Bicycle Friendly Means Bicycling Safely at the U of A

Photo Submitted

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The U of A is officially a Bicycle Friendly University, earning Silver status last fall from the League of American Bicyclists. The Office for Sustainability encourages students, faculty and staff to ride to, from and on campus: it reduces traffic, frees up parking, and cuts the campus carbon-footprint.  Biking is healthy exercise, too.

But with greater numbers of bikes comes greater responsibility for riders to act respectfully and safely towards one another while sharing the campus walkways.

To get that message across – and generally celebrate bicycling – the OFS is hosting a Bike Safety Block Party from 12 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31, near the Peace Fountain and Old Main. The party will feature food, games and prizes, and several bike organizations will offer valuable bike safety information.

Starting with these tips to help cyclists and pedestrians blissfully coexist on the U of A campus.

1.Pedestrians have the right of way; cyclists must yield to pedestrians.

2.Walk your bike in high traffic areas.

3.Signal by voice when passing a pedestrian from behind.

4.Use hand signals to indicate turns or intentions to stop.  

5.Keep a reasonable speed; be able to stop completely if your path is suddenly obstructed

6.When in doubt, err on the side of caution. Walking your bike is much better than accidentally hitting a pedestrian.

7.When using streets follow traffic rules.  

8.Always wear a helmet and never wear headphones while riding.

9.Keep your bike in good repair.

The Block Party will include free safety checks.

For more information check out the related Blog Post “Everything You Need to Know about Bikes on Campus”

Learn more about bikes on campus and biking resources at http://bike.uark.edu.