Who uses physical bike locks?

[pekingduck]

I rarely use an external lock, as I am almost always nearby. But there are areas in the city I would definitely use one, though I am almost never in those areas. If I was on a trip, I definitely would use it.

The other advantage of u-locks is to secure a full-face helmet. My helmets have European click-in style buckles, so helmet locks aren't any use. I wouldn't trust helmet locks anyway, as the strap leaves it so vulnerable.

I worked at a BMW dealer in Hollywood where a new BMW was just rolled off the showroom floor in broad daylight and never found.

At another dealership, in 2 different occasions, a service bike was repaired, waiting to be picked up. Their owners casually came with a duplicate key, started them up, and rode them away. We would notice they were missing only because there were extra keys on the key board.

We didn't call the cops. Both times, my boss repo'ed them, going to their houses, driving them back to the shop. We would then call the owner up, tell him his bike was ready, how much it was, cash only, and ask "when did you want to pick it up?"

The customer came in the next day, said nothing, paid cash, and we never saw either of them again.