5916000.com, Mobile App Will Help Track Bike Harassment, Collisions

May is National Bike Month, and local bicyclists now have an easier way to report harassment and collisions in Cincinnati.

A "Bicyclist Incident" form is now available on the City's customer service website, 5916000.com, and on its mobile app, Cincinnati City Hall Mobile (available at the Apple App Store and Google Play). The mobile app is GPS-enabled so that cyclists can accurately report their location, even if they don't know the address.

“In our latest survey of Cincinnati cyclists, 266 people told us they'd been a victim of harassment while riding a bicycle in the past 12 months. This new tracking system will help us figure out where this is happening most often and do something to curb it,” said Melissa McVay, Senior City Planner in the Department of Transportation & Engineering.

Typical accounts of harassment often involve glass bottles being thrown at cyclists, or drivers passing too closely in an attempt to knock cyclists off of their bikes.

Data gathered from the reports will help the Department of Transportation and Engineering and the Cincinnati Police Department to conduct more targeted education and enforcement of bike and motor vehicle laws.

The online and mobile reports aren't intended to replace a police report in emergency situations, like a collision with serious injuries.

Education is a key part of the Bicycle Transportation Plan, which the City and citizens developed in 2010. For convenience, the City offers a Pocket Guide to Bike Laws.