User:Setherry/sandbox
Bike registries are databases of unique, identifying information about bicycles and their ownership.
Bicycle registration programs generally aim to reduce the prevalence of bike theft. Bicycle theft is one of the major factors that slow the development of utility cycling since it discourages people from investing in a bicycle.
Most registration programs utilize a serial number, since the majority of bicycles come with a unique number permanently affixed to them.
Bicycle registration may be a public service provided by local, state or national government, or be provided by an independent organization. Many programs focus on providing access only to law enforcement, others are independent of law enforcement or a hybrid between law enforcement and general citizens.
Reasons for registration programs[edit]
Some registration programs are exclusively designed for spreading the word after a bike has been stolen, while others focus on registering bikes before they are stolen.
Increasing stolen bicycle recovery with registration[edit]
Certain European countries have created registration programs with measures of success, such as the Netherlands or German cities using registration and recovery. Since mid-2004, France has instituted a system of registration, in some places allowing stolen bicycles to be put on file in partnership with the urban cyclists' associations. This approach has reputedly increased the stolen bicycle recovery rate to more than 40%. By comparison, before the commencement of registration, the recovery rate in France was about 2%.