Bike Stolen @ Single Track Hazeldean

[bontie]

Go BB!

I know of many people who have had things "lost" or "stolen" while at bike shops and most bike shops just shrug their shoulders...

 

 

[messenger]

Um, sorry to say, but you only have 24 hours to report your claim to the Police station for an insurance cliam number......

So your insurance is not going to listen to your story about reporting it and getting 'alternate' advice.....

Take that into consideration!

[philip.maree]

 

Hi Helgard' date='

Lets discuss this issue once you're back and see how we can best deal with it.

It seems we are all getting different advice from the parties involved eg your insurance, my insurance, the police etc., please let us agree on a plan forward once you're back.

I think it is very unfortunate that you decided to publicly humiliate us before we could even start sorting this out, but that is your choice. The crime situation in South Africa is not our fault, shoplifting happens on daily basis, even at other bike shops. I have called a number of local shops and they have all had cases like this before, sometimes negligence and sometimes not. You simply blaming us and making demands before we have even assessed all the alternatives is quite disturbing, and in my mind, unfair.

Looking forward to resolve this issue as soon as possible.

[/quote']

 

I don't think that he humiliated you in public, he just stated the facts and that he is currently unhappy and no one can blame him since he lost his bike. This could have been avoided though the day he walked in and his bike wasn't there.

 

Any case. Very well done for committing in assisting him. 

[mtbvip]

Sounds like negligence to me...

[wannabepro]

sh*t happens, deal with it.

[Mojoman]

sh*t happens' date=' deal with it.[/quote']

Would you be quite so flippant if it had been your bike?

[VT-2]

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I just

landed and will go and speak to Bennie tomorrow (almost 20h of airports and

flying).

 

 

 

I feel I just need to set a few things straight after his reply.

 

 

 

(1) Of course I am upset. I just lost a bike that will be expensive to replace.

 

 

 

 

(2) I don't see how it could be my fault. I think it is very understandable to

blame the bike shop when they lost your bike and it was stolen from their

washing bay.

 

 

 

(3) It did not publicly humiliate you. I merely stated what happened. I was disappointed

that it took two emails from me to get a response - 2 days later I might add. Still

I think my posts have been fairly diplomatic considering my situation.

 

 

(4) At no time did I say I was not willing to talk.

 

 

 

(5) I also stated that I have been happy with your services in the past and did

not expect this to happen.

 

 

 

(6) My only demand has consistently been for you to look at helping me with my

insurance value (10K) - either by claiming yourself or whatever else you might

consider.

 

 

 

I did not

demand a new bike! (Even if you give me a bike at cost, I will still have to

add a lot of money out of my own pocket with/without an insurance payout - a

replacement Trance/Anthem X2 is 20K+ retail)

 

 

 

Given this I have to take offense to:

 

"You

simply blaming us and making demands before we have even assessed all the

alternatives is quite disturbing, and in my mind, unfair."

 

 

 

You give me no choice but to quote your last (before today only) email

to me:

 

 

 

"

 

I am

sorry about your bike. However we as a shop can not be held liable nor

responsible for your bike being stolen or damaged whilst in our care. This is also

clearly stated on our jobcards. We are very careful with our customers bikes

and try to ensure that it is locked up, safe and supervised at all times,

however, criminals have devious plans and strategies and exploit/create any

opportunity.

 

 

 

We have discussed the

case with our insurance and they confirmed that it is not possible for us

to claim/insure customer's bikes as it is not our property. Our broker is of

the opinion that your bike should be claimable from your insurance, even though

it was not under your direct control at the time. It is similar to your car

being damaged/stolen whilst at a service at the dealer. They also advised that

we can not report it to the police as it is not our property.

 

 

 

We will

however try to assist you as best we can to limit the financial impact of the

theft of your bicycle and for you to get a new bicycle. I have asked our broker

Eddie Scott, to contact you to assist you with lodging a claim with your

insurance and to advise how to ensure things get sorted out asap...?

 

 

 

 

It seems to me that you only gave me one choice and was very clear in it - we

will give you a discount on a new bike but you must claim from your insurance.

[VT-2]

< ="-" ="text/; =utf-8">< name="ProgId" ="Word.">< name="Generator" ="Microsoft Word 12">< name="Originator" ="Microsoft Word 12"><>

 

I just

landed and will go and speak to Bennie tomorrow (almost 20h of airports and

flying).

 

 

 

I feel I just need to set a few things straight after his reply.

 

 

 

(1) Of course I am upset. I just lost a bike that will be expensive to replace.

 

 

 

 

(2) I don't see how it could be my fault. I think it is very understandable to

blame the bike shop when they lost your bike and it was stolen from their

washing bay.

 

 

 

(3) It did not publicly humiliate you. I merely stated what happened. I was disappointed

that it took two emails from me to get a response - 2 days later I might add. Still

I think my posts have been fairly diplomatic considering my situation.

 

 

(4) At no time did I say I was not willing to talk.

 

 

 

(5) I also stated that I have been happy with your services in the past and did

not expect this to happen.

 

 

 

(6) My only demand has consistently been for you to look at helping me with my

insurance value (10K) - either by claiming yourself or whatever else you might

consider.

 

 

 

I did not

demand a new bike! (Even if you give me a bike at cost, I will still have to

add a lot of money out of my own pocket with/without an insurance payout - a

replacement Trance/Anthem X2 is 20K+ retail)

 

 

 

Given this I have to take offense to:

 

"You

simply blaming us and making demands before we have even assessed all the

alternatives is quite disturbing, and in my mind, unfair."

 

 

 

You give me no choice but to quote your last (before today only) email

to me:

 

 

 

"

 

I am

sorry about your bike. However we as a shop can not be held liable nor

responsible for your bike being stolen or damaged whilst in our care. This is also

clearly stated on our jobcards. We are very careful with our customers bikes

and try to ensure that it is locked up, safe and supervised at all times,

however, criminals have devious plans and strategies and exploit/create any

opportunity.

 

 

 

We have discussed the

case with our insurance and they confirmed that it is not possible for us

to claim/insure customer's bikes as it is not our property. Our broker is of

the opinion that your bike should be claimable from your insurance, even though

it was not under your direct control at the time. It is similar to your car

being damaged/stolen whilst at a service at the dealer. They also advised that

we can not report it to the police as it is not our property.

 

 

 

We will

however try to assist you as best we can to limit the financial impact of the

theft of your bicycle and for you to get a new bicycle. I have asked our broker

Eddie Scott, to contact you to assist you with lodging a claim with your

insurance and to advise how to ensure things get sorted out asap...?

 

 

 

 

It seems to me that you only gave me one choice and was very clear in it - we

will give you a discount on a new bike but you must claim from your insurance.

[Omlette]

Hi Helgard' date='

Lets discuss this issue once you're back and see how we can best deal with it.

It seems we are all getting different advice from the parties involved eg your insurance, my insurance, the police etc., please let us agree on a plan forward once you're back.

I think it is very unfortunate that you decided to publicly humiliate us before we could even start sorting this out, but that is your choice. The crime situation in South Africa is not our fault, shoplifting happens on daily basis, even at other bike shops. I have called a number of local shops and they have all had cases like this before, sometimes negligence and sometimes not. You simply blaming us and making demands before we have even assessed all the alternatives is quite disturbing, and in my mind, unfair.

Looking forward to resolve this issue as soon as possible.

[/quote']

I don't think that he humiliated you in public, he just stated the facts and that he is currently unhappy and no one can blame him since he they lost his bike. This could have been avoided though the day he walked in and his bike wasn't there.

Any case. Very well done for committing in assisting him. 

Surely they must be more cautious than just leaving clients bikes outside unattended???<?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

[Nettie R]

Um' date=' sorry to say, but you only have 24 hours to report your claim to the Police station for an insurance cliam number......

So your insurance is not going to listen to your story about reporting it and getting 'alternate' advice.....

Take that into consideration!

[/quote']

Are you sure? I'm sure the law prescribes that an incident needs to be reported within 24hours only if people were injured. I reported an incident 2 days after the fact without any repercussions... Fester2010-06-17 08:39:19

[Nettie R]

<
We have discussed the case with our insurance and they confirmed that it is not possible for us to claim/insure customer's bikes as it is not our property. Our broker is of the opinion that your bike should be claimable from your insurance, even though it was not under your direct control at the time. It is similar to your car being damaged/stolen whilst at a service at the dealer. They also advised that we can not report it to the police as it is not our property.

[/quote']

Not really. Any retail/workshop that insure their goods in stock and any broker worth something will note that such a shop might have customer bikes on the floor from time to time that need cover. But theft cover is usually applicable only on forced entry.

I'm not sure if their disclaimer covers their negligence with a bike stolen from under their noses and CCTV.

I'd claim from my insurance to get it over and done with. Write a nice letter to your insurance why your premium should not change with this incident that was out of your control.Then make the bike shop pay the balance.

Fester2010-06-17 09:19:10

[nickc]

I use Singletrack due to their great service and will continue to do so. Unfortuantly this seems to be one of those incidents that occur in our crime ridden society.

Seem to recall a couple of incidents where a couple of expensive German cars were stolen when being serviced at a dealer. As far as I recall the owners had to claim from their insurance ( car owner, not the dealer ).

[messenger]

Um' date=' sorry to say, but you only have 24 hours to report your claim to the Police station for an insurance cliam number......

So your insurance is not going to listen to your story about reporting it and getting 'alternate' advice.....

Take that into consideration!

[/quote']

Are you sure? I'm sure the law prescribes that an incident needs to be reported within 24hours only if people were injured. I reported an incident 2 days after the fact without any repercussions...

yep, pretty sure (in general) not 100% sure if this apply to bike insurance, but cannot see why it would not....

It is not only the case where someone was injured in person.

Consider yourself lucky, but then again, most cases are not even investigated, so they might be a bit lax on the rule...

[covie]

If the bike was locked up in a safe environment then i would agree with the shop, but since this happend in their washing bay (if i remember correctly) it should have been under permanent supervision which is paramount to negligence. Hence they have to pay I would assume even if they dont claim they will have to then just fork out the cash. Their choice really.

[Squier]

Shocking!! It's not about the legalities, it's about doing the right thing. C'mon Single track, do the right thing!

[rouxtjie]

< .....I am sorry about your bike. However we as a shop can not be held liable nor responsible for your bike being stolen or damaged whilst in our care. This is also clearly stated on our jobcards. We are very careful with our customers bikes and try to ensure that it is locked up, safe and supervised at all times, however, criminals have devious plans and strategies and exploit/create any opportunity.

 [/quote']

wow.... I wonder if this is the policy of most lbs's?