You're Next Chicago!

I just got this press release today. I don't know if it's officially out yet (I've trimmed it back a little to make it less like an ad).

Canton, MA  June 14, 2006 - Kryptonite today announced the return of its popular Top 10 Worst Cities for Bike Theft.

Kryptonite uses its own proprietary data to create the Top 10 Worst Cities for Bike Theft. This is the eighth time the company has published the list, which is compiled by theft data that Kryptonite has accumulated over three decades.

With the latest FBI Uniform Crime Report (2004) showing a property crime every 3.1 seconds, Kryptonite warns cyclists everywhere to always lock their bicycle when not in use especially in the following areas:

Kryptonite's Top 10 Worst Cities for Bike Theft

1.  New York, NY             
2.  San Francisco, CA               
3.  Chicago, IL               
4.  Washington, DC                  
5.  Boston, MA
6.  Eugene, OR
7.  Philadelphia, PA
8.  Oakland, CA
9.  Seattle, WA            
10.  Miami, FL

"The summer of 2006 has the potential to have a record number of bicycle thefts due to even more people riding their bicycles in an effort to combat rising gas prices," continued Clifford. 

A sample of proper lock up tips from Kryptonite include:

always lock your bike, especially when at home
two types of locks used at the same time are better than one
lock to a fixed, immovable object; one that can not be easily cut, broken or removed
lock in a visible, well-lit area
lock in a location where there are other bikes (editor: especially bikes that are more expensive than yours)

Kryptonite's entire list of proper lock-up tips are located on its website at www.kryptonitelock.com in the product section.

Kryptonite also supports over 100 grassroots events and initiatives each
year, including in the cities on this list.  Just a few examples of these
are:  Bay Area Bike to Work Day, Bike to Work DC, Bike to Work New England,
Blue Hills Mountain Bike Day, Moonlight Classic, North America Cycle
Courier Championships, ROAR!  Ride on for Autism Research and Trips for
Kids.

Things, I'm sad to say are getting worse here in DC. Here's the 2002 list:

1.  New York, NY      
2.  Chicago, IL      
3.  Miami, FL         
4. San Francisco 
5.  Washington, DC
6.  Boston, MA
7.  Austin, TX
8.  Philadelphia
9.  Minneapolis      
10.  Honolulu, HI

And in '99 DC was only 6th

1. New York
2. Phoenix
3. San Francisco
4. Chicago
5. Philadelphia
6. Washington, D.C.
7. Boston
8. Austin
9. Portland
10. Miami

In a way this can viewed as a victory I suppose. As the DC area becomes more bicycle friendly and more people ride, there are more bikes to sell and a larger market for stolen bikes. Still, I had a bike stolen last September and it didn't feel like a victory.

One idea I want to shamelessly steal from BikePortland is a stolen bike listings. I have a lot of other projects to finish first (like the bike map and an integrated cycling calendar) but it's on the list.

The police were little help when my bike was stolen, and so I recommend registering your bike on the National Bike Registry. It's pretty cheap, especially if you own multiple bikes. Legally you're required to register your bike with DC (thought this is something the BAC is working to change), but I haven't done that.

Comments

[jeff]

I don't if its the innocence of the midwestern interns or the Mayberry-esque suburbs around here, but people seem to forget they are in the big scary city when they lock up in DC. It's funny, in nyc you'll see the chinese food delivery guys riding these clunker of bikes, that couldn't have been more than $40 new when they got them 10 years earlier, but they'll lock up with a $100 kryptonite chain lock! While nothing will stop someone determined to have your ride, using a solid lock and a bit of common sense will keep you and your bike together in this city for a long time to come.