It was a typical Wednesday evening on the corner of Reseda Boulevard and Nordhoff Street, where red and white lights filled the streets as traffic moved along.  Motorists, pedestrians and bicyclist were trying to go places when all of the sudden time stood still for a bicyclist.

A distracted driver nearly ran the beach cruiser bicyclist over as he was trying to make a right turn on Nordhoff Street.

The bicyclist, who was wearing a CSUN hoodie and was not wearing a helmet, managed to swerve to avoid getting hit. After a few seconds of panic she was able to pedal away unharmed.

There seems to be an increase of bicyclists on campus and on the roads these days. It can be argued that it is due to the recession and people trying to spend less on gas or people just being green. But what I have failed to see is the use of helmets.

In California, by law, bicycle riders under 18 years of age must wear a helmet while riding on a public road. If the bicyclist would have gotten hit, she may have ended up with a head injury or worst.

I can understand students not wearing helmets on campus grounds when they are riding from class to class but once on the streets helmets must be worn. Consider this, what’s more important your “coolness factor” or your brain?