I am writing in regard to the article titled “UA encourages bike registration.”

The first and most obvious problem I have is the title of the article. The word “encourage” implies choice. The correct word to use in this situation would be “UA mandates bike registration,” given that a note was attached to my bike, informing me that if my bike was not registered, it would be removed.

Secondly, inconsistent bike lanes plague campus roads. If the University is so concerned with the safety of UA bikers, as the policy stresses, why are there so few bike lanes? Almost a year ago, a student was struck on his bicycle at the intersection of Campus Drive and Marr’s Spring Road and was hospitalized for serious injuries. This particular area has no bike lanes, as is the case with many areas on campus. In some areas on campus, there are lanes labeled as bike and bus lanes. I would challenge the University to explain why these two very different modes of transportation are lumped together. Buses are considerably larger and faster than bikes, and in the event of an accident, there is no question which vehicle would sustain the most damage.

Also, the new policy’s registration process is inefficient. If the University is going to issue a new policy affecting a large amount of students, it should not be done so haphazardly. Currently, students must park their unregistered bike at Transportation Services, retrieve the registration form, fill it out, and get the permit. There is no excuse for not having this process online.

Finally, I would like to take a quote directly from the University’s bicycle policy: “There will be no charge to register your bicycle at this time.” I believe that in a literature class, this would be referred to as foreshadowing. Parking has been moved further and further off campus, forcing many commuters to use a bike to make up for lost time. It seems to me that the University has created a situation where more bikes are on campus and is subsequently looking to cash in. I hope such a travesty would never occur, however, it looks to be in the works.

Blake Doherty is a graduate student in civil engineering.