Red-White Ribbon

I found a note pinned on the door of a house in Nuremberg saying:

"To clear out our bike stands we will remove all abandoned bikes.
This will happen as follows:
We marked all bikes with a red-white ribbon on the handle-bar. Please remove the ribbon from your bike.
All bikes that are still with a ribbon on June 23rd, 2007 (and therefore abandoned) will be removed.
The housekeeper"


At about 15 out ouf 50 bikes still had a ribbon.

Imagine that you wake up with such a ribbon around your wrist. The next days would be very crucial for your life. If no one removes it you would be considered as abandoned person and cleared up.
Yes, you could remove it by yourself to protect you from being disposed but then you'd never know whether you are alone or not.
I didn't dare yet to look at my wrist.