I bike from the corner of Laurel and Johnson to campus everyday, so I guess people would label me as a “biker.” I’m not one of those mean bikers that everyone has been writing about though. I really do try to stay in the “friendly” zones (the bike lanes and the right side of the road according to Ms. Tiffin), stop at stop signs, and generally just keep out of the way of all the zooming cars as much as possible.
Bikers are constantly looking out for cars, but the cars are not always looking out for us. I know this from experience when I almost got hit last year and avoided the collision only by slamming on my brakes and flying over the handle bars of my bike. My bike was broken and the driver was gone. So yes, bad things happen to bikers, too.
However once I lock my bike up, I instantly become a pedestrian and I agree, both bikers and drivers alike can speed way too fast through this campus. Aside from biking and walking, I have also experienced the agony of being behind the wheel, eying that last parking spot in the close lot (still practically a mile away from my class room), and having hoards of pedestrians flood the crosswalk in front of me, acting as though I am invisible – then I have to watch the spot go to someone else.
So the point is, this pedestrian-biker, biker-driver, driver-pedestrian or whatever other war that is going on is null. Everyone has been a driver, biker, pedestrian, skater, passenger, etc. and everyone has been wronged at some point or another. People will break the rules and that’s life. Deal with it and just try to keep out of their way. So, bikers try not to piss off the drivers, pedestrians stay out of the damn bike lanes, and drivers, just try not to run anyone over.
Megan Mallonee
Biological sciences senior