Hands off my bike

Although a senior, I have only recently learned the details of the IU bicycle policy, thanks to about a dozen neon-orange notices stuck to my bike as well as to the entire bike rack where it was parked.

What was news to me – that every bike parked on campus must have a “valid permit” or else it will be impounded – has apparently been in effect for many years. The cost of this permit is a measly five dollars but brings up bigger issues.

IU is making a killing by essentially providing a large, stationary object to which we can chain our bikes. How much did these bike racks originally cost? Surely not much compared to the amount of cash taken in by this permit ordination.

It is not just the money from permits that fills the University’s pockets, but also the money it receives from auctioning off all the bikes impounded because their owners were unaware of this policy or did not believe in paying a fee to ride a bike to class. 

That’s right. No permit equals impound, then it’s straight to auction. The administration argues that you have the chance to pick up your bike before it is auctioned off, but must prove it’s yours. And good luck proving it in their eyes without a permit!

This serves as a reminder that the purpose of a University is not only to educate its students but also to make money. It is a business, after all. A business needs consumers. We are those consumers. We have the power to tell IU when it goes too far.

This bike issue isn’t something that is causing students to drop out because of a lack of funds, but it does display a vital issue. How many meaningless and exploitative fees will we students pay before we flex our collective social muscle?

Daniel Stofleth
IU senior