USU students meet about bike concerns
Bike providers, maintenance, regulations and safety were some of the issues discussed at the borrow-a-bike program’s first meeting Thursday.
The program would provide brightly-colored bikes for students to ride around campus and then leave in the bike rack for the next student in need.
The Utah Conservation Corps has taken charge of the project.
“A plea went out for this cause, and we felt that we should take it. We are environmentally aware and we want to get more students to ride bikes,” Sean Damitz, UCC administrator, said.
Students could get to class on time and they wouldn’t have to worry about their bikes being safe, said Adam Christensen, a freshman majoring in mechanical and aerospace engineering.
Kevin Kobe, director of campus recreation, said he is also supportive of the project.
“Not seeing students on bicycles is like not seeing cowboys on horses,” he said after arriving to the meeting on a 1956 Schwim Speedster.
Both Joyride Bikes and Sunrise Cyclery have offered to donate new bikes to the program.
Abandoned bikes obtained by USU Police might also be used, Damitz said.
“For the first year, we would probably have only 10-15 bikes to keep it manageable,” Damitz said.
Bike maintenance could be taken care of by the Outdoor Recreation Center, Kobe said.
The ORC teaches a bike repair class and students could work on damaged bikes for free.
“It would give students hands-on experience and take care of the problem of bike maintenance,” Kobe said.
The biggest problem that similar programs have faced is bikes being found in a ditch somewhere, Damitz said.
Ideas were discussed to have USU Police monitor the bikes.
The bikes would be limited to on-campus use, Damitz said.
“We could weld a campus map with an outline of where the bikes can and cannot be ridden right on the frame,” Kobe said.
Juan Frano, vice president of student services, also attended the meeting.
“The concept is a good one. We need to encourage more bike riding,” he said. “We also need to deal with all the other things that may come up.”
One problem is the congestion already caused by current bikers.
“To encourage people to ride more and drive less we could paint a bike lane on the sidewalk. We need to show that USU wants students to bike,” Kobe said.
The current walkway policy was made when there were two small sidewalks rather than a wide one. There is plenty of room for bikers if a designated place is provided, Kobe said.
Bike lanes would be a huge effort for the time being.
“Right now we should probably just revisit the bike policy,” Damitz said.
Legal and safety issues are still being discussed.
“We could put a warning right on the bike stating that safety and maintaining a reasonable speed is the responsibility of the rider,” Christensen said.
More bike racks will be needed to accommodate the new bikes, said Al Lambert, Associated Students of USU student advocate, who is working on getting more bike racks.
“We could start it as a pilot program and as it progresses, we could perfect it,” Franco said.
The next meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m., Oct. 21, in the UCC office, located between the Nelson Fieldhouse and the Military Science Building.
“We hope to have a forum where everyone can give their input,” Franco said.
The idea for the program originally came from freshman on campus.
There have been concerns that this program will further amplify existing problems with bikes on campus sidewalks.
For more information contact the Utah Conservation Corps at 797-0694.
-ashshiller@cc.usu.edu