Bicycles a fast way to get to class on time

LOUIS BROWN/Daily A student locks his bike to a rack outside of Angell Hall. Bicycles are the

transportation of choice for many students.

By Josh Kroot

Daily Staff Reporter

Every weekday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., students fill the Diag running to and from classes. Those who have classes back to back have only 10 minutes to get from one room to the next.

Often, 10 minutes is not enough.

Many students reduce their travel times by riding bicycles. The over-flowing bike racks outside most University buildings are a testament to the popularity of this mode of transportation.

"The campus is large, and a bike saves time," SNRE first-year student Tony Goodman said. "I'm too lazy to leave my room on time."

A typical bicycle easily can move at 20 mph, about 5 times the speed of a fast walker, said LSA senior Mike Kawamoto, a member of a student biking club.

Even though students must spend time parking and locking their bikes, they almost always get places faster riding than walking.

"Biking cuts all of my (transportation) times at least in half," Goodman said, "and probably more if I'm going to North Campus."

But the convenience of riding a bike is not without its drawbacks. Sharing the city with cars and pedestrians often sparks conflict.

"There is a lot of traffic, and people are lousy drivers," Kawamoto said.

Kawamoto was hit recently by a car at the intersection of Washtenaw Avenue and Geddes Street.

"She ran a red light," Kawamoto said. "I hit the brakes, and she hit the front of my bike."

Kawamoto said the driver yelled "sorry" and then drove away.

LSA sophomore Mary McGuinness was also the victim of a hit-and-run bike accident.

"I was biking along behind a truck, and he turned right all of a sudden without turning on his turn signal," said McGuinness, who then hit the rear of the truck.

McGuinness said the driver waited until she got up, then drove away.

But biking doesn't have to be dangerous.

"Most bikers are pretty courteous," LSA first-year student Tyler Roberts said. "But sometimes, they go too fast through the Diag. They cut you off and swerve between people."

Students often complain that bikers come close to hitting them while they are walking.

"I love it when I'm walking along, minding my own business, and a biker comes out of nowhere and hits my book bag and sends my books plummeting to the ground," LSA sophomore Kathy Miller joked.

Most bikers maintain they are careful when riding through crowded areas.

"I go more slowly through the Diag," Kawamoto said.

But cars and pedestrians are not the only things that bikers have to worry about.

According to the University's Web page, bike theft is the most common crime on campus.

"It's just one more thing to worry about," Roberts said. "There's always the chance that it will get stolen."

Thefts often occur when students lock their bikes incorrectly or use poorly made locks.

Bill Loy, who owns the Student Bike Shop on South Forest Ave., said a U-lock is the best lock for a bike since it is difficult to cut through.

Students should run the lock through both the frame and the front wheel of the bike, Loy said. If only the front wheel is locked to the bike rack, the student may return to find a wheel with no bike attached.

In addition, students can register their bikes with the Ann Arbor Police Department. For $2.50, a description of the bike will be filed with the department, and the student will receive a sticker with the bicycle's serial number to place on the bike's frame.

For many students, the conveniences of owning a bicycle outweigh the disadvantages.

"Bikes are fast," Kawamoto said. "They are great, especially if you live off campus."

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