I love that idea of asking people to tell him their story - this is a fantastic story
I wonder if some just go “ah fuck it, don’t talk to me, just take the bike back…”
lol sure, some have. How many bike thieves are there in a small city of about a little more than 100k, and who is buying those stolen bikes? I imagine he has regulars he’s visiting now when a bike is stolen xd
It’s worth remembering that no one thinks of themselves as the bad guy. Their reasons for doing things may not be good ones, but there are always reasons. Treating people like human beings goes a long way toward solving a great many problems that anger and outrage can only make worse.
Kind of reminds me of Pleasant Green who scambaits, but also makes attempts to get to know the scammers and actually makes an effort to help them turn their lives around.
