Many LSU students got a new ride Wednesday morning at the LSU Bike Auction. The Parking and Transportation Office, along with LSU Sustainability and Student Government, hosts the sale once a year to resell abandoned bicycles– some for as low as $3.
If a bike is left chained up between the end of the spring term and beginning of fall semester, it is considered abandoned and impounded for 60 days. After this, it legally belongs to the school.
The Bike Auction was not held last year, after ethical concerns were raised about selling state property to students. The event’s organizers were able to save it by pointing out that all of the money raised goes back to biking initiatives on campus, including future proposals to install more bike racks.
Assistant Director of LSU Parking and Transportation Damien Rubin told me that by getting more students on bikes, they hope to promote a more environmentally friendly form of transportation while alleviating some of LSU’s notorious parking woes.