Following several high-profile placements of VeoRide bikes on campus buildings, Texas A&M administration is asking for students to prioritize safety.

On Thursday, Feb. 16, Vice President for Student Affairs Joe Ramirez sent a campus-wide email regarding safety concerns from these “pranks,” calling on students to consider consequences of the practice.

“This practice poses a significant risk to those directly involved in placing bikes on buildings, the risk of a bike falling and injuring others and the risk of damaging university property,” the email reads. “Those involved in these ‘pranks’ are putting us all at risk and are not upholding the Aggie Core Values by putting themselves and others in harm’s way.”

Notably, on Tuesday, Feb. 14, three bikes on top of the Zachry Engineering Education Complex — causing the exterior walkway to be temporarily closed as the College Station Fire Department and A&M staff attempted to remove the vehicles. This incident is not isolated, as bikes are often placed on A&M buildings, later appearing on social media.

Following the Zachry incident, Veo issued a statement — via push notification — to its app users at A&M.

“Howdy Ags, reminder: respect your campus community. Vandalism is against the law and will not be tolerated,” the statement reads. “Do your part to ensure vehicles are parked properly — lock vehicles to bike racks.”
Less than ten minutes after the email was sent, Aggies took to social media to express their views on the email.

In addition to potential safety risks, Ramirez said responsible students may face disciplinary action from the university.
“Texas A&M will pursue student conduct charges against those found responsible, which could lead to serious sanctions such as suspension or expulsion, as well as having to repay costs incurred by the university to remove the bikes,” the email reads. “Additionally, those involved could face legal consequences.”