I applaud the efforts of the East Lansing and MSU communities to make it easier for cyclists to get around. Having more bike paths is a big plus, especially when the sidewalks are jam-packed with students bustling to and from classes. You have done a great job with that.
The obvious problem that still looms is bicycle theft. It is a rampant problem, and as far as I have seen there have been no efforts to stop it.
When my first bike was taken, I dismissed it as bad luck. It mattered little and was a pain to ride anyway. When my second bike was stolen and I went to report it, they told me that I was out of luck and would not be able to get it back, as there is really no way to track it. Sadly, I am not the only person in this area who has lost more than one bicycle to thieves. It is my belief that people should not be afraid to leave a bike locked up outside.
What should be done to curb this trend? Increasing the number of police patrols or beefing up surveillance around buildings that have a large number of bike racks could be helpful. A small closed-circuit camera does not cost very much money and could possibly be useful in deterring, if not stopping, some of these thefts.
Aureus Fulgara-Sygn
East Lansing resident
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