Commentary Assignment

Walking around campus, there is one thing in particular that frustrates as well as concern me. This frustration involves people using other things other than their feet to make their way through campus. Other then this being dangerous to themselves, it is dangerous to people around them. My first few weeks here it began to irritate me, but the longer I attend and the more incidents I have, the more it begins to frustrate me. From my perspective, we all need to go places, so why don’t we just be safe and use our feet in the way god attended us to use them. Unless we choose to do something about it, I believe that the situation is only going to get worse as well as the campus becoming more crowded. This trend not only puts innocent pedestrians at risk, but shows the evolving fast – paced lifestyles of the American culture.
The number one mode of transportation that frustrates me on campus is the bicycle. While the rest of us our walking casually at 5 to 6 miles per hour {around 10 if were late}, people riding bike can easily hit 20 miles per hour. Besides the fact that there whizzing by us at an alarming speed, they are also causing even more congestion then we already have on campus. Bicycles are a very enjoyable, healthy, fun – loving activity, but I don’t believe that there is much room for them on campus. Last week while walking to class along the breeze way, I was almost trampled by a two companion bicyclists speeding down the walkway. I was fortunate to being paying attention and quickly move out the way, but people are usually listening to their music which makes them more prone to not paying attention. It is still very dangerous and it is probably one of the most maneuverable modes of transportation there is.
Following the bike, in a very close second, has to be the skateboard / long boards. Even though they do not take up as much room as the bicycle they can hit very high speeds and can easily break an ankle. Without stereotyping, it seems that the “free spirits” with the care – free attitude are the ones riding these contraptions. With this attitude as well as blatant disrespect for their peers, there are numerous incidents just waiting to happen at an alarming rate. Unlike the Bicycle, which can easily be locked to a tree or bike rack; skateboards are forced to be carried around campus clogging the already congested classrooms and hallways. Another thing about the skateboard is the fact that most of the riders are inexperienced as well as just plain awful. Considering the danger of this transportation to a pedestrian around an experienced rider, the numbers must increase drastically around an inexperienced one. The campus is already extremely over crowded as it is, but with the skateboards and even longer, less maneuverable long boards, it is only increasing congestion and putting everyone else in danger. I don’t know if you have every walked in a 500 person class trying to climb over peoples laps with skate / long boards in front of them, but it is not easy, nor pleasant.
The last but probably most understandable and less dangerous mode of transportation is the rollerblades. Even though you can hit an extremely high rate of speed, they seem to be the most maneuverable even though I might be confused. Since my time at the University of Central Florida I have never really had any situations with them; so I might be bias. Looking at them from an outside perspective though I could see how they could also be dangerous. I have personally never ridden on rollerblades but they seem relatively maneuverable. Due to the fact that they could be a lot more of a burden to take off and on I can see why they are less likely to be used; which could be why I find them less of a burden. Nonetheless, it is still dangerous to travel by this transportation. A reason why it could be even more endangering to themselves and others is because of the freedom on might feel while on them. Instead of lugging around a 40 pound bicycle or a 20 pound skateboard; you are traveling using the relative same motion that you do while walking. People given this freedom might be more opportune to take more risks such as fly by people or head into close knit quarters. The more I think about it the more that I think that that having a more agile way of transportation could in the wrong hands, be more dangerous to the people surrounding them. Similar to the people on long boards, the people that I do see traveling around on campus wearing roller blades also seem to be for the most part inexperienced. Traveling at a high rate of speed like they are; you would assume that would be comfortable and know how to stop but that is not the case.
According to what I’ve seen walking around campus, traveling along campus on anything other than your feet is ridiculous. Putting the people around at risk traveling though a crowded campus at a rate of speed that is unjust is unnecessary. Having seen some irresponsible people around campus I would strongly suggest some regulations, as far as transportation is concerned. I’ve preached my opinion on the risks of how it could affect our peers, but they need to realize what issues they could face if anything were to happen. Not just pertaining to a self afflicted injury, but the possibility of anything from a lawsuit or death could occur. I honestly believe that if we just take a look in the mirror, give ourselves a little more time to get where we need to be, and proceed in an organized manner; then our campus can be a lot safer as well as less congested.