There are many ways to get to class besides walking like bicycle, scooter or skateboard. The large number of skateboarders and bicyclists at San Diego State pose a serious safety threat to students because of the lack of rule enforcement for these riders.
Following university rules on skateboarding and bicycling is essential for the safety of everyone on campus. Unfortunately for pedestrians, people on boards or bikes dominate the sidewalks, using their speed to create their own rules.
This problem is most evident when crossing the pedestrian bridge between the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union and the residential halls.
There are rules against getting across the bridge. The ground is plastered with warnings and pictures forbidding skateboarders and bicyclists from using their transportation while crossing the bridge.
Looking at the bridge, it’s not hard to tell why skating and riding is not allowed since it is a narrow bridge with a constant flow of pedestrians over one of the major streets near campus.
Given all these reasons, a lot can go wrong when a high-speed skateboarder rides across. Several SDSU students on the bridge have witnessed someone getting hit by a biker or a skateboarder on the bridge who did not get off their vehicle while crossing.
Many times, skateboarders on the bridge don’t even know how to properly stop or control their boards. A problem causing this might be their choice of shoe wear. No one should be riding a skateboard with sandals on.
After crossing the bridge from the Student Union to the residence halls, all forms of public transportation are forbidden, but that doesn’t stop skateboarders. People who ride bikes and skateboards on campus do not care if there is a designated bike path or not.
Riding to class is efficient, but dangerous. People who walk rather than skate or bike to class have been in the wrong when it comes to the rules plenty of times. But just like when driving a car, the people outside the car always have the right of way because of the potential damage a car can cause.
A solution is necessary to preserve a safe environment for pedestrians and skaters. This suggestion goes out to both students and campus authorities with the hope that skating and other methods of transportation can continue to be popular for students.
Students who ride should pay closer attention to the posted rules before campus authorities catch on to this disobedience and ban the practice all together. This will ruin skateboarding on campus for everyone who wants to ride. It can’t be expected that everyone knows and follows every little rule — but everyone should begin respecting the rules of the pedestrian bridge mentioned earlier — the area that seems to be the most problematic.
