UC Davis Campus Abandoned Bike Policy
With 15,000 - 20,000 bicycles at UC Davis on peak-use days, coupled with the regular “turnover” of the UC Davis population, it’s inevitable that over time, some bikes will be abandoned.
As the campus has grown, so has the number of bikes increased –both those being used for transportation and those discarded when their owners leave Davis.
Not only do abandoned bicycles represent an eyesore, but they take up valuable bike parking spaces, may present tripping hazards, and most importantly tempt thieves.TAPS and the University Police are authorized to impound abandoned bikes according to the UC Davis Traffic and Parking Code section 7.10(d):
“Removal or Impounding of Bicycles. The UC Davis Police Department and Transportation and Parking Services are authorized to move, relocate, immobilize or impound any bicycle which: d) appears to be abandoned as evidenced by signs of disuse or neglect.”
The TAPS Bicycle Program has a variety of procedures to deal with abandoned bicycles. TAPS personnel regularly patrol the campus and impound bicycles that appear to be abandoned. Typically, warning notices are affixed to the bikes in advance of their impoundment. The notice indicates that the bike appears to be abandoned and that the owner has at least 48 hours to remove the bike or correct any deficiencies that identify the bike as possibly being abandoned.
Another technique employed by TAPS is to identify the owners of possibly abandoned bikes through the bicycle registration records. If the owner’s e-mail address can be found and is still valid, a message is sent to notify that person that the bike is subject to impound, just as the paper warning notices do.
When a bike is impounded, procedures are followed to determine if the bike has been reported stolen anywhere in California. Additionally, if the bike has been registered with a California Bicycle License, attempts are made to identify and contact the owner. A notice is sent to inform the owner how to recover the bike and it also gives the option of relinquishing claim on the bike, allowing TAPS to dispose of the bike without the restrictions imposed by state law. Notices may be sent electronically, by regular mail or both.
California Civil Code section 2080.8 requires that any unclaimed property collected on a University of California campus must be held for at least three months and may only be disposed of after that time through a public auction. Property offered for auction and not bid upon may be disposed of in any manner.
Those restrictions present a challenge in being able to store large volumes of bikes for three month periods and programming sufficiently frequent public auctions to move the bikes out and create more storage space for more impounds.
TAPS currently holds two general public auctions annually plus a number of eBay? auctions. More information about the auctions is available at http://www.taps.ucdavis.edu/bicycle/auctions/.
Students, staff and faculty who no longer want their bicycles are encouraged to remove them from campus property. There are many options for their disposal:
- If the bike is in reasonably good condition, consider donating it to a local thrift shop.
- Local bike shops that sell used bikes may also be interested in taking your bike.
- The Davis Bike Collective (http://www.davisbikecollective.org/) located at 1221 1/2 4th Street, (near L St.) in Davis, takes many donated bikes for eventual refurbishment or as parts sources.
- Davis Waste Removal at 2727 2nd Street in Davis has metal recycling bins where you may deposit bikes or metal bike parts any time day or night.(and you may find a great fixer-upper, too!).
If nothing else, contact TAPS and let us know where your bike is on campus. If you can unlock it in advance of us picking it up, that would be preferred. But if you’ve lost the key, we can always remove it. By contacting us and giving us permission to remove your bike, we are not obligated to hold it for three months and have more options to recycle or reuse the bike.