Bicycle Issue

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Snacks

Snacks

Well-known member
#1
Feb 10, 2022
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#1
Last year in 2021 . . .

Jimmy and Eddie lived in the same apartment complex but were not roommates. John lived in the apartment complex next door.

This past February Jimmy moved out and left behind two bicycles. Last month John had his bicycle stolen so Eddie suggested to John that he use one of Jimmy’s bicycles but not to get too used to using it because Jimmy may come back for his bicycles.

Yesterday Jimmy returned for his bicycles but John vehemently denied having ever used his bicycle even though he has been using it.

My question: Without getting the police involved, should Eddie buy Jimmy a bicycle and call it a day?
 
Snacks

Snacks

Well-known member
#2
Feb 10, 2022
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#2
On edit: I forgot to mention that one of Jimmy’s bicycles is missing because John has it in his apartment, hence my question.
 
JTB

JTB

Well-known member
#3
Aug 31, 2021
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#3
Where did Jimmy leave the bikes? Were they left in someone's care or did Jimmy abandon them?
 
Snacks

Snacks

Well-known member
#4
Feb 10, 2022
1,410
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#4
JTB said:
Where did Jimmy leave the bikes? Were they left in someone's care or did Jimmy abandon them?
Click to expand...
Jimmy left them outside. Eddie put them in the storeroom of the complex. Now John has one of the bikes in his apartment but there’s no way of confirming that because he’s denying he has it.
 
JTB

JTB

Well-known member
#5
Aug 31, 2021
2,078
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#5
Sounds to me like Jimmy abandoned the bikes, which makes them the property of the complex. If Eddie has something to do with the complex and authorized Johnny to use one, Jonny has the right to use one. He doesn't need to lie about having it. Again, that's assuming Jimmy had no prior agreement with anyone about their handling and care. If there is a person who was supposed to look after the bikes until Jimmy came for them, then both side's arguments would be against that person, not each other.

Or at least that's the way it would be if I ran the world,
but I don't,
so what the heck do I know :D
 
TheNarrowPath

TheNarrowPath

Well-known member
#6
Jul 17, 2022
1,012
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#6
Snacks said:
Last year in 2021 . . .

Jimmy and Eddie lived in the same apartment complex but were not roommates. John lived in the apartment complex next door.

This past February Jimmy moved out and left behind two bicycles. Last month John had his bicycle stolen so Eddie suggested to John that he use one of Jimmy’s bicycles but not to get too used to using it because Jimmy may come back for his bicycles.

Yesterday Jimmy returned for his bicycles but John vehemently denied having ever used his bicycle even though he has been using it.

My question: Without getting the police involved, should Eddie buy Jimmy a bicycle and call it a day?
Click to expand...
I just imagined your story but with very biblical names :)
Call me judgemental but all 3 guys are foolish. But might make for a good movie story line starring Jim Carrey, Johnny Depp and Eddie Murphy.
 
Snacks

Snacks

Well-known member
#7
Feb 10, 2022
1,410
771
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#7
JTB said:
Sounds to me like Jimmy abandoned the bikes, which makes them the property of the complex. If Eddie has something to do with the complex and authorized Johnny to use one, Jonny has the right to use one. He doesn't need to lie about having it. Again, that's assuming Jimmy had no prior agreement with anyone about their handling and care. If there is a person who was supposed to look after the bikes until Jimmy came for them, then both side's arguments would be against that person, not each other.

Or at least that's the way it would be if I ran the world,
but I don't,
so what the heck do I know :D
Click to expand...
Eddie does not have anything to do with the complex other than living there. For the most part Jimmy left the bicycles with the intent of picking them up at his leisure which turned out to be six months after moving out.

Jimmy was lazy but John is being criminal because he is in possession of one of the bicycles and is not admitting it. All that said, it was not Eddie’s place to encourage John to use one of the bicycles.
 
JesusLives

JesusLives

Senior Member
#8
Oct 11, 2013
14,551
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#8
You said that both bikes were left outside if Eddie had not put them in the storeroom they would both be gone. They weren't Eddie's responsibility as far as I can tell and he did Jimmy a favor by putting them in a safe place. Johnny should not be lying about the permission given him to use the bike. But then again two bikes left unattended outside would be gone already. So one bike is better than no bikes. If Jimmy was that concerned he should have taken them with him when he left.

My 2 cents not that they count for mush...
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#9
Jul 3, 2015
56,264
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#9
Snacks said:
Without getting the police involved, should Eddie buy Jimmy a bicycle and call it a day?
Click to expand...
Why is Eddie responsible for Jimmy's abandoned property? Was there an agreement between them to this end?

John is a thief. It's Jimmy's responsibility to involve the police.
 
B

Bluesproverb

Banned
#10
Jun 28, 2022
1,258
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#10
JTB said:
Sounds to me like Jimmy abandoned the bikes, which makes them the property of the complex. If Eddie has something to do with the complex and authorized Johnny to use one, Jonny has the right to use one. He doesn't need to lie about having it. Again, that's assuming Jimmy had no prior agreement with anyone about their handling and care. If there is a person who was supposed to look after the bikes until Jimmy came for them, then both side's arguments would be against that person, not each other.

Or at least that's the way it would be if I ran the world,
but I don't,
so what the heck do I know :D
Click to expand...
Sounds good.

If Jimmy cared about the bikes he would have taken them in his move.

Maybe their loss will make Jimmy to consider being more responsible for and with his personal property.
At least they were just bikes.
 
JohnDB

JohnDB

Well-known member
#11
Jan 16, 2021
5,681
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#11
If the bicycles were locked and Eddie loaned John one of the bicycles....yep....Eddie is responsible because the lock was removed by the assistance of Eddie. Even if it was behind a locked gate. Even Eddie informing John (not a resident of the complex) of the location and giving information about absentee owner makes him responsible. (Nobody wants to be caught with hot merchandise by its owner)

Just because Jimmy is an idiot is not license to encourage theft.
 
Lanolin

Lanolin

Well-known member
#12
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
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#12
John should just admit to borrrowing the bicycle.
As long as he gave it back
Eddie doesnt need to buy John a bicyle, he can suggest John buy one though, or ask if Jimmy wants to sell one of his.

The police dont need to be involved in any of this.

dont make a mountain out of a molehill.
 
Snacks

Snacks

Well-known member
#13
Feb 10, 2022
1,410
771
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#13
Magenta said:
Why is Eddie responsible for Jimmy's abandoned property? Was there an agreement between them to this end?

John is a thief. It's Jimmy's responsibility to involve the police.
Click to expand...
Eddie feels responsible because he suggested to John that he use one of the bicycles not realizing John is a liar and thief. John’s lucky because Jimmy isn’t the type of guy to get the police involved.
 
Lynx

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
#14
Aug 13, 2014
25,024
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#14
Is this a real situation or an ethics problem someone dreamed up like the Trolley Problem?

If this is a real situation it could have been forestalled by a simple phone call.

If this is a real situation it could be solved by just waiting to catch John riding the bike.

If this is just an ethics problem someone dreamed up... We already got too many real problems. We don't need more. :p
 
Snacks

Snacks

Well-known member
#15
Feb 10, 2022
1,410
771
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#15
JohnDB said:
If the bicycles were locked and Eddie loaned John one of the bicycles....yep....Eddie is responsible because the lock was removed by the assistance of Eddie. Even if it was behind a locked gate. Even Eddie informing John (not a resident of the complex) of the location and giving information about absentee owner makes him responsible. (Nobody wants to be caught with hot merchandise by its owner)

Just because Jimmy is an idiot is not license to encourage theft.
Click to expand...
Good point. Thing is the bicycles were in the basement, unlocked just leaning against a wall and the basement door is literally physically open most of the time. One can surmise John doesn’t have the missing bicycle but his unwarranted, defensive attitude when asked about the bicycle suggests otherwise.
 
Snacks

Snacks

Well-known member
#16
Feb 10, 2022
1,410
771
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#16
Lynx said:
Is this a real situation or an ethics problem someone dreamed up like the Trolley Problem?

If this is a real situation it could have been forestalled by a simple phone call.

If this is a real situation it could be solved by just waiting to catch John riding the bike.

If this is just an ethics problem someone dreamed up... We already got too many real problems. We don't need more. :p
Click to expand...
It’s a real situation and I’m one of the people involved ~~ obviously not John. I shared the story without admitting my involvement up to now because I’m looking for unbiased opinions. People who like me on CC may slant their view in my favor while people who don’t like me may slant their view against me.
 
tourist

tourist

Senior Member
#17
Mar 13, 2014
41,341
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Tennessee
#17
John should return the bike he has to Jimmy. Or not. Jimmy should not expect someone else to watch out for his bikes indefinitely in the event that he would one day return. Eddie can sort of the other bike with Jimmy. Or not.
 
Lynx

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
#18
Aug 13, 2014
25,024
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#18
How many bikes can Jimmy ride at one time?

Why is the option of catching John out with a bike closed? I'd nail that thieving dude. :p

What kind of bike are we talking about here? Is the stolen bike a Walmart $60 piece of junk or a racing bike worth thousands?
 
Lynx

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
#19
Aug 13, 2014
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#19
Also why did Eddie not call Jimmy up? Then it would have been Jimmy's responsibility instead of Eddie's.

Also what is Jimmy doing now? Is he demanding Eddie reimburse him for the missing bike? Is he putting a surveilance camera up, aimed at John's door?

Root question: Who raised the question of whether Eddie should buy Jimmy a bike? Did Jimmy start demanding it of Eddie or did Eddie start feeling like he was obligated to?
 
JohnDB

JohnDB

Well-known member
#20
Jan 16, 2021
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#20
And John leaves his apartment complex and comes into yours on a regular basis because he finds things like free bicycles laying around....?

And Jimmy should know that he is an idiot at this point. He should not be upset that he lost a bicycle...even though you put them inside in the basement. Because if they had been left outside the rust and weathering would have almost destroyed them at this point anyway.

So he is up one bicycle in better shape than he deserves.
 
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