Cyclists, watch your backs. And your heads. And your speed. The UWPD has resumed vigilant bicycle patrols, and they're writing tickets for a number of violations you may not even be aware of.

"Just like on the road, you've got to follow the traffic laws," said Officer William Bergin, moments after ticketing a passing cyclist for running a stop sign. "Our main concern is, of course, safety. We just want people to be aware of the laws."

To help educate, officers Bergin and Anthony Stewart handed out flyers to passing cyclists that listed just how many bike laws there were and how much violating each one would cost.

Getting caught without a helmet costs $30; other moving violations, such as failure to stop at a stop sign or "unsafe/negligent" speeding can cost up to $103.

"We greatly appreciate that people don't have 100 some dollars to throw away," Stewart said. "We give a lot of warnings. But sometimes infraction issuance is a necessity."

First offenses will typically get off with a warning, depending on the severity of violation, Bergin said.

"We ticket people who demonstrate flagrant disregard [of the law]," Stewart said. "If you're defiant, you pretty much make my decision for me. We get a lot of people saying 'I didn't know the laws applied on campus.' I don't know where they get that from. We always enforce all the laws."

Enforcement is largely up to the patrol officers' discretion, Bergin said. The police don't go out of their way to trip bikers or stop them if they speed by brazenly.

"We don't give chase," Stewart said. "[Bikers] usually have one route there and back. There's always tomorrow."

Violations aren't arbitrary, or for monetary reasons.

"We don't get a dime from these tickets," he said. "When a bicycle and a car get into an accident, usually that person's going to the hospital."

While the UWPD's intentions may be noble, not all bikers agree that fines are the best way to promote cycle safety.

"You've got to think that punishments should be proportional to the crimes," said cyclist and UW alumnus James Wiker. "If there's not a speedometer required on your bike, why should there be a speed limit?"

While Wiker believes proper safety precautions should be common sense for bikers, he doesn't approve of the discrepancy between automobile and bicycle regulations.

"These laws are not given to you; you don't get a license," he said. "These are issues of personal safety. It's different when you're legislating for other people's safety. It's the government getting a little too involved."

Wiker also puzzles over the resource expenditure of increased bike patrols.

"I just question the allocation of police labor," he said. "I certainly know that there're huge amounts of bikes stolen on campus everyday. How many of those get returned? That's more disturbing to people than forgetting to wear a helmet."

[Reach reporter Jeff Tripoli at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]