When you walk around FSU’s campus, or really any college campus in the last four or so years, you’ll find scooters and bikes speeding past at the speed of light. This annoying, incredibly dangerous situation can ruin any pedestrian’s mood for the next few moments of their walk. It can ruin their mood so much that some people think FSU should ban scooters and bikes altogether.
One thing about that: I really like my bike. I don’t want there to be any action against one of my forms of exercise because of some not-very-mindful scooter and bike riders. In fact, I’d bet all riders wouldn’t want their form of transportation taken away, even if they’re guilty of being a bit disrespectful.
How about we fix this pedestrian vs. rider feud altogether? I’ve collected six tips for any scooter, electric bike, or manual bike rider to be more mindful of pedestrians throughout our campus, from someone who lives it both ways.
- Use Bike Lanes When Possible
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If you’re riding along a road, never ride on sidewalks; they’re called sidewalks for a reason. The roads on and around campus are very accommodating to bike and scooter riders, usually hosting bike lanes or “share the road” signs. The best way to respect pedestrians is to avoid them fully. The only reason why you wouldn’t be riding on the roads is if you’re somewhere genuinely dangerous, like Tennessee Street.
- Respect the Bike Lanes
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Now that you’re in the bike lanes, make sure you respect them. Florida law treats electric scooters the same as bikes, making them “road vehicles.” This means that while you’re on roads, including bike lanes, you have to follow all road laws.
First, ride with the flow of traffic, meaning you have to ride in the same direction as the cars to your left. Most bike riders know this, and you don’t want a 15 MPH collision between two riders going in opposite directions in the same lane.
Second, follow all signage and lights that cars have to. When you get to a red light or stop sign, you have to stop until you have the right of way, like a car. When pedestrians cross the street, they have the right of way first. If you already know how to drive, pretend you’re in your car.
- Alert Pedestrians With Sound Cues
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Some spots on campus don’t have roads, so you have to use large paths, like the HCB stretch of Legacy Walk—but now you have pedestrians in front of you to avoid.
Let’s be real for a bit and admit that no one is paying attention to their surroundings. We’re tired; we just finished the hardest exam of our college careers, and we still have another class to get to. This also means the gentle rattle of a scooter or bike won’t alert the person in front of you that you’re there.
The fix? A simple bike bell or even yelling out behind them. A bell is much more grating to the ears, so pedestrians should hear it even through their AirPods, but yelling “To your right!” also works.
- Hop Off When You Reach Crowds
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If you take anything from this article, remember this tip for the rest of your life. When you get to a large crowd of people, like the crosswalk on Woodward right outside the Union, get off your bike or scooter. Don’t be the rider trying to squeeze through a half-foot gap, or the rider creeping only a few inches away from someone.
This is especially true during FSU’s infamous Market Wednesday, when everyone is walking slowly to look at vendors’ booths or student organizations’ tables. This is probably the largest crowd that FSU accumulates every week, so please respect it. If you’re truly running so late to class that you can’t hop off for a few seconds to a minute, start leaving a little earlier.
- Slow Down
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Scooters and bikes seem so dangerous to pedestrians because they fly by so fast, so slow down. On pedestrian paths, go at their walking pace, usually around three MPH. When you’re on roads, Florida law states a maximum of 15 MPH. Again, adjust your leaving times if you’re so late to class that you feel you must go these dangerous speeds.
- Walk Across Crosswalks
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This last tip is a quick way to respect our peers who drive around campus. If you drive a car, think about when you drive across crosswalks without a stoplight; they seem clear and stay clear because people walk so slowly. When a bike or scooter launches through a crosswalk, drivers aren’t expecting to stop for anyone. Protect yourself and drivers by getting off and walking your scooter or bike instead.
These tips are easy to apply in daily life and keep pedestrians and riders from being at each other’s throats. Let’s all make our campus a safer and more respectful place to be in, and stop the rhetoric that all riders are horrible people.