Rene Alvarez | Cyclists need to start obeying the rules

Tell me if this has ever happened to you:

You're strolling along Locust Walk, somewhere between 34th and 38th streets, perhaps on your way to the class you teach.

Suddenly, some dude on a bicycle buzzes by, coming within inches of knocking you over. You barely have enough time to think of a decently worded obscenity as you see him threading the needle between other pedestrians, already a block ahead. Then you smugly wonder why anyone would spend so much money on a Penn education and not wear a helmet.

Okay, I'll admit it, when I said "you," I really meant me.

In my time here at Penn, cyclists have never been worse at obeying on-campus bike-use regulations-especially along the Walk--- than they are now.

Bicycles, like automobiles, are moving vehicles. Like automobiles, there are rules of the road that riders are expected to follow when operating their vehicles. And like driving a car, riding a bike is a privilege - not a right. But with that privilege comes responsibility. Riders have a responsibility for their own safety and for the safety of others.

To ensure the well-being of both riders and pedestrians, Penn's Division of Public Safety does not allow bike riding on Locust Walk weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

I'll say it again slowly, since I know I'm talking to cyclists: Walk your bike during those hours! Got it? Good!

I understand why cyclists want to ride their bikes along campus walkways. Despite dedicated bike lanes on Spruce, Walnut and Chestnut streets, the infamous "Philly slide" and drivers who make a point of harassing cyclists make bike riding on the streets a challenge.

This situation is nothing new. In a letter to the editor 10 years ago, 1997 College alumnus Paul Shinn said, "If I wasn't so confident in my riding ability, there'd be no way in hell I'd ride in the street; I can't blame many cyclists for using the sidewalks. Drivers in Philadelphia won't recognize bikes as vehicles. . Something drastic must be done, and it must be done soon."

But riding your bike on campus walkways during times of high pedestrian traffic is not the answer.

"I try to avoid Locust Walk," College senior and Cycling Club Vice President Andrew Pederson said. "Sometimes, biking on campus is more dangerous than on the street because of the pedestrians."

Arguing that cyclists aren't following the rules is difficult, however, when few reminders exist. I've counted no more than three posted signs reminding riders of the daytime bike-use restrictions along Locust between 34th and 38th streets.

Lately, I've taken to telling riders to walk their bikes when they whiz past me. No one has ever stopped to challenge me (though they probably can't hear me anyway because of their iPods), but if they did, I wouldn't have a leg to stand on - or in this case a sign to point to.

Enforcement of on-campus bike-use regulations is one of the duties of the Penn Police. Joseph Fischer, commanding officer of the patrol division of the Penn Police, said the number of cyclists during prohibited hours has increased, and his units are stopping more and more people. "It's obviously now something that has to be addressed," Fischer said.

If you ever had a choice of which police officer to stop you, you'd want it to be Fischer. Straightforward, down-to-earth and good-humored, Fischer is also dedicated to Penn's educational mission, and he approaches bicycle safety more pedagogically than punitively.

According to Fischer, officers stop student riders to make them aware of riding prohibitions during daytime hours; repeat offenders are referred to the Office of Student Conduct.

Police rarely issue citations for violations. But maybe that's the problem - if police were more serious about enforcement, maybe riders would be more serious about the rules.

Fischer assured me, however, that patrols at peak hours of pedestrian traffic will increase in the coming days to educate riders of the rules and to enforce the restrictions.

Naturally, the number of cyclists will diminish as the weather turns and the temperatures drop. Which means I won't have to complain about this again until at least April.

That gives riders six months to figure out the rules and police six months to rethink their education campaign. That should be plenty of time.

Rene Alvarez is a sixth-year History Ph.D. candidate from Chicago, Ill. His e-mail address is alvarez@dailypennsylvanian.com. Rico Suave appears on Tuesdays.

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