UCSB is deemed a “Platinum Bike Friendly University”, but bike safety doesn’t seem to be a prevalent practice on the bike paths. I propose a mandatory bike safety training, possibly including an in person bike tour for visual learners, for all new UCSB students before the start of Fall quarter.

The current programs in place are the role of the CSO officers, a page on the UCSB TPS website, and possibly a section in GauchoFYI – but that’s not enough. Most students will not voluntarily complete or focus on brief education programs such as those, which is leading to danger on the bike paths. To perfect our bike friendly campus, there needs to be a bike safety focused education/training program that teaches lessons such as not walking on the bike paths, who has the right of way, which side to stay on, and more. This project could be a potential collaboration with the AS Bike Committee and geography professor Trisalyn Nelson (who has developed her own bike safety project). 

I personally hear at least two complaints about the dangerous biking/walking/skateboarding practices everyday I go onto campus. UCSB has over 20,000 bikes on campus on a regular school day, and they need assistance.