TRAFFIC Avoiding bike tickets Eugene police are cracking clou 'n on bicyclists, issuing $115 tickets for violations of traffic laws PAGE 3 SPORTS Running back battles injury After recoveringfrom a knee injury, UCLA’s Skip Hicks returns to the field this year for a winning season PAGE 7 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1997 TODAY Toda y is the last da y to add a class or to change from audit to credit orfrom credit to audit WEATHER Today Partly cloudy 1 ligh 60. Low 47. Thursday Rain I ligh 57. Low 47. Tandem Taxi gains popularity The student-nm hike service offers a change from walking or driving and can also help with maintenance questions By Michael Hines Student Activities Reporter While most people would consider the Olympics a time to watch world-class athletes on television, one man saw the Games as an opportunity to educate oth ers. David Niles of Eugene’s Green Gear Cycling traveled to Atlanta with a friend in the summer of 1996 to help the At lanta Bicycle Campaign raise awareness about alternative transportation. “I saw that as a great opportunity to BIKE SAFETY: Bicyclists must obey traffic laws or face stiff penalties PAGE 3 show just how benefi cial bicycles can be to people who might not have a bicycle with them,” Niles said. Niles said he had heard Atlanta authori ties were encouraging the use ot bicycles and that the campaign was providing se cure bicycle parking. Niles called and of fered his services; he was accepted. In ten days, Niles and his friend gave 200 rides to people. This experience in spired Niles to keep the idea alive. The University gained national atten tion when Niles teamed up with the Of fice of Public Safety to create the free, three-bike Tandem Taxi service. The service, which uses two triples and one tandem donated by Green Gears, employs six students. The service offers rides to all campus areas, as well as to some limited off-campus locations. “We try to be available if somebody needs a ride and sees us,” Niles said. “They can flag us down.” Tandem Taxi drivers expect students to help with the peddling. The service might add hand-cranks to its bikes for riders with special needs. The service, which students can also call for a ride, built a following last year, Niles said, and he hopes to improve that this year by starting in the fall. “We did give many rides last year, and we’re able to give a lot more,” he said. 'Ihe Tandem Taxi operates in and around the University area, sealer hikes are available for rides during the evening hours. WENDY FULLER/ Emerald Two- and three He estimates that the taxi service gives 20 rides per night, mostly by flagging. “It’s a good resource for people at night,” Tandem Taxi driver Carrie Skin ner said. The red triples and tandems at tract attention. The service also serves as an OPS look out. Drivers have radios and cellular phones to contact officers. Niles said Tandem Taxi drivers will also escort bi cyclers or walkers on campus. One more perk is that drivers carry tools and tubes for other bicyclists who have problems. “It seems people who we gave rides last year are appreciative,” Niles said. He also said he is excited about this Taxi facts ■ HOURS: 8:30 to 11:15 p.m., every night. ■ PHONE: 346-TAXI ■ SHUTTLE: To Ducks' Village and Chase Village from the gazebo at 13th Avenue and University Street at 8:30 p.m. ■ EXTRAS: Bike repairs, walk-ride escorts year. Bicycling Magazine named Eugene the No. 3 city for bicycling in its August 1997 issue — behind Chico, Calif., and Duran go, Colo. “With innovations like Tandem Taxis, Turn to TAXI, Page 3 OSPIRG joins fight against proposed bill OSPIRG campaign coordinator Carolyn Whipple said a new hill could jeopardize 20 years of consen >ation progress By Chris Kenning Freelance Reporter An unusual alliance of environmental groups gathered Tuesday at Alton Baker Park to announce the release of a report which details the extent of habitat loss to endangered species locally and nationally. Representatives from the Sierra Club, Liv ing in Harmony, a Christian environmental group, and the Oregon Student Public In terest Research Group (OSPIRG), gave statements to a group of reporters. The release of the report coincides with an upcoming vote in the U.S, Senate on a proposed bill which would significantly weaken the Endangered Species Act of 1973, according to Carolyn Whipple, OS PIRG campaign coordinator. “Their proposals will turn the crown jewel of the environmental movement into junk jewelry and jeopardize over 20 years of progress in conservation," she said. Charlie Oglu, the Sierra Club’s regional coordinator, said the proposed revisions, which are backed by industries such as log ging and manufacturing, would make it easier for development to take place on land that contains habitats for endangered species. “In Oregon, industry could develop in areas where the coho salmon are already in trouble,” Whipple said. Despite Oregon’s 32 threatened or en dangered species and loss of 96 percent of its original coastal rain forest, the coalition noted the proposal is endorsed by Sen. Ron Wvden and President Clinton. “Since 1989, the anti-ESA industries have contributed nearly $75 million to po litical candidates, and it looks like they got their money’s worth,” Ogle said. Speakers pointed to Endangered Species Turn to ACT, Page 6 Local residents call for community involvement in policing Some Eugene residents who say they feel less safe now than they used to spoke out at a town hall meeting By Michael Burnham Community Reporter A crowd of about 30 Eugene residents from all walks of life had their first chance to discuss local crime-related issues surround ing community-oriented policing with city councilman Bobby Lee and their neighbor hood police officers. The discussion took place in a town hall meeting at the Eugene Public Library Tuesday evening. Many of the citizens applauded the con cepts of greater officer involvement in their communities, and they also looked back to Eugene’s “better" days when referring to the current policing tactics and various crime issues in their neighborhoods. “Eugene used to be a very safe place to be,” said T.J. Siekierka, a resident from the West University area. Siekierka and other residents said they do not feel as “safe” in Eugene as they used to because of the increased numbers of crime and drug problems in their neighborhoods. Beth Medler, who has lived in the 13th Avenue area of Eugene since 1963, said she, too, is disturbed by the activities happening in her area and supports greater community involvement in policing. “I am tired of the police having to do what citizens should do,” she said. Bobby Lee, the city council representative for the area the town hall dealt with, en lightened the crowd to the sources of some of these problems. He said that as population increases, as it has in Eugene’s case, behavior problems may increase and put more of a demand on public safety. He added that often the community re sorts to the police to solve all of the prob lems affecting the neighborhoods, when the problems may just be personal in nature. “Public safety is not just a police issue, it is a community issue,” Lee said. Many of the speakers called for an in creased amount of police involvement in their “beats,” but at the same time they called for the neighborhood citizens to help fight crime in their neighborhoods. Captain Jim Hill of the police department defined the term “beat” as the area that an officer patrols and is most familiar with. Turn to SAFETY, Page 6 ((I am tired of the police having to do what citizens should do. » Beth Medler Eugene resident