interesting points. I feel like I should answer about theft and begging in the context of my experiences at YBP in Austin. Panhandling is a major problem at one of our shops due to it's location. On one level, panhandling takes up our time, volunteer's time, disrupts shops, makes shop users feel uneasy, pressured and in some cases threatened. On another level our project is not a charity. We don't give anything away for free - volunteers donate their time in return for learning skills or earning a bike because we believe in empowering people to help themselves - this is the solidarity not charity model:

Solidarity Not Charity (from http://www.treasurecitythrift.org)

Charity alleviates the symptoms caused by an unjust system but doesn't challenge the root problems, and it often puts those providing the charity in a position of power OVER those who it 'helps' with benevolence or feeling good for helping out.

Solidarity, on the other hand, implies that our struggles are intertwined. I support you because we all benefit from it and I hope that you will support me also. Solidarity can challenge the current systems while still providing essential service work.

So for example: we can feed the homeless (which is important) or we challenge the economic, political, and social systems that cause homelessness through real education, real jobs or real job training, and decent housing, or we can do both at the same time.

Charity and solidarity are NOT mutually exclusive concepts. It really comes down to the analysis and how you administer the programs. In the 1960's churches had fed people for years, but when the Black Panther Party, the Young Lords, or the Brown Berets began similar programs combined with their analysis and actions that challenged the systems, the service work became deeper in solidarity with those who were historically marginalized in our society.

Charity alone is a relief valve for guilt from not having to challenge oppression. Solidarity says we must challenge this system and provide for people so we can make the world a better place for all.

- - - - - - - - - - -

As for the question "how do you know who's a bike thief?", the simple answer is that those we ban are people who have been seen or caught by us stealing bicycles around town, sometimes multiple times. These aren't criminal masterminds but opportunity thieves, transient drug addicts who roam the neighborhoods begging and scoping out houses for stuff to steal. The next question I anticipate is "Why don't you call the police?". Well, if we can get bikes back, we do so ourselves, but most of the bikes are sold quickly on the street or traded for drugs. Calling the police is pointless, it's not high priority and jail time unlikely for a single bike etc, etc. We don't have a solution, but we know from experience that the police are not that solution. You won't find many Austin cyclists with good police-related experiences.

Simon

Yellow Bike Project



Andy Dyson wrote:
Hi All,

I'd answer this by saying that it's clear that panhandling is seen as a problem at Simon's program.  I'd like to see this list be about us helping solve problems for each other rather than implying  expectations of a particular moral or political stance.   I'd rather hear you say "My program likes panhandlers because..."  because then you'd be enlightening me,   I dare say all of us have known people who have stolen bikes, and we all know how we knew they had stolen a bike.  I think it's OK for people to keep out thieves, and I'd go as far as to say that if we were to keep out someone who isn't a thief now and again it could still be best.  As Mr. Spock once said, "sometimes the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one."

Peace,

Andy



Graham Stewart wrote: 
Two questions:  Why is panhandling a major problem?  How do you decide 
if someone is a bike thief?

Graham

Simon Z wrote:

  
The major problems I have seen are sexual harassment, threats of 
violence, panhandling, theft from the shop or use of the shop by known 
bike thieves. None of these behaviors are tolerated and shop 
coordinators are free to remove and ban indefinitely anyone doing 
this. We try to keep a photographic record of these offenders to 
display in our shops.
    

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-- 
Andrew C. Dyson
Executive Director 
Neighborhood Bike Works
Increasing opportunities for youth through bicycling


Check our Web Site:
http://www.neighborhoodbikeworks.org


Neighborhood Bike Works
3916 Locust Walk,
Philadelphia, PA 19104


Office: (215) 386-0316
Cell:	(215) 873-6695
FAX:	(215) 386-7288
  

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