CSUN students are using alternate methods of transportation to save money and eliminate the daily search for a parking spot, but some bike riders are experiencing difficulties.
There are concerns from students who travel to and around campus on a bike that there is a limited number of bike racks during busy hours, affecting the overall safety of bikes on campus. Plus there are no bike paths on school grounds to accommodate bike riders.
Alexander Kuretski, 20, a mechanical engineer major, has faced tough conditions while riding his bike to school.’ He said that he has felt danger while riding on the streets near campus. ‘
‘I’ve almost been hit like three or four times by cars around school,’ Kuretski said. ‘
He also said that it is very hard to ride around campus because of the amount of students on foot. ‘
‘You have to weave and dodge your way through everybody,’ he said. ‘
He would be very appreciative if CSUN added bike lanes for bicyclists and skateboarders.’ He said it is sometimes hard to find a spot to lock up his bike during school hours.’ More bike racks would ensure students a place to lock up their bikes. ‘
The university police station offers tips on how to safely secure a bicycle on campus.
‘The best security advice we can give is to purchase a U-shaped lock rather than a cable lock because locking up your bike properly is the best way to deter someone from stealing it,’ said Christina Villalobos, CSUN’s Community Relations Officer.
The police station has a bicycle registration program where students can register their bikes to improve the chances of recovering their bike in the event that it is ever stolen.’ Students can register their bikes at the police station for free and receive a registration card and a sticker.
Doug Shapiro, a graduate student studying pre-med said that if he wants to save money and time, he will drive to school, store his bike in his car and park on one of the nearby side streets.’ Shapiro parks east of campus on Louise or White Oak Avenues.
‘There are no restrictions on how long you can park there, and it’s less than three quarters of a mile away,’ Shapiro said.’ ‘It is a two-second bike ride to get to campus and there is unlimited parking all day.’
This is how Shapiro avoids the parking issue.
By using other modes of transportation, like riding bikes to school, students are trying to not only save time, but money.
‘People coming to campus, whether it be faculty, staff or students are considering alternate methods of transportation given the increase of gas prices,’ said Villalobos.’ ‘ ‘
Jackie Forsythe, 20, a kinesiology major, has been riding her bike to school every day since April.
‘It gets you to school a lot faster, it’s fun, good exercise, and it’s a lot cheaper,’ Forsythe said. ‘
In order to add more bike racks, CSUN would need ‘stronger evidence that there’s an increase of bikes coming to campus,’ said Villalobos.’ ‘
CSUN officials aren’t able to show an increase of bike riders on campus because there are no previously recorded statistics.
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