's some sketchy characters in some of those crews & a confrontation over a bike wheel might lead to a bit more trouble then it's worth. But an update on that article is a great idea. I'd love to read that.

Posted by pete moss on Mar. 06, 2013 @ 5:03 am

Excellent article but it's 5

Excellent article but it's 5 years old. Still, things haven't changed all that much far as I can tell.

Posted by pete moss on Mar. 06, 2013 @ 5:20 am

"This week I asked some

"This week I asked some friends at Rainbow to consider installing webcams"

WEBCAMS? Jesus fucking christ. More Big Brother! That's all we need.

At Rainbow, the parking attendant is right there at the bike corral. No need for fucking webcams. And I've not heard that any bikes have been stolen at Rainbow.

Dude, you're sounding more and more like that Snapples' excrement every day. The smell from your threads are getting just as bad. Did you accidentally step in that "cretia" stuff and track it all over this site? Hopefully it won't get tracked any farther.

Posted by Guest on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 7:08 pm

Just a couple of webcams

Just a couple of webcams pointing at the bike corral on Folsom Street, hardly big brother.

Posted by marcos on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 7:21 pm

The parking sucks at Rainbow.

The Potrero Hill WholeFoods is the best. There's always easy parking, greats election, they even have a beer bar.

I wouldn't be seen dead in Rainbow. It's full of the kind of mission hipsters that Steven says he hates, but does yoga with.

Posted by Guest on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 7:01 am

"The parking sucks at

"The parking sucks at Rainbow."

What? You are letting the availability of parking determine where you shop?

Fascist.

Posted by Demented, Yet Terribly, Terribly, Persistent on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 9:18 am

You can park at the Office Depot place next door but

the car park at Rainblow is small, dark, congested and there is a Nazi parking attendant in charge, not to mention they let homeless people harass you while you are sitting in your car.

Posted by Guest on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 10:54 am

Just what fascistic decrees

Just what fascistic decrees do you accuse the "Rainbow parking nazi" of issuing, did they anschluss the Royal Motors when we were not looking, are there extermination camps for miscreant motorists behind the bulk bins?

Posted by marcos on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 6:43 pm

He looks a lot like Himmler.

On a bad hair day.

Posted by Guest on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 7:20 pm

Good thing we're not on Usenet

As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one.

Posted by marcos on Mar. 02, 2013 @ 8:41 am

"I wouldn't be seen dead in

"I wouldn't be seen dead in Rainbow."

Well apparently you were seen live there because you're whining about the parking. How would you know anything about the parking if you hadn't been there? Duh. Thick. Don't you ever think your hate through before writing it? Another person with no critical thinking skills.

Also, do you work full-time at WholePayCheck Potrero Hill or are you part-time?

Posted by Guest on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 3:27 pm

Obviously I have been there else I would not know

how important it is to not go there.

Duh.

Posted by Guest on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 3:35 pm

Don't think that the

Don't think that the libertarian Whole Paycheck CEO allows any full time "team members," and hopes, like WalMart, to externalize his cost basis onto the dwindling safety net.

Posted by marcos on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 6:48 pm

Having shopped at both Rainbow and WholeFoods, I

would rather stick pins in my eyes than deal with the assorted freaks that Rainbow employs.

Posted by Guest on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 7:21 pm

Most of the nasty ones really

Most of the nasty ones really calmed down when they moved from Mission to Folsom in the mid 1990s, more space did the trick.

Posted by marcos on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 7:36 pm

Rainbow does not "employ"

Rainbow does not "employ" anyone. The workers are the owners. It is a worker-owned and operated cooperative which clearly you know nothing about. There are no employees at Rainbow because there is no employer, meaning there is no "boss". All of this tells me how very ignorant you are about Rainbow, like with other topics.

I'm glad you don't shop there so I don't have to deal with your kind when I shop there.

Posted by Guest on Mar. 01, 2013 @ 7:56 pm

are you seeking a badge for

are you seeking a badge for your oh-so-PC "life" such as it is?

Posted by Guest on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 10:50 pm

Marcos, you are a hit with the trolls

Was that your goal all along?

Posted by Guest on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 4:05 pm

Marcos has the integrity to tell the truth and think

independently. I often disagree with him, but at least he's not a kneejerk socialist of the type that the voters have clearly rejected.

He understands why the left has failed, rather than just endlessly apologizes for them or vacuously claim that they have somehow magically won.

Read him, weep, learn, and move on. Don't diss and piss on your own.

Posted by Guest on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 4:16 pm

There is no learning here,

There is no learning here, just continued fruitless efforts to shoehorn reality into their theories and prejudices, dominated by an inability to hold anyone accountable out of fear of offending them and of oppressing whichever marginalized identity that individual happens to be.

A relationship is like a shark, Woody Allen once said. It has to keep moving or else it dies. What we have on our hands here is a dead shark.

Posted by marcos on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 8:33 pm

The Guardian's been stocking

The Guardian's been stocking the barrel with fish recently, I can't resist taking pot shots.

Posted by marcos on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 4:16 pm

Why the need for so much ugliness here?

First Greg's mocking of Asians and then this endless mocking of Steven. Can't we all just get along and look for the best in one another?

Posted by Lucretia Snapples on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 8:23 pm

Libelous troll

Trying to divert attention from your own overtly racist comments which you probably now regret ("blacks should be grateful to Europeans for their enslavement"), by libeling others. Disgusting.

Posted by Greg on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 10:03 pm

Greg - your degeneration is so sad to witness

And please, by all means, sue me. I'd welcome your attempts to show damages. Bring it. I'm sure your high-powered attorney will be contacting me soon!! LOLz.

Posted by Lucretia Snapples on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 10:28 pm

I'll just bring up your racist quotes

every chance I get to discredit you and show everyone what a racist turd you are. Unlike you, I can actually cite material:
-your vile quote that blacks should be grateful for their enslavement
-your frank admission that you don't care if tenants die from unsafe housing
-taking a page right out of Rush Limbaugh's playbook when you called on Caitlin to provide a sex tape for your amusement. Oh yeah... you don't think that went unnoticed, did you?

You are a racist and (bizarrely) misogynistic right wing swine.

Posted by Greg on Feb. 28, 2013 @ 10:43 pm