The Tempe Police Department began strictly enforcing bike rules on Monday as part of the Tempe Police Department's Back to School Enforcement Week and has issued 580 warnings to hazardous bicyclists thus far.
"The purpose of Back to School Enforcement Week is to provide cyclists with relevant information that may save their lives," Tempe Police Sgt. Mike Warren said. "We want to inform bicyclists that riding against the flow of traffic and crossing against traffic signals is dangerous."
Tempe police officers have increased patrols near campus intersections where bike traffic is heavy, including the intersections of McAllister Road and Apache Boulevard, and Rural Road and University Drive. Officers issued warnings to students Monday and Tuesday and began assessing fines to violators on Wednesday.
Though ASU police indicated they would begin enforcement of the Main Campus Transportation Code on Monday, they have not yet begun issuing any citations for on-campus violations. Seventy-four tickets were assessed to ASU students for bicycle violations last year.
"The likely reason that ASU police haven't begun strict enforcement of the Main Campus Transportation Code is a scheduling conflict within the department," said ASU spokesman Keith Jennings. "The department may also want to stagger enforcement, since the Tempe Police Department began their patrols this week," he said.
The campus code, revised in 2002, divides campus violations into three levels. Level one violations, including failure to observe traffic control signals and speeding at a rate greater than that of surrounding traffic, are punishable by a $15 fine.
Level two violations, such as failure to maintain control of a bicycle, are punishable by a $30 fine. Level three violations, including collisions with other bicycles or pedestrians, are punishable by a $60 fine and mandatory attendance to a mall safety-training course.
Bicyclists riding on the major roads near campus who violate state and local laws that prohibit riding on the wrong side of the road and crossing against traffic signals may be subject to fines up to $152.
"A fine of $152 seems a bit excessive, but when I think about it, people's lives could be endangered by people who don't follow the law," said social work graduate student Maria Gorsuch. "It's also annoying when I'm just trying to walk to class, and I have to jump out of the way of a speeding cyclist."
Though signs are posted on campus malls telling cyclists to walk their bikes between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Gorsuch said she wasn't aware of any other bicycle laws. "I don't ride my bike on campus, but I have friends that do and I don't think they are familiar with the bike laws either," she said.
People riding bicycles are required to obey the same rules as drivers of other vehicles, said Sgt. Richard Wilson of the ASU Police Department. "This is about safety. If an unsafe rider gets a fine, they're much more likely to learn the laws and abide by them."
Reach the reporter at kelly.vaughn@asu.edu.
