Break the cycle: Ride your bike

It’s 9:53 a.m. You feverishly worry about making it to
class on time, looking at your watch every few minutes.

Sweating, you urge yourself on. Just a little bit further.

It’s now 10:08. Your lecture has already begun as you
sheepishly make your way down the aisle to find an empty seat in
the packed hall.

Noticing your tardiness, the professor pauses for a moment to
give you a negative look.

For most of us, this scenario has become all too familiar.
Rushing to class every day on foot can be quite an ordeal,
especially if you have to return home and go back to campus more
than once in a day.

This is one of many reasons the university should promote biking
on and around campus. The activity serves the many needs of the
UCLA population while bettering and simplifying their lives.

The activity definitely saves time ““ something we can
never have enough of, even when five extra minutes in bed can seem
like heaven.

Walking from the dorms to the School of Public Policy and Social
Research may take almost 20 minutes, but it’s far quicker by
bike.

Bicycling serves to relieve some of the stress of daily
routines. It facilitates relaxation as you enjoy the ride. And
before realizing it, you are at your destination, more prepared to
take notes and learn.

Biking also presents valuable health benefits. The American
Heart Association recommends bicycling regularly to reduce the
chance of heart disease and other health problems.

I was inspired to bike this past weekend. I went up to UC Santa
Barbara and was amazed to see almost everyone in sight bicycling.
Bike racks everywhere were packed.

During my visit, I had the chance to borrow my friend’s
bike and ride it around the campus and the town of Isla Vista.

The experience was such a contrast to UCLA. Considering that
bicycles play such a vital role in their college life, the Santa
Barbara students I talked to were shocked to hear that barely
anyone at UCLA rides bikes.

When I talked to UCLA students about biking, I was surprised to
learn many like the idea. Third-year mathematics/economics student
Adan Jimenez uses his bike on a daily basis.

“I bike to class to get a little more exercise in and cut
some time. It’s very convenient on campus if you have classes
in both North and South Campus in the same day.”

In response to the challenge of UCLA’s hilly terrain,
Jimenez said, “It’s something you have to get used to,
but overall its worth it because you have a real-time constraint
when going to class.”

“Overall having a bike is a definite (good) investment.
You extend your travel range and radius and you save time getting
to a location, be it on or off campus,” he said.

Bikes aren’t only useful for getting around campus ““
after all, using a car can be a serious hassle. When driving around
Westwood, it is often too difficult to travel by car, yet too
tiring and too far to travel on foot.

Traveling by car is even more problematic when it comes to
parking. With on-campus parking meters at eight minutes a quarter,
driving around with less than a tin box full of change is a useless
endeavor.

The chances of getting a decent spot in Westwood are about the
same as finding a ticket to the USC-UCLA football game the day
before for normal price.

Biking also presents environmental bonuses. It will reduce air
and noise pollution ““ and let’s face it, you
can’t even see most of the stars in Los Angeles because of
the smog.

To promote biking around campus, UCLA should introduce bike
paths along frequented routes such as Sunset Boulevard and Charles
E. Young Drive. When streets are narrow, full of traffic and
lacking sidewalks, biking quickly loses its appeal.

Biking is an ideal method of transportation, especially compared
to the drag of walking or the irritation of driving a car.

Although the wheel is considered the most important mechanical
invention to date, UCLA students have yet to take full advantage of
the device that uses it well.

It’s time we grabbed our helmets and hopped on.

For a wild ride, e-mail Oster at [email protected]. Send
general comments to [email protected].