If you're a user of Bikeshare, you may want to check the handles before you hop on. There has been a report of someone smearing feces on the underside of Capital Bikeshare handles.
A Twitter user tweeted that someone near 15th and W Streets Northwest has been spreading feces on the handles.
Capital Bikeshare said the affected bikes have been removed from service.
"Capital Bikeshare takes any incidence of vandalism very seriously," a Bikeshare spokesperson said. "The affected bikes have been removed from service and thoroughly inspected and cleaned by staff who are trained in hazmat recovery and removal."
Capital Bikeshare said the bikes reported in the tweet have been fully cleaned in their warehouse and were inspected again before they're deemed ready to ride. Capital Bikeshare said they have specific staff trained in "Hazmat recovery and removal."
Bikeshare bikes also are routinely inspected. And if you ever see something wrong with a bikeshare bike, you can report it.
"Customers can report bikes out of commission and lock bikes into Capital Bikeshare stations by pressing the wrench button on each dock," a Bikeshare spokesperson said. "The dock will display a red light, alerting other customers that they cannot use this bike. Our maintenance staff is alerted and a team member will come to inspect the bike before any customer is able to ride. If necessary, a locked-down bike will be brought to a warehouse for more intensive work."
