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Biker discovers concerning scene at charging station: 'How [should we] stop this?'

"Disappointed every time."

"Disappointed every time."

Photo Credit: iStock

A New York bike rider had to vent after discovering a vandalized ride-share bike and wondered what could be done to stop it from happening again.

They came to the r/Citibike subreddit to share a photo of the bike, which had its faceplate and numbers removed, making it impossible for a user to unlock it and start riding.

"Disappointed every time."
Photo Credit: Reddit

"Seriously, how [should we] stop this movement of animalism?" the OP wrote.

Citibike offers on-demand rental bikes throughout New York City. It has both classic bikes and high-tech e-bikes, both of which offer convenient ways to get around the city without using taxis or other high-polluting means of travel.

Unfortunately, this type of vandalism has become common among eco-friendly modes of transportation. In particular, electric vehicles of all types have become the subject of this type of behavior.

Other Redditors have had the LCD displays stolen or cables snipped off their e-bikes. Those who drive electric cars have seen their vehicles keyed and intentionally scratched, as well as had their charging ports damaged, among other acts.

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Many people who still support dirty energy will often use common anti-EV talking points to try to show that EVs aren't any cleaner than gas-powered cars or that mining for EV batteries undoes any eco-friendly benefits that EVs claim to deliver.

However, studies prove that EVs are significantly better for the environment than their gas-powered counterparts. Although mining does occur for the lithium that helps make up EV batteries, it's a fraction of what is necessary to extract dirty energy.

The good news is that all of this vandalism doesn't seem to have slowed the growth of EVs. Sales have actually never been higher, as more people make the switch from gas-powered cars to ones that produce no tailpipe pollution.

E-bikes have also seen a tremendous rise in popularity. U.S. Department of Energy data shows that from 2019 to 2022, e-bike sales grew by nearly 400% to 1.1 million.

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However, that growth also means more opportunities for e-bikes to be vandalized, as this Redditor sadly discovered.

Those who vandalize these bikes "actually think there's something to steal under the face plate but end up being disappointed every time," one commenter wrote.

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