Tesco and crash helmets.

[sickpup]

All through Covid Tesco were happy for motorcyclists to wear crash helmets in store, as a result the Tesco on Hackney road every morning between 7-8am, had a stream of motorcyclists in crash helmets in spending their money. There was normally at least 3 bikes parked outside in the loading bay at this time as couriers, office workers and commuters dropped in.
The staff had no problem with this, I have been told that the riders were always polite and in fact one of the staff members who had never seen me without a crash helmet recognised me in one of his friends Facebook posts and realised his friend was my little sister, that's how used to seeing me they were.
During this time there was only one security guard, a little old bloke who was always happy to see us.

Fast forward to 2022, Covid was over and Tesco instituted a new policy of no crash helmets and the manager at Hackney Road decided that people shouldn't be allowed in with crash helmets even if they were just being carried. All of those motorcyclists slowly stopped going in and used the Sainsbury's up the road, I haven't been in there in over a year.

Back then I had a chat with the manager at the Bethnal Green branch who confirmed the policy and also confirmed that he wasn't aware of a single incident in the area with motorcycle riders, that most thefts were by people without any face coverings, they just didn't care about being seen and only a small percentage of thieves bothered to cover their faces.
He did mention a recent incident when 3 youths in balaclavas had robbed a store at closing.

Today I was out and about and stopped at Hackney Road. The situation has got so bad that there are now 3 Security guards so I had a chat with one of them. It seems the policy of refusing entry to those wearing crash helmets actually backfired and thefts went through the roof. While the anti-theft policies at this site were aimed at those wearing crash helmets, the actual thieves who went in were bare-faced and were mostly ignored so thefts went up, he wasn't complaining, it gave him a job.

In conclusion, if Tesco had banned people not wearing crash helmets the theft rate would have dropped (sales as well I accept) but they followed a policy of people covering their faces was bad and they must be criminals which failed to understand the problem that thieves are criminals and criminals don't care if they are seen. That if a criminal wanted to use a crash helmet then they would, they are, after all criminals and ignore rules and laws
As a result of a bad policy, Tesco blamed innocent people, drew attention away from the criminals and as a result their theft rate and costs massively increased.

No real point to this post, just shows the most well intentioned policy that isn't thought through properly can really come back to bite you. Seems to fit politics very well.

[stinkwheel]

I have had this discussion with people before who harangued me for wearing a crash helmet. Along the lines of: If I was intent on robbing the place, we wouldn't be having this discussion because you'd be too busy putting the money in the bag.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[sickpup]

[Freddyfruitba...]

[Easy-X]

I think the thefts have gone up but not for the reasons you'd think

When the Tesco was favoured by bikers, milling about in body armour and helmets, that branch might have looked unappealing to shoplifters. Not only do they not fancy their prospects when surveying the customers in the shop, they probably wouldn't even enter because of all the bikes parked outside. Get rid of the bikers, and it'll just be crusty old fucks - no bother.

It's the classic "bar in the middle of nowhere" in American films. What do you want to keep the riff-raff out? A line of hogs parked up outside! "But the Hells Angels are riff-raff!" Yeah, but they're your riff-raff
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter