Wednesday | February 08, 2012
Smart Students Solve Problems by Biking to Class
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By
Genevieve Klein
11 March 2004
Thousands avoid traffic, parking lot woes, and stay in shape.
(U-WIRE) SAN MARCOS, Texas – Imagine going from your home to campus in just a few minutes, finding a convenient parking space in front of the building, and then, without worrying about possible ticketing, leisurely walking to class.
That is how thousands of college students get to class every day. They ride their bikes, avoiding most of the heavy traffic, the dreaded parking-space hunt, the typical long wait for a bus and the long walks to class.
“It is just a headache to drive a car to campus every day,” said Matt Braun, geography senior at Southwest Texas State University. “I think that if people looked into it, they would find that it is less of a hassle to ride a bike to class.”
More and more students today are finding that biking to class may solve a lot of the stresses that come with campus life.
“Just looking around campus at the cars and parking problems, biking is the most logical way to get around campus,” said Alex Langridge, owner of Al’s Freewheeling Cycles in San Marcos, Texas. “Not only is it the best way to get around, it is also healthy.”
Students are constantly reminded of the benefits of an active lifestyle. Riding a bike to class helps students get in their daily exercise in the time it takes to get to class and back.
“If a student were to ride their bike regularly, they would not have to go to the Campus Recreation Center,” said Gordon Sabin, a Southwest Texas cycling instructor. “I ride my bike to do errands, and I put on about 60 miles a week just going to the store and post office. That is really all the exercise anyone needs to stay in shape.”
Biking also eliminates many financial frustrations such as parking permits, parking tickets and car troubles. Even the purchase of a bike is considerably less expensive than that of a vehicle.
“A good entry level bike can start at just $189,” Langridge said. “There is no need to spend $300 or $400 on a bike, but you probably want to get a bike from a bike shop because they come with a warranty so you don’t have to pay to get it fixed if there are problems.”
Many people are concerned with the safety and care of a bicycle. The two forms of locks that work for most students are cable locks and U-bolt “Kryptonite” brand locks. The best security system is to fasten a U-lock around a bicycle’s frame, front tire and rack and to supplement that lock with a chain wrapped around the rack, the frame and the back tire.
“You can get a good U-lock for anywhere from $6.95 and up,” Langridge said. “You really should get a lock that corresponds with how much your bike costs. The more expensive the bike, the better the lock should be.”
Schools will often engrave a registration number on your bike free of charge in order to aid in the recovery should it be stolen. Check with your local police department on how to register your bike.
As far as safety when riding a bicycle, Braun said that following the same rules cars follow is the best way to ride. It also is good to look out for drivers who are not aware of what is going on.
“It is always a good idea to wear a helmet as well,” Landridge said. “Helmets are also inexpensive starting at just $14.”
Copyright ©2003 The Daily University Star via U-Wire
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Boodybread26 said:
GM will manage to find some way to screw this car up )= |
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great car already drove it!