Katelyn Moorman – Staff Writer
Bike registration prevents theft and helps faculty, students, and staff stay safe on campus.
Biking is one alternative to driving that many people use on campus. Dispacher Jason Satkunam from the University of Wyoming Police Department (UWPD) offered a few important tips on bike registration and safety.
Satkunam said all faculty, staff, and students should register their bikes so that UWPD would have information that a bike owner typically would not have in the event of a theft. Registering a bike means that the bike’s serial number, model and color is recorded. All of this information is used to assist faculty, students and staff in keeping their bikes safe.
Satkunam said that while it is up to a bike owner to decide whether or not to register, “non-registered bikes are stolen more often than registered bikes, so registration could give them a better peace of mind.”
As for bike safety, Satkunam said cyclists should always wear a helmet when biking, stay on approved biking paths, keep the bike in good working condition, and pay attention to pedestrians and cars.
Students, faculty, and staff can register their bikes at the UW police department, located at 1426 E Flint Street. UWPD will also have a station set up outside of Simpson Plaza Sept. 5 and 6 to encourage incoming and returning students to register their bikes. Registering a bike takes less than five minutes, Satkunam said. It requires a one-time fee of $5. A sticker will then be placed on the frame of a bike to show that it has been registered. Without this sticker, it will be harder for UWPD to know a bike is registered. This is important, since the annual UWPD bike round-up in May considers unregistered bikes to be abandoned. Abandoned or unregistered bikes will be confiscated by UWPD during the round-up. To get back a bike, it has to be identified it at the police station and registered.
