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Dec. 31, 2015
The wind in my hair, the dewy sheen of sweat upon my forehead, the screams of pedestrians… Ah, yes. My name is Alan Rogers and I love riding my bike on the sidewalk.
There are many benefits to owning a bike on campus, like decreased travel time and low environmental impact, but my favorite thing about my Schwinn Super Sport 3 is the pure joy it provides when I ride through the narrow paved walkways of the Quad. There’s nothing more exhilarating than darting between frantic graduate students and wide-eyed prospective students as I make my way to class. And let me tell you what, you haven’t lived until you’ve sent a textbook laden first-year flying to the ground as you ride past. The feeling of power as my fellow students jump out of my way is absolutely unparalleled.
Sure, I could ride my bike in the street, but that’s dangerous! I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve narrowly avoided a collision with a vehicle. Cars don’t even seem to see the bikes they’re supposed to be sharing share the road with. They act like they own the road, with no regard to my safety. There’s no sensible recourse for a safety-minded bike-rider other than moving to the sidewalk.
It’s not my fault if I run into someone on the sidewalk. They’re always texting or listening to music. Hey walkers, maybe try paying closer attention to your surroundings?! And sometimes people just pop out of nowhere. How am I supposed to avoid everyone, at all times? Let’s try sharing the sidewalk, people.
So, if you haven’t tried riding your bike on the sidewalk, you gotta give it a go. If you don’t have a bike, borrow one from a buddy! There’s no better way to experience campus than zooming along its t narrow concrete paths with little to no regard for the health of your classmates, and seeing their bright, terrified faces of your classmates flash by. And trust me, you’ll be the coolest guy around.
