Each morning, as soon as the Walker Center elevator hits the first floor, I plug my earbuds into my iPhone and press play on my “walking to class” playlist — yes, I have one of those. I open the doors into the bright morning and start walking — let the brisk walk to Sarkeys Energy Center begin.
And then I go into my bubble. My bubble of simultaneously jamming out and texting — head down.
There would be no problem with my daily walking routine, except for one minor detail: the bikers.
Whether on foot or wheels, sharing the sidewalk with the other is not always the most cohesive of experiences. The walkers get annoyed with the bikers, and the bikers in turn become agitated at the pedestrians.
So the cycle goes. No matter which party you belong to, the reality of it is no one can escape the roadside relationship these two must share on campus. So in an effort to make the trek to class more of a walk and less like a game of “Frogger,” welcome to sidewalk etiquette 101: The crash course on how to make it to class without the, well, crash.
For the bikers
Follow the speed limit:
Okay, so maybe there’s not a real speed limit for bikers, but a normal speed is assumed and should be respected. If you’re pedaling like you’re escaping the crime scene from a murder you just committed, chances are you’re pedaling a bit too fast. Walkers are traveling at the speed of a snail compared to bikers. The faster you go, the more difficult it is to maintain control amidst the sea of people, and speed will intensify a crash.
Multidisciplinary studies junior Tanner Cordell said he walks to class every day, and biker speed is a constant concern.
“Mainly the speed they go through on the sidewalks is the most annoying thing about bikers,” Cordell said. He has had several instances where biker speeds made him uneasy, he said. “They weren’t paying attention and just came flying up behind me, and cut across in front of me,” he said.
Everyone is in a rush to get to class on time, just be aware that the faster you go, the more potential you have for a collision.
Two halves don’t make a whole:
The bike lane is definitely limited, so it’s understandable that at times bikers may venture out to the general walking area when the bike lane is too crowded. However, if you do decide to do this, be considerate of the groups of people walking. One of the most agitating, and scary, things for walkers is when a biker splits right through the middle of a group. Right when it seems a biker is going to plow into some walkers, they part like the Red Sea, just in time for the wheels to zoom right between them.
University College freshman Chris Massey said he understands bikers need to leave the bike lane, but there needs to be more communication between the riders and walkers.
“The most annoying thing about bike riders is not that they ride on the sidewalk, because they need to get to class too,” Massey said. “What’s annoying is when they try to pass you without making any noises or anything. People have clipped me in the elbows before because they are cutting in as close as they can, trying to pass me.”
University College freshman Alyssa Cantrell said her biggest pet peeve is when bikers break through a crowd at high speeds.
“It’s so annoying when there’s a huge crowd of people and bikers are riding by really fast through them and don’t slow down,” Cantrell said. “They run the risk of running into people that are walking.”
Cutting walkers off is not only dangerous, but it also is rude. Weaving through the crowds can’t be fun, but it’s the price to pay for leaving an overcrowded bike lane.
Save the texting for another time:
This one is kind of a no-brainer, but, like many things in the world, they have to be mentioned because, believe it or not, people do stupid things. Just like texting and driving, texting while biking makes a simple morning routine significantly more dangerous
Communications sophomore and biker Geoffrey Freeman said he always is surprised by the number of students he sees texting while biking.
“No cell phones while riding your bike, I think that’s kind of obvious,” Freeman said.
Obvious or not, it happens every day. So take the advice of a fellow biker and save the texting for when your feet are on solid ground.
Like any good love-hate relationship, there is responsibility on both sides, and walkers have some improvements to make as well.
For the walkers
Look both ways:
Most near-death-encounters with those on wheels have been for one main reason: Not looking both ways before crossing the bike lane. If your path forces you to intersect the bike lane, look both ways. While you may be old enough not to hold someone’s hand when crossing the bike lane, looking both ways is a principle that all walkers are still accountable for.
University College freshman David Sergent said he rides his bike to class everyday and is continually frustrated by walkers’ lack of awareness.
“Stay off the bike trail and look before you cross,” Sergent said.
These are easy routines that walkers should respect, especially if you want the bike riders to respect your portion of the sidewalk.
Avoid the bubble:
Remember my bubble: earphones, text messages, head down? Avoid it. I can safely say that my behavior, one I’m sure many of you are familiar with, only lends itself to many of the accidents that occur between bikers and pedestrian. Remember, you are not the only one trying to make it to class on time.
“Look up, look around and look for other bikes,” Freeman said. “A lot of people are distracted, as I am guilty of also, but you just have to watch out for people who are distracted.”
He said most of the South Oval collisions he has seen often involved a walker with their head down, not paying attention.
Don’t invade:
Last, but certainly not least: Don’t walk in the bike lane.
“People are crazy, they walk in the bike lane,” Freeman said, “One time I saw a girl walk across the bike lane without looking and it caused someone to almost wreck on another bike.”
There is nothing more obnoxious — or potentially dangerous for that matter — than a walker who doesn’t care and walks in the middle of the bike lane. It’s annoying for the bikers because that is their designated ride space. If you want bikers to respect the walking side of the South Oval, then walkers need to respect the bike lane, plain and simple.
Hopefully after this crash course in sidewalk etiquette, walkers and bikers alike can better share the sidewalk and make their way to class collision-free. For all the walkers out there, you don’t have the divine right to rule the sidewalk. And for the ones on wheels, respect the foot-trekkers.
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Tank 3 months, 1 week ago
Another issue I have experienced is walkers who are wearing headphones and cannot hear when I yell out "passing on your left (or right)" or "excuse me." Also, some people get confused when I yell out "passing on your left" and move to the left, directly into my path. Both parties need to pay better attention to their surroundings.