Update: Monday 1 August 2022

The following are a series of videos I’ve shot, as a glimpse into my mental process as I assess each parking situation. While they may seem obvious to some, I keep reading surprising accounts of bikes stolen.
Yes, the videos were shot in Canada, not in more chronic bike-theft places such as the U.K. (let alone some places in Latin America)! So, using an angle grinder near pedestrians is a rare occurrence. Still, Vancouver is plagued with bike theft, due to the popularity of cycling, and an even higher prevalence of petty theft.
Almost none of these factor-in the usage of the M!nder bike alarm, as the practices long predate the latter’s invention.

Preamble

I’ve never lost a bike to theft, but I recognize that a huge amount of luck has been involved. I do engage in risky behaviour (cable locks, or less), but I am ever-conscious that all it takes is just the wrong guy happening to walk past! And I know that a M!nder will help me with that.
As with the rest of this site, Canadian experiences (in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver) have shaped the bulk of my outlook, with some years in Taiwan, the U.S. and (long ago) the U.K.

Practices I Swear By

I never lock outside, overnight. Always inside my apartment!
No sheds, no garages.
As much as possible, I avoid bike rooms/cages/lockers. (I’m talking about daytime, of course. Never-Overnight still applies.)
Four-point check.
I’ve never been so naive as to think that a cable lock is adequate for a $1000 bike!

Dominant Factors

To me, important determinants of safety include:

1. The less appealing the bike, the safer.
2. The more brief the parking, the safer.
3. Passers-by. The more pedestrians, the better.
4. The more likely that passers-by will intervene, the safer.
5. The more likely that passers-by will at least record a video, the safer.
6. The anchor. The more dependable the anchor, for the parking context, the safer.
7. Street life. Is it a narrow street? If car’ed, do they move slowly? Are there many small businesses catering to people?
8. Light. Is it daytime? Evenings are bad, nights are worse.
9. Weather. The more unpleasant, cold or miserable, the safer.
10. Is it at a popular bike-path? The more bikes passing, the better.
11. The longer your lock can resist its likely attack, the better.
12. The wider context. How prevalent is bike theft in the area, or the city? How organized are bike thefts? How bad is the under-prioritization of bike-theft by the local police?

As outlined in the M!nder FAQ, context matters greatly.
And, yes, I placed locks way down the list. As I’ve touched upon elsewhere, the more-metal approach is _not_ something I practise. Furthermore, I do not consider massive locks to be practical for most people, except perhaps occasionally at home.

The Bike’s Visibility

Would it be good for the bike to stand out?
On the one hand, you wouldn’t want thieves to notice it; on the other hand, you _would_ want passers-by to notice a thief attempting to steal it.
My practice is to try to strike a balance:
1. I avoid exhibiting an appealing bike, at a spot that forms a spotlight;
2. the bike must be visible to passers-by.

Of course, a spotlight rarely exists, and I don’t always ride expensive bikes. So, it’s been easy to aim for the bike+spot to be visible, but not to turn heads.

Time and Quiet

Time and quiet assist a thief.
The more time he has, the better for him.
The less likely he is going to be disturbed, the better for him.

This is what makes underground parking, underground bike cages/rooms/lockers, sheds and garages his favourite hunting ground.
This is what makes overnight-parking his favourite, not to mention the owner being away on holiday.

Stalking & Surveillance

I don’t drive around with an expensive bike on a rack. So, once spotted, a thief will have to _bike_ to stalk me: He won’t be able to walk behind me, or to attempt to drive inconspicuously.
Once I reach home, the bike gets stored _inside_ my apartment. So, surveillance by anyone in the vicinity will bear no fruit.

If, one day in future, I were to drive my bike to a distant area/town, I’d be sure to lock it to the rack with a prominent, imposing lock, leaving no impression of lax security. The last thing I’d want is to convey to another car that I do not take security seriously.
People carry tools in their cars and trucks for a variety of reasons!

Leases and Condo Contracts

When looking for a new home, if the contract/lease puts any prohibitions on bikes being taken inside the home, I look for another place. The contract is telling me to leave a pile of cash on the sidewalk!
I’ve never heard of anyone being reimbursed, even partially, even symbolically, for any loss or damage arising from this.
And I learnt the hard way that owners can pass away, and management can change; so, lack of enforcement of a contract-clause is no guarantee that I won’t end up in a very bad situation.