Foolishly, I thought we all left the danger of being mortally wounded by Razor scooters behind in the childhood cul-de-sac. But anyone that has walked the HYPR Highway in the morning during class breaks knows better. Some days it seems as if you have stepped into a pedestrian version of Frogger (with a third dimension the amphibian hero did not have to contend with). As stories of near-misses and the occasional pedestrian clipping abound, it was only a matter of time before somebody got seriously hurt. Recent policy changes to university regulations aimed at curbing sidewalk dangers are smart and even-handed and should do a lot to restore a little rider-pedestrian harmony.
Even before the first day of the semester, the university began addressing the problem aggressively. The changes the Sidewalk Safety Committee (the very existence of which should communicate the extent of the sidewalk trouble) made to University Policy 3-233 were approved by the Board of Trustees on August 13th and the sandwich boards advertising the new rules were ready for the first day of fall classes.
The boards have been placed in high-traffic areas and are a part of the informational campaign to let students know about the policy change, and man do you want to be informed because the penalties are steep. If found breaking the rules, riders can have their vehicles impounded or be fined $100 dollars, and if you’re found to be a repeat offender, you can be “prohibited from riding or using non-motorized devices on university premises, permanently or for a designated period.” No more riding in parking lots, “on or over landscaping [or] shrubbery” and riders must follow a strict 10 MPH speed limit.
Alma Allred, Director of Commuter Services and a biker himself, says while no citations have been given yet, public safety officers on bikes have begun patrolling university sidewalks, educating riders and handing out pamphlets. Allred says the riders have been receptive so far, “and while most riders are respectful, some just tear through campus.” Allred’s department and campus security have received complaints in past years in regards to sidewalk safety and hope the policy changes will address their concerns.
All kinds of two and even three-wheeled modes of transportation are popular here at the U, even some bemusing odd eggs — people who have had the joy of seeing the mythical Segway Man ride through the library know what I’m talking about.
It will be a while before we know how the new safety measures impact the rider and pedestrian populations, but hopefully it will call a truce between the two groups. For now just remember to slow down and give your fellow students plenty of space. Oh yeah, and the shrubbery too.