At SF State, bike theft has been a chronic problem and it doesn't look like anyone is out there to save these two-wheel riders anytime soon -- least of all the Department of Public Safety.

The Golden Gater Online reported in 1996 that 70 bikes were stolen the previous year. This year, 36 bikes have been stolen as of Oct. 4, according to University Spokesperson Ellen Griffin.

But these days you're more likely to have your bike ticketed for being improperly locked to a railing than you are to be fined for something like smoking in non-designated smoking areas -- even though SF State was declared a smoke-free campus in 2004.

And why not? Bike parking tickets rack up a whopping $58 per offense, while the "amount of fines and levels of enforcement efforts have not been determined" for smoking, said University Police Captain Reggie Parson. Not a single citation has actually been issued so far, as the University Police Department instead aims to "educate and inform."

So why are bicyclists being cited for failing to lock their bikes on a designated rack instead of also merely being educated and informed?

Instead of punishing bicyclists, punish those who think it's okay to steal. It's bad enough to have your iPod or your wallet snatched, but bikes are often a person's main, if not sole, mode of transportation.

The University Police Department needs to increase patrols and better publicize methods to protect bikes, such as signing up with the National Bike Registry at http://www.nationalbikeregistry.com or using the Bike Barn.

Too few students know the Barn exists or where it is on campus. Those who do don't bother because it is inconveniently located and students have made the trek only to find the sole attendant on duty took an extended bathroom break. What little staff is on hand agrees: Only 50 - 75 bikes are in the Barn at any given time -- much less than 50 percent of the full 200-bike capacity.

But since you probably won't be getting much help anytime soon, take the time to locate the Bike Barn behind the Main Gym and give yourself a few extra minutes to comfortably store your bike and walk to wherever you need to be.

Everyone needs to stop being lazy and stop taking theft lightly once and for all.