Anyone who has ever had their bike stolen knows how terrible it feels.
A few years ago, my family biked to the movie theater. After the movie we headed to our locked bikes only to realize our 9-year-old’s bike had been stolen. It was locked to mine, so the thief cut the lock and took his. My son’s eyes filled with tears. Why his bike? He loved that blue bike with all its stickers and used it to get to school. For a lot of people in the United States, bikes are a primary source of transportation.
Bike thefts feel deeply personal, targeted and hurtful but also are publicly detrimental. New research shows that U.S. bike thefts cost $1.4 billion annually with more than 2.4 million adult bikes stolen each year.
Safety concerns are the No. 1 reason holding them back from cycling more. Cities that want more people to reduce the use of cars to cycle more need to invest in bicycle infrastructure that creates physical separation between bicycles and vehicle drivers. This means dedicated bike paths and bike lanes separated by concrete barriers to reduce the fear of cars literally not staying in their lanes
Now add the fear of bike thefts. New research published by the University of Davis and University of California Santa Barbara shows thefts have a massive and negative influence on efforts to get people riding more. More bikes mean fewer cars, which would, in turn, make transportation systems more sustainable.
The financial burden of bike thefts is uneven: Asian, Black, and lower-income people bear the brunt of economic losses tied to these thefts.
While 69 percent of people who have their bike stolen will replace their bike, 45 percent of people will ride less or stop riding altogether. In many cases, people can’t afford to replace their bike. In other cases, people are leery of parking their bike in places where a theft could occur: Our son’s bike was stolen at the movie theater, and we have driven to that theater instead of bicycling there ever since.
Not surprisingly, avid bicyclists aren’t thwarted by thefts. Theft deters the people who are new to bicycling or bike a little, making theft bad news for any city trying to encourage new ridership or get people that ride a little riding more. Forty percent of people who have endured theft replace bike trips with carbon-heavy transportation alternatives, like driving.
Stopping theft isn’t easy. Bikes are everywhere, portable, and well-organized groups target them. Even the best bike locks can be cut. However, there are things we can do to reduce theft. Cyclists may register their bikes at BikeIndex.org. This platform is a registration system that has aided recovery of over $27 million worth of bicycles. By submitting your name, bike make, and serial number, bike owners become part of a community that can be alerted when a bike goes missing.
Some law enforcement use BikeIndex.org. Bike lockers have had success in some places, but they have a big footprint and are expensive. Bike valets are also popular in high-risk places.
The substantial harm and costs associated with bike theft underscore the pressing need for innovative anti-theft solutions. When your bike is stolen it feels personal, but it is part of a national problem that is costing the nation both economically and environmentally.
Professor Trisalyn Nelson is the Jack and Laura Dangermond Chair of Geography at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is chair of the Department of Geography and director of the Center for Spatial Studies and Data Science. Nelson is a Public Voices Fellow of The OpEd Project.
