One afternoon while taking a leisurely walk to my car, I was suddenly forced from the sidewalk by a raging bicyclist, apparently running late for some important engagement.
Stunned and rather perturbed, I stopped for a moment and watched as the cyclist continued his hasty journey. One by one, my fellow pedestrians were nearly knocked from the sidewalk as they innocently attempted their daily routines. It wasn’t until an SUV came barreling down Hardy Road that the biker slowed his pace.
This is becoming an unnerving trend. With gas prices creeping upward and city traffic giving almost everyone a migraine, the number of cyclists on campus and around Starkville has increased dramatically. Unfortunately, many of the new riders, and some of the old, haven’t bothered to learn their biking manners.
Of course, not all riders are guilty of assailing pedestrians with their bicycles. In fact, most of the bikers around campus will avoid getting in the way of walkers unless it is absolutely necessary, but enough riders have been disregarding bicycle etiquette that this has become a problem.
Bicyclists need to realize that they are not pedestrians or vehicles. In fact, legally, bicyclists are in a class of their own. While motor vehicles are required to yield to cyclists as pedestrians, cyclists, too, are required to yield to pedestrians. Riding atop a two-wheeled human-powered vehicle does not give one power over walkers, nor does it give one the right to act as though driving an automobile.
Cyclists need to take into account several things while riding through campus. A few of these are actual biking laws; the rest are suggestions from an everyday pedestrian hoping to survive his regular travels without injury.
First, you are riding a bicycle, which means you’re going to be moving faster than the average person walks. There is no need to speed relentlessly from one destination to the next. If you’re in a hurry, at least try to slow your pace when riding through more populated areas such as the Drill Field.
Secondly, when approaching a person or a group of people on the sidewalk, don’t maintain your speed and hope that they will scatter for you. Instead, slow down. At least give them time to move before you fly through. If they seem to be disregarding your presence, you may have to veer from the sidewalk or walk your bike around them. This is suggested especially for times of heavy traffic between early morning classes.
Walkers, too, should be courteous. If approached by someone on a bicycle, you should step to the side if at all possible. Bikes don’t have the ability to stop in a split-second, so it is best if everyone practices courteous commuting.
Finally, several areas on campus have sidewalks designed specifically for bicycles. Use these when you can to avoid pedestrian interaction altogether. Likewise, walkers should remain on the sidewalk designated for them.
Furthermore, when interacting with automobiles, cyclists need to use extra caution. You must stop when you approach a crosswalk to be sure that the cars on the road are preparing to stop. Then, walk your bike to the other side. Slowing down and racing across the crosswalk is not the most sensible way to approach the situation. If you are unable to get to a sidewalk and have to drive in the road, remember to use the proper hand signals when turning. Give any antsy drivers enough time to slow down as you do.
It is likely that more bike lanes will appear around campus if conditions persist, but until then, bikers need to remember that sidewalks are not streets and streets are not sidewalks. And most importantly, walkers should travel unscathed.