Facebook: locked.
House: Locked.
MyASU: Locked. Hopefully.
Bike: Locked. Right? Wrong.
Out of 481 bike-related thefts reported between May 2011 and June 2012, only two owners had locked their bikes with both a U-Lock and a cable lock, the method recommended by Tempe and ASU Police to prevent theft.
Even more appalling, 19 percent of the bikes weren’t locked at all or used a different type of lock. Bikes secured with cable locks alone made up 60 percent of the total, and U-Locks were used on the remainder.
It’s simple, as a bike owner, to dwell on that first sting of injustice that hits after walking outside and realizing someone has made off with your wheels. From fixies to cruisers, it seems Tempe criminals steal indiscriminately and are showing no signs of slowing down.
With only a misdemeanor as a consequence, many offenders who make their living from stealing large quantities of bikes are not deterred.
And with bikes just sitting, waiting with poor lock or no lock, campus offers a buffet of options.
One hot spot on campus is the Memorial Union. This may not come as a surprise, as this is one of the areas of campus with the highest foot traffic.
What is surprising, however, is that students feel safe enough in this highly traveled area to leave bikes either unlocked, or locked but unattached to any permanent structure.
A bike with a U-Lock attaching its rear tire to its frame is not safe or secure. Shocking, right?
Students and Tempe residents can’t expect the city to put in more work to keep bikes safe than they themselves are willing the expend, especially when it seems even securing a Facebook account is a higher priority.
Harsher punishment for repeat offenders may finally stop the steady increase in stolen bikes, but unless riders properly lock and register their property, the chances of it being recovered and the perpetrator caught are low.
True, sometimes bikes are stolen and there is nothing more the owner could have done to prevent it. Statistically speaking, however, there are only two people in the entire city who fall in this category.
For many, bikes are a line to the world, freedom for students without cars and an alternative to fossil fuels. Bike shops pepper the city to serve not just its growing population of enthusiasts, but those who just want a way to get from one side of campus to the other.
So many students fit the latter description, in fact, that Tempe’s student government implemented the Walk Your Wheels campaign to ensure pedestrian safety.
And yet, whether personally or through a friend, students know that losing between $200 and $600 worth of metal, rubber and chain is something that happens daily.
You’d think we’d have learned our lesson by now.
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