By Sarah Bransley
Bicycling is a great way to get around campus… most of the time. There’s a big controversy surrounding HOW people should bike on campus so if you’re new here it’s especially hard to figure out what you’re supposed to do.
Some of the tips to follow about bikes are concrete and hold no argument. Don’t ride in the street going the wrong way down a one-way. You’ll get a ticket if a cop sees you. Another is that you need a front light if you’re riding a night. It’s illegal otherwise.
Others tips are more common courtesy. Many students have a huge pet peeve about students who ride their bikes on sidewalks. Though it’s not illegal, there are specific bike lanes dedicated to bike use throughout campus. Now they aren’t as well maintained as the sidewalks and don’t go everywhere, so bicyclists may use sidewalks instead. Use your head and ride safely for both you and the others around you.
One particularly nasty spot to ride your bike on the sidewalk is on the Quad between classes. Just don’t. There’s far too many people and it can get quite dangerous.
Speaking of dangerous, pedestrians aren’t completely innocent. Most students who don’t ride bikes aren’t aware of the bike lanes and don’t look for bicyclists before walking across them. So if you’re riding your bike, be aware that students can and do walk right in front of you without warning. Is it your fault? No. Could you really hurt someone? Yes.
One last thought before I end my blog. Helmets. You will be riding your bike between pedestrians mostly, but also crossing streets and riding near cars. It’s up to you whether you want to protect that thing you’re paying tens of thousands of dollars to fill with knowledge. I would protect my investment over perfect hair. Actually I’d probably just pack some hair brushes and stuff to fix it…
So there you go! Some tips and ideas to think about if you will be riding a bike or walking on campus with those bikes. Try not to hate on each other so much guys. We’re all just trying to get to class so we can graduate.