This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCSB chapter.
I’ve gotten into several almost-bike crashes in the time I’ve been at UCSB, which is why I’ve been forced to figure out ways to avoid the dreaded public crash. Proceed with caution!
- There’s a reason why that biker barreling toward you is wearing a helmet. If you are faced with a helmeted cyclist, make sure you stay in your own lane and avoid any sudden movements. They are more afraid of you than you are of them!
- Avoid Pardall. Especially around prime time inbetween classes at the intersection in front of Freebirds. Last week I saw a girl run into a car. The car didn’t hit her, she biked straight into it. And down she went. And about ten of our fellow bikers slammed on their brakes, checking to see if she was okay (after a few seconds of bewilderment, she got up and shook it off). Don’t risk this. Not only are there tons of bikers going in all four directions, but there are cars and pedestrians. Take the bike path or Camino Pescadero – while you’re a little further away, you won’t be at risk of getting plowed into by a careless texting freshman.
- Don’t text. It takes about 10 minutes to get anywhere on campus – you don’t need to be texting at all times. It’s better to leave your hook up hanging for a few minutes than to get into a bike crash with your TA.
- The same goes for headphones. I know you feel infinitely cooler listening to Nickelback while you bike through campus, but it greatens your chances of getting into a crash. I’ve witnessed two crashes recently in which one of the bikers was listening to music. Not only does it suck to have a crowd of people around you asking if you’ve survived the collision, but its even worse to be completely blind sighted because your volume was up too high and you couldn’t hear anyone warning you.
I hope these tips have helped and that you’re able to stay safe in the clusterf*** that is UCSB biking!