Korean Job Discussion Forums

[nathanrutledge]

I used to hit up police auctions all the time back home, always some fun stuff to buy. Know of anything like that here?

More specifically, bicycles left at the subway station indefinitely end up with sticker notices from the police telling people that they will be seized if not removed. What happens to those bikes? How can I get one of them? I thought about just stealing/taking the oldest, crappiest one that was sitting there, but I'd rather get one legally (even though they are abandoned, it's still stealing).

Thoughts?

[machoman]

i bought a mitsubishi galant sedan at a police auction once for 600 bucks. nice car, kind of shady though. in the backseat, there were stains that looked like dried blood, and the locks were broken off (in my mind, i always imagined someone was tied up back there and was trying to get out and the kidnapper or whatever smashed the locks so that they couldn't open it.) and to top it off, there was a nascar sticker on the back bumper.

[nathanrutledge]

Just to be clear, I'm asking about a KOREAN police auction or its equivalent.

machoman, my cousin drove a drug car for about 4 months. seats had been sliced open, fingerprints were everywhere with sharpie marker numbers by each one. funniest thing. cost him 20 bucks i believe. too bad it only lasted 4 months.

[Troglodyte]

I don't think they auction the abandoned bikes. I've never heard of it. From what I've seen, it's not the police that collect them either. In Bucheon at least (probably the same elsewhere) the Gu office deals with the problem of abandoned bikes. Those stickers usually say the number of the department at the Gu office that deals with abandoned bikes. If your bike is confiscated, you can contact them to get it back. If no one claims that bikes after 2 weeks, they are either given away (usually to old people or kids who don't care about riding a slightly rusty or out of date bike) or the scrap metal yard. So, if you want one, go to the Gu office near a train station. Go with a Korean friend if you need a translator. Say that you want an abandoned bike. Find one that look ok. Specifically check that the gears work (take a canister of penetrating oil with you to test them out properly) and the wheels aren't warped. It's near impossible to flatten the rims out again if the rims are too deformed. It's a common problem because the bikes are stuck in those bike racks that support the bike by the front wheel. Every time they are pushed, pressure is put on the wheel rim. BUT if you find one with good gears but just one wonky wheel, then find another with a good wheel and ask if you can swap the wheel. Or just take both bikes and do it at home. If you happen to see when the bongo truck with the city workers comes by to collect the old bikes from the train station, you could probably just ask them to give you one of the bikes.

Remember that those bikes will have problem. But as long as the gears and wheels are ok, you should be set to go for a couple months at least. The next thing that tends to go on an abandoned bike is the axle between the pedals. If any dirt or dust gets in it, or if somehow it gets a nick in one ball bearing, it quickly messes itself up. In that case it will make a grinding sound and you'll know it's time to get yourself another bike. It's not something worth fixing on any but the most expensive of bikes. And these abandoned bikes are the low quality ones to begin with. But they are free, so it's still a good deal.

[nathanrutledge]

Trog -

I used to live in Byeongjeom, Hwaseong-si, a city without gu's, and no one ever took the bikes there. My neighbor had one that he left at the station for months on end, no problems. But now I live in Bundang and found that the authorities are much more aggressive towards this problem...

Anyway, I took a sticker off of one of the bikes and had a coworker read it to me this morning. Pretty much says what you've said, so thanks for the confirmation.

I am a bike guy, I've got a really nice Specialized Rockhopper that I've put some effort into. I keep detailed maintenance records and do as much of my own work as possible. The reason I want one of these junk bikes is that I don't like leaving my Specialized at the subway station or bus stop for extended periods of time in all kinds of weather. A cheap throwaway bike that I can ride to and from the station would be perfect. It would save me so much money on cab fare coming home late at night after the maeul buses stop running.

Also, I want to build a tricycle with a large basket in the back. I'm at a technical school now and have access to some fabrication tools and having a trike that I can haul groceries and things in would make my life quite a bit easier.

Thanks for the help. If anyone knows of any other information regarding this topic, OR police/government auctions of seized property, I am still interested. I know I probably couldn't buy a drug boat here, but still, I'm sure that there are fun proceeds from Korean crime!

[Steelrails]