Biking at UK
A while ago I tweeted about 5 times in 5 minutes about my experience getting a bike parking sticker from Parking and Transportation Services at the University of Kentucky. The process of getting the pass wasn’t so bad (besides being forced to pay all my outstanding parking tickets before they’d let me buy a pass), but the underlying theory of bicycle registration has a whole bunch of people uneasy, and unbeknownst to many cyclists at UK, opposed to some of their greatest advocates.
News about the bicycle registration program broke last Spring in the Kernel, and immediately caused a huge firestorm. The step of registration had apparently been in the works for a long time, and had the backing of Shane Tedder and Taylor Shelton, major players in all things involving sustainability at UK (Shane even founded Wildcat Wheels, the on-campus bike shop at UK). However, the step seemed like a powerplay by many of the average bikers at UK–as was witnessed in letters the the Kernel’s editor, comments on their website, and by organizing on facebook, as well as casual conversations I’ve had with many of my biker friends.
Taylor and Shane, as far as I can tell, are the two people who ride bicycles who support the registration program. The vehement opposition obviously is a function of lots of different feelings–mistrust of PTS because of their autocratic behaviors involving car parking at UK, the initial news that the registration would include a fee, or anger at the aestetic price which placing an unattractive barcode on one’s seat post included. There is a stereotype of bicycle riders as more liberal and less trusting of authority. If that stereotype is grounded in truth (which I believe it to be), that quickly could translate to opposition to this plan.
I understand the case for registration as laid out by Shane and Taylor. As far as I understand it, the case is that registration acts as a theft deterrent (via the barcode on the seatpost), PTS requiring registration legitimizes bicycling as a transportation choice, and initially, the funds recouped would have been used for improvements in bicycle infrastructure. However, I have my doubt about all of these points. First, the sticker could be removed with by anybody with a little goo-gone and about 10 minutes. No more theft deterrent. Second, the law already legitimizes bicycling as a transportation choice. Finally, the fee was removed immediately after the plan was announced, meaning that we will recoup no funds for infrastructure improvement.
Honestly, PTS did what they should have done in order to ensure this plan had the backing of the bicycle community–they went to all the right people to ensure the plan would be accepted by the bicycling masses at UK. However, the plan is, as far as I can tell, pretty useless. The bike racks at UK are very rarely full, and do not merit the registration program in terms of space requirements. The only end I see for this plan is PTS using bikes to generate funds. If the plan had included a method of raising funds, I might have supported it, but I cannot see any end-game I can see from bicycle registration is a reduction of bicyclists at UK. While I hope that is not the case, I feel that it will be.
This puts me in a pretty awkward position. I don’t think I’ve ever opposed Shane or Taylor in any reform effort on UK’s campus ever. However, I side with the great majority of bicyclists at UK and oppose this change. I guess this goes to show you that you never agree with everyone all the time.



