In light of Monday’s all too familiar appearance of slush and ice in the streets, the University of Wisconsin warned moped drivers to exercise caution in the coming winter months.
Officer Kristin Radtke of the UW Police Department said that it is possible to drive mopeds during the winter, but stressed students should do so only during the correct conditions.
“I think you can still operate in the winter when the roads are dry and clear. As long as a moped can handle operating in the cold, operate it when there’s no snow and no ice … on the road,” Radtke said.
Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities, Planning and Management Alan Fish pointed out the importance of using mopeds only when the streets and parking areas are clear.
He emphasized UW will be busy taking care of other aspects of snow maintenance on snowy days, and students should keep that in mind when deciding to ride their moped.
“On these days we’re going to be working hard on clearing the roads and the sidewalks for pedestrians as a first priority, and handicapped folks as a second priority, and then vehicles as a third priority; and so getting out and clearing off the scooter parking areas is going to be a low priority while we’re doing that,” Fish said.
Taking the low priority of street and parking lot maintenance into account, Fish said UW will be asking moped riders to use other forms of transportation on particularly blustery days.
“On snowy days, and when we declare a snow action day, we’re going to ask folks to take the bus or walk or do something else,” Fish said.
Radtke suggested students watch the weather in order to decrease their risk when using a moped.
“It’s just being cognizant of the weather and what’s coming in the future with weather, and also realizing that if you’re going … to campus for the day and the snow is coming later in the day, you don’t want to have your moped get stranded on campus,” Radtke said.
Radtke suggested checking the weather online before leaving for class.
When the streets aren’t clear, Radtke said students can “get around either by foot or bus.”
Radtke added that the UWPD encourages using eyewear and a helmet when riding a moped. This is not currently required by law, but Radke said she hoped to see that changed in the future.
Fish said a lot of safety has to do with instinct.
“I often kind of wince when I see somebody whizzing by on scooter on a snowy street in the middle of the winter. … We hope that people would just wait and use their scooters when we have dry roads. That’s probably the most common sense piece of advice we would ask,” Fish said.
