The University of Idaho Argonaut

Spring is here, and with the disappearance of frigid temperatures and bitter wind comes a warmer, more bicycle friendly climate.
Moscow Police Officer Joe Knickerbocker has spent five years on the street as a bike officer and weather permitting, hopes to start his sixth this week. One of his primary concerns when dealing with bike riding is safety.
“Everyone needs to be aware of their own safety,” he said. “They need to adopt a new attitude that riders and pedestrians need to be more aware so the responsibility doesn’t fall on drivers.”
Knickerbocker said that bike riders and people behind the wheel of a vehicle both have a responsibility in ensuring one another’s safety.

“Just because a car is supposed to stop doesn’t mean that it can or will,” he said.
In 2007 there were two accidents where riders were hurt badly and several close calls, which came at least once a week.
“The ones who are taking the risks and saying ‘I can beat that car,’ they’re the ones who are going to pay,” he said.
The area of greatest risk is the crosswalk across State Highway 8, at the corner of Peterson Drive.
“There’s too much clutter around the Tesoro side of the crosswalk,” said Dave Lehmitz, the campus liaison officer for the Moscow Police Department.

People who wish to cross can activate a flashing light to try and warn drivers of their intentions.
“The flashing light would be much more effective if everyone used it,” Knickerbocker said. Many people ignore the light and try to cross the road without turning it on.
He also said it’s important to try and make eye contact with drivers before attempting to cross the road.
The crosswalks that cross Sixth Street by the LLCs are also high risk areas.
Knickerbocker said that people expect cars to instantly stop for them when they set foot into the crosswalk, and that can’t always happen.

“If someone steps off the sidewalk into the street, and doesn’t give the vehicle enough time to stop, then they can get cited,” he said.
The citation runs around $50 or $60, and Knickerbocker said they give some out each year.
“A lot of times, getting hit and bouncing off the concrete is more than enough,” he said.
Knickerbocker went on to say that riding the bike is the same as driving a vehicle.
“If you’re on a bike, you’re on a vehicle and you have to obey the laws of the road like anyone else,” he said.
While it’s impossible to get a DUI while riding a bicycle, speeding tickets can be issued. Any ticket earned on a bike will go against the riders drivers license.

With the influx of bike riders in spring comes a surge in the number of bikes reported stolen. According to Lehmitz, they receive reports of a couple hundred stolen bikes each year.
Moscow city code says that anyone with a bicycle in the city of Moscow must register it with the police department. Bikes are also required to have a headlight for night riding.
“We recover a lot of bikes and they’re not licensed. People don’t know the bike’s serial number, so we auction them off at the city auction,” Lehmitz said.

In 2007, the city of Moscow auctioned close to 600 bikes.
“The responsibility really comes down to the owner in this case,” Lehmitz said. “Don’t allow yourself to become a victim.”
By registering a bike with the police department, the chances of getting it back are much higher.
In 2007, a bike registered to the city of Moscow was found in California, and the authorities were able to return it to its owner who had since moved there.

Also, locking a bike drastically cuts down on the chances of it being stolen.
“Very rarely do you get someone breaking the lock,” Lehmitz said.