 "Photo:")
 "Photo:")
If you ride your bike on campus, you have the same responsibilities as a car driver. That means you must follow the same rules as a car or face a $140 citation, even if it is your first offense. Yes, that is a real traffic citation - the same as for a motor vehicle - and yes, possibly without a UPD officer first informing you of these unknown rules.
It is not common knowledge that bicycles on campus are subject to the same rules as motor vehicles. I was unaware that my 10-pound, self-propelled Fuji bicycle bears the same responsibility as a 6,350-pound, 230-horsepower Dodge pickup. For this reason, it seemed odd for a UPD officer to give a $140 citation for a first offense.
This happened to me in front of Kyle Field the other day. I realize now that slowing down at stop signs is not enough and that you must come to a complete stop with or without other vehicles on the road. But I could have learned from my mistake by means of a stern warning. If a student has no past citations or warnings concerning bicycle law, it seems practical that the officer would first advise the student on the rules before issuing a motor vehicle citation. I would surely be observant of bicycle laws knowing that the next time I violated the law I would face a $140 ticket. I doubt anyone would be dumb enough not to follow the rules knowing these consequences, especially if that money is what pays for your food next week. But if you don't know the rules or the consequences, it's a little difficult to abide by them.
Since January, UPD has issued 157 on-campus bicycle citations and 647 warnings. It is unknown how many of the 157 citations were first offenses, but it is completely at the discretion of the officer whether a citation or warning will be issued. I was unlucky enough to receive a citation for a first offense - so don't think it couldn't happen to you as well.
Bicycle safety is not the most pressing safety issue, however. There have been only 13 bicycle-vehicle accidents so far this year with six injuries on campus and no deaths. These statistics pale in comparison to the number of motor vehicle accidents on off-campus roads. Since January, there have been 2,207 accidents in College Station and three deaths.
It is important for the safety of the bikers and motor vehicles that we all follow these rules. But in the minds of our campus civil servants, the UPD, a $140 bicycle citation might be justified without previous advisory of the law. So students, heed the warning - that $30 bike you're riding this afternoon to biology class could cost you more than a speeding violation in your car and almost five times more than the bike cost to begin with.
But now you will have to excuse me while I go apply for another loan. In addition to paying tuition, I have to pay a ridiculous bicycle citation. Be careful out there bicyclists, the campus is a dangerous place.
- Wes Kimbell is a senior international studies major.
