Recently, ASG announced plans to spread awareness of reckless riding on campus. Students have reported accidents and collisions that have become a cause for concern involving long boarders, skateboarders and bikers.
ASG President Telbe Storbeck hopes to “promote awareness” of these incidents rather than punish those who cause them. However, he admitted that if reckless riding doesn’t cease, many forms of transportation “have the potential of being banned.”
There is no reason that any form of human-powered transportation should be banned on campus. CMU takes pride in being skater and biker-friendly with railed planter boxes and curved sidewalks. Students have embraced this concept, but have failed to stay safe in transit. To solve this problem, the skater and the pedestrian must take equal responsibility for their safety.
First of all, skaters and bikers need to ride within their physical limits. Beginners should practice in low-traffic areas and avoid travelling at high speeds.
If a student can’t control his board or bike while riding across campus, he should walk.
Bikers should be wary of their speed and skills as well. To avoid head-on collisions, bikers should use wide sidewalks and avoid weaving through crowds of students. If a biker must pass a walking pedestrian on a cramped sidewalk, he should alert the pedestrian of his presence and ride slowly and carefully to avoid an accident.
Walking pedestrians also must be aware on campus as well. Texting and walking doesn’t sound dangerous, but it’s enough of a distraction to cause an accident. Many accidents can be avoided if students take the time to look around before walking through sidewalk intersections and give the rider the right of way. It’s a lot easier to stop on foot than on wheels. ASG is rightfully taking action to prevent reckless riding on campus. However, it’s the responsibility of the student to be aware of others – on board or foot – around them.