Bicycle thieves go to the special hell

Perhaps in connection with the sluggish economy, perhaps with skyrocketing gas prices, perhaps any combination thereof, bicycle thefts seem to be increasing exponentially here in Madison (and probably elsewhere, too).

The stolen-and-recovered $8,000 bike story is more humorous cautionary tale than anything, but it's worth mentioning. And all one needs to do is troll the Madison craigslist bicycle listings to see other tales of woe. Plus, there's a whole thread on the Daily Page forums dedicated to the phenomenon.

Theft of almost any kind is wrong (I'll make exceptions for the Jean Valjean variety of bread stealing), but I hold a special malice toward those who take bicycles.

Thing is, there are so many programs that provide cheap, decent bikes to people in need, and plenty of second hand shops that sell them for next to nothing, that there's little excuse for the practice. I suspect that, rather than some real need, most bicycle thieves are in it for one of two reasons: stupidity, and/or greed.

And with the way the economy is going these days, petty crime in general is, perhaps unsurprisingly, on the rise. Bike theft is probably just one facet of a larger problem, but I admit that it provokes an especially strong reaction in me. I suspect, too, that I'm not alone in feeling this way. People ride bicycles for all kinds of reasons--recreation, transportation, fitness--and people ride all sorts of bikes. No matter if its a $20 Huffy or a $3,000 Trek Madone, stealing someone's bike is just as bad as stealing their car. To me, it's almost worse.

There are lots of folks who rely on their bikes to get them to and from work, to the grocery store, and to all sorts of other crucial places. On top of that, anyone who rides is, in at least a small way, helping to alleviate problems like air pollution and traffic congestion. Stealing bikes flies in the face of efforts that benefit everyone.

To compound this problem, it appears as though the Madison Police Department doesn't take bicycle theft in a manner that could be called "serious." I understand that there are more pressing matters on their plates than when someone forgets to lock up their beater bike and it gets nabbed. But many stolen bikes are taken by force, through someone cutting a lock and making off, bandit-like, with something that is, oftentimes, a person's main mode of getting around. This should be taken a little more seriously--at least as much as when someone's car is stolen.

Sadly, that doesn't currently seem to be the case. Bicycles are still seen by too many people as toys, as something silly that certain people ride, but certainly nothing worth serious attention. Hopefully, with fuel prices going crazier by the day and concerns over climate change increasing, more and more people will begin to look at the bicycle in a different, more positive light. And maybe they'll start taking bike theft a little more seriously, too.

In the meantime, there are steps you can take to protect your ass:

• Register your bike with the city. It's just $10 for a 4-year registration, and it will increase the likelihood that, should your bike be stolen and recovered, you'll get it back. It's not a foolproof plan, but it helps.
• Keep your bike in a secure, indoor location if at all possible.
• If you don't have an indoor place to stash your ride, invest in a heavy-duty lock. Check out consumersearch.com's reviews and recommendations for the best ones.
• If your bike is nabbed, keep an eye on the aforementioned Madison craigslist page, as it's not entirely unlikely that it may pop up there, and you'll be able to track down the thief.
• Push for better, properly installed bike racks at local businesses and on city property. And remember: not all bike racks are created equal. Also, look for places that provide bike lockers. There are several places around the city that do (certain city parking garages, and I think the Terrace--if anyone knows of other locations, please say so in the comments section).

There are also several good resources for bicycling in Wisconsin on the net that you should consider checking out:

• The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin has a good FAQ section and other great resources.
  
• Dream Bikes provides affordable bicycles to people in need, plus great job training for at-risk kids. Consider donating an old bike to them!
• Madvelocity is a good community site for all sorts of bike-related info, plus it has a stolen bikes listing section.
• The "Bike-It-Yourself" column over at dane101 has lots of helpful info, as well.
  

It's also important to remember to be a conscientious cyclist, obeying appropriate laws, wearing proper safety gear (I don't care if you hate what it does to your precious hair, WEAR A HELMET), and generally not being a jerk. Too many motorists already harbor an irrational hatred of cyclists, so there's no reason to give them rational reasons, too.

Biking to work to beat the blues

I don't need to tell you that there seems to be a surplus of very bad news lately. Just today, I woke up to the newscasters on WPR telling me about a crashed Med Flight helicopter, a devastating earthquake in China, and only just some of the first aid flights allowed into Myanmar/Burma after the terrible cyclone hit there last week. This in addition to the usual but almost always unpleasant news out of Iraq, and deepening civil unrest in Lebanon.

I believe very strongly in keeping up with what's going on in the world, and always trying to find a way to help, even in small ways. But there are times when it can all be a little too hard on the ol' mental health, and a person, if they're so lucky as to be able to, needs to take some time to think happy thoughts and do something good for themselves.

It's Bike to Work Week, and I'm using this occasion to get back in the saddle and ride the 13 miles one-way to my job at least twice this week. Though it involves getting my lazy ass out of bed a bit earlier than normal, the task is otherwise really good for my psyche (and, of course, my body). By the time I get to work, I feel energized, awake and positive about the day ahead. I can't recommend it enough. And this week is the best possible time of the year to get into it, as various organizations all over town have put together a series of events to support bike commuters.

You can check out the full schedule of events here.

Plus, there's never been a better time to save on gas money. It's been nothing short of astounding to watch the prices climb ever higher on a day-to-day basis. Frankly, as much as I support people cutting down on how much they drive, improving fuel efficiency, and finding more sustainable sources of that fuel, I also recognize that for it to be a smooth transition, it needs to happen gradually. With prices skyrocketing like they are, it severely endangers the trucking industry that brings so many people their basic necessities (food, for instance), and we really need to find a way to stanch the bleeding there.

In addition to the many economical, political and rational reasons to bike or take mass transit to work, there's also the good-mental-health factor. Madison is full of bike paths and lanes (though it could certainly use more). Instead of zooming down the Beltline, I got to gaze out over the lake, smile at fellow travelers, smell the fresh morning air, hear lawn mowers buzzing and dogs barking, and see people going about their days. And for that hour-and-a-half of riding, I could temporarily clear my head of all the shit going on in the world. Sometimes, that's exactly what you need to do in order to deal with it all more effectively in the future, when you get off your bike and face the world again.