Q&A with Officer Kelly McIver
Kelly McIver is the communications director and public officer for the University of Oregon Police Department. He spent a few minutes with us discussing the issue of bike theft on campus, and the impact that the issue has had at the University of Oregon.
Q: How are bikes most commonly stolen on campus?
A: They’re normally stolen when there are either a lot of people around, and people aren’t noticing when someone is coming up and snipping a chain or a cable and taking off with the bike. Or it happens late at night – when there’s not a lot of people around, and there’ not much in the way of good lighting or whatever. Typically it’s going to be someone using bolt cutters to snip either a cable lock or a chain.
Q: Has anyone been able to retrieve their stolen bike?
A: Yeah it does happen, especially when people have gone and registered their bikes with the Office of Public and Transportation. That sticker on there is very difficult to get off – sometimes people don’t even find it. Later, if that bike is abandoned, or if we encounter someone for other purposes, and we find that they have a bike that’s registered to a University student – we can impound that and get it back to them.
Q: What’s the number one piece of advice you would give to a student trying to prevent their bike from being stolen?
A: Get and always use a quality U-shaped lock. They can be had for pretty reasonable prices. Our Public and Transportation Office sells them for pretty cheap; the City of Eugene might as well from the police department. Of course they can be had at pretty much any bike shop or department store downtown… Although they can be defeated, it’s very difficult, and it takes time, and thieves don’t want to spend time. They want to get out.
Q&A with David Alonso Rodriguez
David is a junior at the UO working toward a major in theatre/drama. He has had numerous bikes stolen since he has moved to Eugene.
Q: Start by telling me your name and age?
A: My name is David Alonso Rodriguez and my age is 20.
Q: I understand you’ve had two bikes stolen?
A: Yes. I’ve had two bikes stolen.
Q: How did you get your bike stolen the first time, in detail?
A: How my first bike got stolen was actually my own fault. I had gone to a friends house in a pretty good neighborhood, around 15th and Agate, so near enough campus. I only meant to be in there 10 seconds, tops. This is around my sophomore year. I placed the bike in front of his house, I went in and stayed longer than I meant to and the second I went out, it was just gone. So I didn’t even think about it. Then my second bike, I didn’t know proper lock procedures. So I was locking what assumed to be the tire through the frame to the pole, when [in] reality it was just the tire to the pole. So all they had to do was unscrew the tire and then just took the rest of the frame and took someone else’s tire to accommodate for the lack of a tire to move it.
Q: So how frustrating was it, like okay it’s already happened once before.
A: The first time I was frustrated more at myself because I just didn’t think. The second time was just more frustrating because you hear about how bike theft is really bad here, but sometimes you just kind of forget about it. You know what I mean? I know it sounds really weird, but you forget how bad it can be. The smallest little slip-up and your bike can be gone. Then you are late for your 9am class, which I had happen.
Q: Between the two thefts, have you changed your locking habits?
A: Yes, I’ve definitely changed my locking habits from both thefts. For a while I only kept my bike inside, but now that I know how to properly lock my bike, I haven’t had any problems since. Third bike’s a charm!
Q: It was your grandfathers bike?
A: Oh yeah, it was my late uncle’s. He passed away my sophomore year of high school, he actually taught me how to ride my first bike. My dad really couldn’t. I had a lot of sentimental value, I got it really fixed up, and it was road ready, and it was really hitting its sweet spot as far as how well it could ride. I was just devastated by having it gone and really regret not locking it properly.
Q: Did you try and make any efforts to find it?
A: I tried to find it, I filled a police report. At the time, I didn’t have that one registered so it was really hard for me to give information about it, because I didn’t know the serial number. The second one I had registered, I thought ‘oh yea, they can get it back, it’s like a bright neon bike. There’s no way anyone can roll around without that being noticed.’ It’s been months and I’ve never heard from them, so I kind of just let it go. Although I thought I was it while rolling around. But it’s a hard situation, like how do you approach someone and say “Hey, I think you stole my bike, can I check?” You know what I mean?
Q: When you are riding around, is it always in the back of your mind?
A: Yes. Any time I see a neon green bike frame I’m always wondering ‘is that mine? Could that be mine?’ At a certain point you just gotta let it go.
Q: So what’s your locking procedure now?
A: It depends on the tires. There are quick release tires, and there tires that are bolted in. The front is quick release and the back is just the chain, the gear and the shift, which is a lot harder for them to take off. I want to protect the front tire by locking through the tire, through the pole, and locking between the frame because that’s like nearly impossible to get through.
Q: What would you say to freshmen who want to buy a new bike?
A: What I would say to freshmen who want to buy new bikes? Don’t buy a brand new bike. They are nice, they really are, but there are so many places around here that have used bike [parts]. There’s one used bike facility downtown, kind of in the Whiteaker area where you can buy used parts, and frames and really build a bike from the ground up, that’s really what I’d recommend, is buying a used bie and then adding on to that because it’s less of a loss than having a brand new bike stolen from you. Buy a ulock, buy a wire that can lock through the ulock through the back tire..a cable lock. Know where you can lock your bike and if you can’t lock your bike anywhere, bring it inside. I don’t think anyone would mind.
Q&A with Dave Benjamin
Dave is an employee at Life Cycle Bike shop located on 18th and Pearl.
Q: Start by stating your name?
A: Dave Benjamin.
Q: How old are you?
A: 20
Q: How would you say bikes are most commonly stolen?
A: Probably the most common way that are stolen in Eugene is people cut the bike locks. Downtown it happens a lot. They’ll use bolt cutters or anything that can cut through metal. They just cut it, and go.
Q: How would you prevent bike theft?
A: Bring the bike inside if you are going into a shop or any place. Bring it with you or always have it visible. Don’t leave it out for hours and hours.
Q: Do you recommend a ulock?
A: Yeah, I would use more of like a kryptonite ulock or something.
Q: Have you or any of your employees or friends had their bike stolen?
A: We’ve had a few break-in to the shop so now we’ve actually had to secure the shop a little more. I haven’t heard too much talk about outside of the shop, it’s mainly just here.
Q: I actually didn’t grow up here, but bike theft seems like a pretty important deal here in Eugene.
A: Oh yeah, we are actually the only two cities, us and New York City, that don’t offer bike insurance because those two [cities] are where the most bike theft happens in the whole US.
Q: Wow, it’s kind of a big deal here huh?
A: Oh yeah!
Q: What first made you realize that bike theft was an issue in this city?
A: Growing up here, you used to always hear to lock up your bike all the time and whatnot. I had a bunch of friends growing up who had their bikes stolen, but luckily I’ve never had one stolen.
Q: You work in a bike shop, have you always had a love for bikes?
A: Haha. I wouldn’t say working with bikes is my passion, but I grew up riding a lot and I guess I was just always good at fixing them. I needed some money so I luckily got hired here and it’s going great. I don’t intend to work on bikes my entire life though.
Q&A with University of Oregon sophomore, Corinn Ferwalt.
Corinn recently replaced bike, after it was stolen at her apartment complex. She took a few minutes to share her story.
Q: How was your bike stolen?
A: I had it locked to a chain link fence post, and I though that was secure. I though that was secure, but what they did was – cut the fence around the pole and lifted the crosspiece off the top of the fence. They lifted my bike over the top of it.
Q: How concerned are you that people can steal a bike from a so called secure apartment complex?
A: I’ve learned that in this town – there is no secure place to lock a bike unless you keep it inside. I really want my building to install an actual bike rack, and that would make it easier to lock up a bike, but it would still not be 100 percent safe.
Q: Do you get paranoid when you have to lock your bike before class?
A: On campus, in daylight, I’m not too worried about it. I usually only lock the frame – and that’s safe enough. But if I’m going to leave the bike there for an extended period of time – then I get worried about it.
Q: Does the potential of nicer bikes being stolen influence what bike you choose to replace it with?
A: Absolutely. I bought a $200 Target bike [to replace it], because I knew the chance of it getting stolen again are very high.
Q: What’s one piece you would give to an incoming freshman with a bike?
A: That would involve typically having your bike locked up at the dorms every night. So I would buy the beefiest lock you could find, and lock up the frame and wheels every night. Find a way to secure the seat so your seat doesn’t get stolen off the bike. Also, don’t be too attached to your bike, because it will probably go away at some point during your life in Eugene.