Opinion

A plea from a biker

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Last week I ran into a pedestrian while biking along University Avenue. It wasn’t my fault, and though the person apologized, I thought I’d take a minute to remind everybody (pedestrians, bikers, and drivers) to watch out for other traffic.

The person was in a crosswalk, but I had the green light and was coming down the hill fast in the bike lane and didn’t have enough time to slow down. I was knocked off my bike and she was still standing. I walked away with a few minor scrapes and she’ll probably have some bruises, but it could’ve been worse. If there had been oncoming traffic behind me (like a bus) I could’ve been run over.

Pedestrians, please look to see if there are bikers coming before you start across. We can’t always slow down in time or swerve around you. When I walk, I don’t cross in the middle of the bike lane or try to beat a bike across an intersection (or mopeds or cars, for that matter). I follow the rules, I signal, and I wear a helmet to protect me from cars and mopeds, but if I run into you, we’ll both be hurt. Bikers and drivers, please obey the laws. Stop at red lights and signal your turns. I know there are people who aren’t considerate, but for those of us who want to make it to class on time and uninjured, please be a little more cautious.