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Commentary: One man's efforts to encourage theft prevention measures for bicycle riders on Nantucket Island

October 22, 2003 from Day to Day

ALEX CHADWICK, host: And now we're going to switch gears from solving big crimes down South to stopping little ones in Yankee country. There's been a lot of news this week about gaps in high-tech security at our nation's airports. But here's Harvey Young with a story about old-fashioned security and a vacation community and a time-honored tradition.

HARVEY YOUNG:

We've always had a problem with security in Nantucket with bicycles. People like to steal bicycles. And visitors to Nantucket, they think, `Oh, it's so casual here, don't worry about your bike.' And they leave them unlocked and they get stolen.

Well, there was a nice little lock that was mounted on the front of the bike. And what you did was you put the key in it and you turned it so that it poked into the wheel and you couldn't wheel the wheel. And everyone had to get a demonstration as to how the key worked. And my father, he would--I'll do it for you. Take the key, hold it in your right hand between your thumb and index finger, put all your weight on your right leg, bend at the knee, place the key in the lock and turn the lock into the wheel. Everyone that got a bike got the same old line over and over again. And they loved it. It was a blast. And that's what he did.

CHADWICK: That story told by Harvey Young. Viki Merrick produced that piece for Transom.org and for radio stations WCAI and WNAN in Massachusetts.

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CHADWICK: Coming up in a few minutes, a conversation about women, marriage and infidelity, along with some of your letters.

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CHADWICK: This is DAY TO DAY. I'm Alex Chadwick.