If you’ve been following university news over the summer, you probably heard of the proposed ban on recreational biking and skating on campus. Specifically, the policy would have declared that “any recreational, athletic, or other use of a non-motorized riding device on university premises unrelated to participation in university-related activities is strictly prohibited.”
Though supporters, in large part, pushed for the ban because of the increasing numbers of recreational skateboarders on campus, it would have had a serious effect on the entire U community. Fortunately, the suggested policy has been dropped and instead, the U will be adopting stricter measures against dangerous riding on campus.
Though the move to control the number of riders — both on boards and bikes — is understandable, the U should be applauded for recognizing that a ban on all recreational activity would not have been the way to go. Given the mobile nature of riding, policing it is extremely difficult. The ban would have only caused problems for riders who were using their chosen mode of transportation on a large campus.
The U is without a doubt a commuter campus, with 86 percent of students living off-campus, according to U.S. News College Rankings. In Fall 2012, there were a total of 32,388 students enrolled. It was also estimated that there were 2,300 regular bike commuters on campus, which saved the U the trouble of installing 506 new parking spaces. That number excludes the number of students who ride bikes or skateboards from the dormitories down to their classes on our campus of 1,535 acres.
The recent remodeling of the HPER Highway, along with the installment of a bike path that runs parallel to the pedestrian walkway are good examples of ways to lessen the tension between pedestrians and riders. Providing a convenient pathway for each group decreases the risk of accidents without punishing students who are attempting to reach places in a manner other than walking.
Part of the U’s new plan is an effort to increase rider awareness of campus etiquette, which is a laudable goal that can help to make a difference. Like the users of any other vehicle, riders can be a danger to both themselves and others when they are not paying attention and are unprepared for situations that they may find themselves in.
That being said, the U would have had a nasty time attempting to enforce a policy that banned recreational use of non-motorized vehicles on campus.
The question of how one would determine if a rider was on campus for a legitimate activity would be difficult to answer, given that most students do not carry a class schedule with them, and presumably, professors would not be expected to give out hall passes for free range on the campus.
Instead, this new plan adopted by the U will continue to allow riders to access the campus freely as the university works to better the situation by providing more riding-friendly areas, as well as educating and policing the riders who might create problems on campus.