Keep Your Bike Secure

FIFTEEN
THOUSAND
BIKES
are reported stolen in New York City every year. Experts believe that this figure represents only 20% of the actual total, only those that were reported. The real number is more like 75,000 bike thefts per year. Police recover less than 2% of them. If you've never had a bike stolen, you might not anticipate how really bad it can make you feel. Here at Bicycle Habitat we thought it would be a good idea to give our customers some tips on how to avoid theft.

Valuable advice from New York City pros on how to keep your bike from being stolen.

Velo News Publishes Bob Mionske's Review of National "Bike" Legislators

Legally Speaking with Bob Mionske - A time for thanks
By Bob Mionske
Posted Nov. 27, 2008
As Americans pause to give thanks at the beginning of this holiday season, it’s a good time for us to look past some of the outrages we’ve experienced this past year and reflect on what we cyclists have to be thankful for. . .

Read the full article

Local Fort Collins City Council members are big supporters of cycling as well. Ben Manvel is up for re-election in April 2009:
Ben Manvel for City Council

Fort Collins City Council Passes Bike Plan Revision, Creates Bicycle Advisory Committee

On October 7, 2008 Fort Collins City Council unanimously passed the bike plan revision and instructed the City Manager, Darin Atteberry, to create a Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) before the end of 2008.

Yesterday, Nov, 7th City Bicycle Coordinator, "DK" Dave Kemp sent out a press release announcing the creation of the BAC. Kemp also convened two public meetings November 18 and 24 to offer the public "more information" on the BAC. For details: http://www.fcgov.com/bicycling/pdf/bac-pr.pdf

The actual purpose of the BAC is explained in a document release by the City Bicycle Coordinator: "Fort Collins Bicycle Advisory Committee Development Proposal" here: http://www.fcgov.com/bicycling/pdf/bac-dev.pdf

The good news here is that this board (a sub-committee to the Transportation Board, which considers all City transportation issues) will include representatives from 12 other city boards, commissions, and public entities, including:

- Air Quality Board
- Youth Advisory Board
- Parks & Recreation Board
- Natural Resources Advisory Board
- Senior Advisory Board
- Economic Advisory Commission (AND, curiously, the Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce)
- Downtown Development Authority
- Bike Fort Collins
- Bicycle Cooperative of Fort Collins, Inc. (yah, that's the Bike Co-op)
- Poudre School District
- Colorado State University
- UniverCity Connections

In addition there will be two "at-large" members "representing different geographic areas of Fort Collins. (If you live in a "different" geographic area of Fort Collins, please raise your hand.)

The Mission and Purpose of the BAC:
"The Fort Collins Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) would be a citizen advisory committee which reports to the Transportation Board. BAC members would have interest in or knowledge of bicycle related issues. The Committee's role will be to review all issues related to bicycling in the areas of engineering, enforcement, encouragement, environment, community and economy. The types of activities include, but are not limited to the following:

- provide group liaison between the City and the community and community groups on issues related to bicycling.
- Fostering the interchange of ideas from existing City Boards and Commissions, as well as other community stakeholders, such as Poudre School District, Colorado State University and the Downtown Development Authority and others as appropriate.
- Promote bicycling as a viable form of transportation.
- Act as a sounding board for citizens who have bicycle-related questions and concerns.
- Assist in the development and dissemination of bicycle safety awareness and education and encouragement materials to the community.
- Develop implementation strategies for recommendations in the 2008 Bike Plan.
- Assist with the development of evaluation metrics for determining success of bicycle programs and facilities.
- Review proposed capital improvement projects, street improvements, traffic signal projects, and parking facilities projects.
- Initiate requests to City staff and other appropriate agencies on issues of concern to the Committee related to bicycling.

The new, revised 2008 Bike Plan (which you can view here:
http://www.fcgov.com/bicycling/pdf/bike_plan-2008.pdf?20081028)
lists a host of projects that the new BAC can address. Among them, recommendations from UniverCity Connections that include turning Canyon Avenue into a "bicycle boulevard," completing east-west cross streets for cyclists in Downtown Fort Collins, and much more.

One of the first things that should be done is remove the signs shown in the photo at the head of this post.