Bicycle Registration, Laws, Safety Tips

Registering your bicycle through University Police is free and easy to do. Carnegie Mellon students can now register your bicycle, laptop, and any other valuable property online by visiting: http://www.cmu.edu/police/prorec.htm
In a few days you'll receive your Carnegie Mellon bicycle registration sticker along with a list of campus bicycle regulations. Affix the sticker to the bicycle's frame on the bar that supports the seat.

Laws Concerning Bicycles in Pennsylvania

PA VL 3501 Applicability of Traffic Laws to Pedalcycles: Every person riding a pedalcycle upon a roadway shall be granted all the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle.

PA VL 3505 Riding on Roadways and Pedalcycle Paths: Every person operating a pedalcycle upon a highway shall obey the applicable rules of the road; shall operate in the same direction as required of vehicles; and shall not ride more than two abreast.

PA VL 3507 Lamps: Every pedalcycle when in use between sunset and sunrise shall be equipped on the front with a lamp that emits a white light.

PA VL 3508 Pedalcycles on Sidewalks: A person riding a pedalcycle upon a sidewalk shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian.

Bicycle Safety Tips

1. Wear a professionally rated and approved, properly fitted bicycle helmet.
2. Wear light colored clothing after dark.
3. Have reflectors on the side and rear of your bicycle.
4. Ride single file.
5. Don't carry passengers or heavy, bulky items.
6. Obey all traffic signs and signals.
7. Slow down and be respectful of pedestrians when riding on campus.
8. Always assume that cars don't see you.
9. Use good, understandable hand signals.
10. ALWAYS lock your wheel and frame to a bicycle rack or other permanent fixture (e.g., a street light pole, a tree).

Preventing Bicycle Theft

Theft is on the rise everywhere in the United States. The University Police are doing everything that they can to help protect your valuable investment, but there are some things that you need to do to help us.

The number one thing that you can do to protect your bicycle from theft is to LOCK IT UP. Bringing it inside or just leaving it for a minute while you run inside is likely to cost you your bicycle.

Use a quality lock. Unfortunately thieves are getting smarter and any old lock is not enough. University Police recommend U-Locks similar to the one shown. Note that the unlocked portion of the lock has a bend in it to prevent the use of prying tools. This is a valuable addition to the lock and is not used on all U-Lock systems. The extra money spent on a good lock could save you hundreds of dollars in your investment.

When you do secure your bike, make sure that you secure it through the frame and rear wheel. If you have a quick release front tire, lock that up also.

Remember to lock it to something worthwhile. For a quality lock to work, it has to be attached to a secure object. Many sign posts can easily be removed from the ground; railings can easily be cut. Make sure to use good judgement.

Make sure that you record the serial number and model of your bicycle. This is extremely important and could determine if you ever get your bicycle back once it has been stolen.

Always immediately report to the University Police when your bicycle has been stolen. We recover many bicycles that are never claimed or reported missing/stolen.

Laptop Registration

As an extension of "Operation Identification," an anti-theft/anti-burglary program, you may have your laptop computer registered so that if it is lost or stolen, there will be a much greater probability that it will be returned to you if it is recovered by the University Police or another law enforcement agency. Some thieves are smart enough to look over an item carefully for identifying markings or engraving before they steal. A few minutes of your time might prevent you from losing an expensive and very valuable piece of equipment.

Register your laptop online

The Effects of Laptop Theft

If you figure that the average cost of replacement for a laptop is $2,500, the dollar value of equipment taken over just a few months can be staggering. You might also consider the following results of laptop theft which, although less tangible, are potentially more severe:

• If you don't regularly backup the documents and data on your laptop, you may permanently lose critical data. At the very least, you will most likely lose weeks worth of work.
• If you store personal information, such as credit card numbers, passwords and account numbers on your computer, the thief may be able to do further damage with that information.
• You will most likely suffer a loss of productivity while without a computer, and it will certainly take a great deal of time for you to get a new computer and set it up.

How to Avoid Laptop Theft

The great thing about laptops is their portability. Given their price, however, this is what makes them a target for thieves. A used, Pentium III laptop will fetch anywhere between $600 and $900 on ebay. On a college campus, the thief doesn't even need to conceal it as he/she leaves the scene of the crime. Compared to stereos, VCRs, TVs, or hubcaps, a laptop will be worth about five or six times as much to the thief and no one will question why he/she is carrying one about.

Once your laptop is stolen, you're probably never going to see it again. So, consider these tips to keep your laptop from being stolen in the first place:

1. KEEP YOUR LAPTOP OUT OF SIGHT OR TAKE IT WITH YOU. Don't leave your laptop in an open office or other open area, even for a Few minutes. Most laptops stolen on campus are actually stolen during business hours or in the very early evening when thieves can quite easily blend in with the normal bustle of campus traffic. An unattended laptop is an appetizing target whether your office is in a heavily trafficked area or a remote cul-de-sac. Don't assume that a thief will not enter your office because he/she is worried about being caught -- they don't think the same way the rest of us do.
2. SECURE YOUR LAPTOP AT NIGHT AND ON WEEKENDS. The campus environment is more open than others and thieves can be pretty sure there are a good number of laptops to be had. The best way to secure your laptop during these times is to take it with you. If that's not feasible for whatever reason, consider the following alternatives:
   • If your door has a deadbolt lock, USE IT! If your door doesn't have a deadbolt, get one. Don't rely on only the knob-lock to secure the door. Some of the recent thefts on campus were possible because there wasn't a deadbolt on the door or it wasn't used.
   • If your door has a wooden door jamb, or if your door has a window in it, consider storing your laptop in another location with a more secure door. Otherwise, reconsider taking the laptop with you.
   • In addition to locking your door, put your laptop in a drawer, preferably a locked drawer.
3. CHOOSE AN INCONSPICUOUS CARRYING CASE. A bag that is the size and shape of a laptop is a pretty good clue that there's a laptop inside. An appropriately padded school bag or backpack will do just as good a job of physically protecting the laptop as an expensive laptop case.
4. LABEL AND TAG THE LAPTOP AND ALL ACCESSORIES. Make sure that Everything that can be labeled is labeled with the name of the individual or organization that owns it. The more conspicuous and permanent the label, the more likely it is to prevent theft. Although all university-owned equipment should have asset tags, those can be removed easily enough. consider engraving information on a metal surface of the laptop.
   • Departments might consider painting, with stencils or some other method, some sort of mark on university owned computers. Individuals can do whatever they like to their own laptops.
5. RECORD YOUR PRODUCT SERIAL NUMBERS AND DESCRIPTION. If you don't, the only person you're helping is the thief. If your laptop is stolen, it's unlikely that law enforcement officers will be able to help you if you don't have the serial number of the item stolen. Unfortunately, it's also unlikely that you'll be helping them.
6. BACK UP YOUR DATA. Backing up your data won't keep your laptop from being stolen, but you'll lose less of your time and hard work if it is stolen.

Lost and Found

University Police is the primary custodian for all items found on university property. Items found by police employees or turned in by citizens are stored until the end of each semester. Unclaimed items having any value or remaining use are donated to local charities. Unclaimed cash and currency are deposited in an appropriate university revenue account as determined by the vice president for enrollment.

If you lose an item, call University Police at 8-6232 or stop by our office at 300 South Craig Street. You should also check at the Information Desk in the University Center, as items found in or near the University Center are often turned in there.