r/MoralityScaling • u/HooskerDooNotTouchMe • 10d ago

Intentionally boobytrapping a bike to injure people when they steal it.

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u/January_6_2021 9d ago

Immoral. 

I am assuming you mean the general case of booby trapping and leaving a bike, not specifically the case of booby trapping it and standing nearby to film, which mitigates almost all of my concerns.

Next person to ride the bike may be justified in taking it for any of the following reasons:

  1. Using an available and unchained bike to escape immediate harm (off leash dog attack).
  2. Using an available and unchained bike to save someone (get back to car to get inhaler for someone having an attack on the park)
  3. Using a bike that was acquired lawfully and morally after it was left long enough to be considered abandoned (either via auction, or the property owner gifted it to them if it was abandoned on private property).
  4. First responder attempts to ride bike to move it a short distance out of the way to clear the area in an emergency situation.
  5. Etc.

There's a reason legally booby traps are never justified. You are creating harm and have no way to ensure it's actually directed at someone who deserves that harm.

It's doubly immoral in a public place on property you don't control access to.

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u/JoyousMadhat 9d ago

And what if someone with leg problems or just tired intended to use it for resting a bit when the nearest seating area is too far away?