University of Virginia Library

Getting Caught In The Middle

By ANDY BALLENTINE

Christmastime is upon us
and thoughts run through our
commercial minds of the
traditional presents: a new tie,
a set of handkerchiefs, a new
bicycle.. A new bicycle? Can we
expect an increase in the
number of bicycle-riding
students upon returning from
the Christmas break? If so
problems that are present now
due to bicycles on the grounds
will only become greater.

Right now, when a student
mounts a bicycle, he takes his
life into his hands; he is subject
to verbal and physical threats
to his personal well-being. On a
typical ride to class, the bike
rider will innocently venture
out into the street (where he is
recommended to ride) and the
first 'motorist who narrowly
misses him cusses him out,
demanding to know why the
bicyclist isn't on the sidewalk
"where he belongs". For some
reason, drivers become
extremely nervous whenever
they sense the presence of a
bicycle, and often they
threaten to act irrationally by
ignoring safe driving rules

The exasperated cyclist then
attempts to save his neck by
moving onto the sidewalk.
However, his newly-found
haven doesn't last long. Irate
pedestrians, claiming a right of
way to the sidewalks, which is
rightfully theirs, abuse the
bicyclist, telling him to get
back in the street where he
belongs.

Where do we go from here?
bicyclists are obviously caught
in the middle, between
motorists and pedestrians.
They need a place to ride,
where they can be assured of
safety.

A possible solution to this
problem may be one that has
been worked out in many large
residential areas, notably
Washington, D.C. This is the
possibility of creating extra
lanes for bicyclists. In D.C., the
extra lanes are extensions of
the same roads that cars use.
However, it might be more
feasible and easier from an
engineering standpoint if bike
lanes here on the Grounds were
created by making sidewalks
wider.

In addition to these
improvements each bicyclist
should be provided with
information outlining traffic
rules that bicyclists must
follow during those times that
they are forced to ride in the
streets for lack of a bike lane.

The increase of bicycles this
year has also taken its toll on
some areas of grass on the
Grounds. These are areas where
bicycles have been ridden so
frequently that the grass is
worn away, and a dirt path has
developed. At wet times of the
year (such as last week,,
following the recent rainy
weather we have been blessed
with) these paths are sloppy
troughs of slippery, slimy
mud.

An answer to this problem
would be small paths of asphalt
that could be placed at these
locations. Using these paths
would enable the cyclists to
use the short-cuts (which they
will do anyway), minimally
damaging the beauty of the
Grounds. Small paths such as
these, used now by many
schools, would be hardly
noticeable.

Recognizing the need for
them, new facilities in the form
of bike racks are being
provided in the dorm areas,
which is a step in the right
direction. Bicycles are here to
stay, and provisions should be
made for them.