Many students were already home for spring break when they found out that all of spring term would be held remotely. With many staying in their hometowns, students left things behind, like apartments, dorms and — in some cases — bikes. 

To keep those bikes safe, the University of Oregon Police Department announced “Keep My Seat Warm,” a free program through which UOPD officers collect and shelter UO student, faculty and staff bikes, according to its website.

The program is designed to be as simple as possible, UOPD Chief Matthew Carmichael said. The individual, either a student, faculty or staff member, can visit UOPD’s website and fill out the bike pick-up request form. 

The form asks whether the bicycle is registered with 529 Garage, the company UO transportation services partnered with for on-campus bike registration. That question, among others, is designed to establish “explicit proof of ownership,” Carmichael said. 

Other questions include where the bike was last seen and whether any pieces were missing. The form also asks for a detailed description — “The more detail, the better.” 

Carmichael said anything helps, including stickers, lettering on the side of the bike, the bike’s model, color and the serial number. The form asks for a photograph of the bicycle in question, if one can be given.
Carmichael said that, if UOPD officers can’t identify a bike based on the information provided, they may resort to phone or Facetime calls with the owner. “Could there be a possibility where someone misidentifies a bike?” Carmichael said, “It could be. That’s why we’re asking as many questions as we can.”

“We have to be really good. We want to be comfortable that we’ve retrieved the right bike,” he said.

Carmichael said UOPD will keep an inventory of every bike admitted, as well as all of the requisition forms. “We are doing the utmost to ensure accuracy, without a doubt. If there was a question of ownership, we would not take the bike,” he said.

UOPD is prepared to hold as many bikes as needed, Carmichael said. 

The bikes will be held inside the UOPD station compound, behind fences. A utility barn within the compound will serve as the primary hub of storage, he said. 

In the event that the program outgrows the barn, the rest of the bikes will still be kept within the secure lot. “They may be outside,” he said, “but they’ll be in the secure lot, and covered.”

UOPD’s website states that the bikes will be held until Oct. 3, but Carmichael said that they are prepared to hold onto them for longer, if needed. “These are unprecedented times. We’re working through this, and I want students to come back to a good experience,” he said.

The service is free, UOPD’s website states. However, if a bike is secured with a lock, UOPD are not currently able to reimburse students for cut locks. 

For that reason, they will only cut bikes free if the student wants them to. “If you want to mail us a key,” he said, “we’ll take it. We’ll wait.”

Students can arrange for their bikes to be shipped to their homes, the UOPD website states, but are responsible for finding a shipping company and are financially responsible for the bike’s transport.

“Keep My Seat Warm” is an independent UOPD project, Carmichael said, without the assistance of other local law enforcement agencies.
“We’re not gonna have any boundaries for this right now,” he said, even if there’s a bike that a student or faculty member secured off campus. “I hope that students take us up on this offer. Even if they’re back in a few weeks, it doesn’t hurt to register.”

“The reality is, this is a team effort,” Carmichael said. “This is students and the department working together to protect our stuff, so that everybody can come back and have a more comfortable experience. And that includes having your bike.”

UO students, faculty or staff interested in “Keep My Seat Warm” can visit UOPD’s website.