Savannah Moyle proudly displays the bike she calls "Big Yellow Hornet". Moyle said her friends refuse to be seen with her and the bike.
Photo: Mike Schaefer, NewsNetNebraska
More bikers than ever seem to be crowding the paths across campus this year, students, campus police and bike-shop owners say. Along with the occasional mishap, the proliferation of bikes is leading to jammed bike racks and a rise in thefts.
No official statistics are kept on the number of bikes at the university, but about 138 bicycles were parked in racks outside of the Nebraska Union and the Selleck Quadrangular around 3 p.m. Wednesday. Only a handful of empty spots were left and several bikes were illegally locked to handrails and fences.
UNL campus police officer Jim Davis said 65 bikes are registered with his department so far. Last year, more than 200 bikes were registered with the UNL police department as a way to keep track in case they're stolen. Authorities began the registration program just last year.
Davis said the number of bikes on campus seems to be the highest he's seen in his four years on the force.
Students like Moyle agree. "Last year, walking around I did see a few bikes, and that's what sparked my interest in getting a bike," Moyle said. "But this year, I've noticed a lot more bikers."
There have been drawbacks to the increased bike activity around campus. Thefts, for instance, are on the rise. Officer Davis said it is simple math: more bikes equal more opportunities for thefts.
Students say the overcrowded racks are beginning to be a headache. UNL senior Bea Huff said the shortage of space has led some students to employ creative methods to keep their two-wheeled transports safe.
"There was this one time where someone chained their bike to my bike," Huff said. "And I couldn't get mine out."
Senior Paul Prososki puts away his bike lock after a visit to the Nebraska Union.
Photo: Mike Schaefer, NewsNetNebraska
Janike said he now sees 4 or 5 bikers during his ride home, compared with last year, when he typically saw none.
"Younger kids are getting into it, more than in the past," Janike said. "A lot of people tell me that they've seen more bikes around, so they feel like they should join in."
Chris Dorbert, a freshman at UNL, said he bought a bike after the second week of school because he was tired of walking around campus.
Moyle said she sees biking as a way to make her hectic school schedule more convenient. It also helps to get her out of some sticky situations along the way, she said.
"If I'm late for class, I can just zoom off and my bike takes me there really quick," Moyle said. "I haven't been late to class since."
One problem with the increase of bike usage on campus has been a rise of illegal stowage of bikes. Photo: Mike Schaefer, NewsNetNebraska
Other students said biking around campus simply allows them to avoid paying for gas. It also saves them from having to find a parking space for their cars.
Moyle said she is adapting to the increased bike congestion. "I have learned the times when I can avoid traffic, we're all pretty conscious of each other and make sure to get out of the way," Moyle said.
Click here to check out NewsNetNebraska's video interviews with bike enthusiasts around campus.
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