Pierce College lacks a policy that acknowledges the biking, skating and boarding population of our campus.
The only online documentation of a bicycle policy is a one page PDF labeled “Bike Safety Rules” which is approved by former Pierce President Robert M. Garber and former Vice President of Administrative Services Kenneth B. Takeda, back in 2007.
This document is not easily found on Pierce College’s website.
The Work Environment Committee is currently working on a new policy, and there are some suggestions the Roundup thinks would be a benefit to students.
Rather than attempting to enforce a policy that limits the use of bikes, rollerblades and skateboards on campus, the governing bodies of our campus could push for a policy that includes them.
These rules ban the use of skateboards and skates on campus, but it also states that “No bicycle riding permitted on pedestrian sidewalks and mall walkways. Riding on sidewalks adjacent to classrooms, library, gyms, gardens, grass areas, or in any other college facilities is also not permitted.”
This section of the Bicycle Safety Rules is followed by an underlined message for students to walk their bikes within the restricted areas at all times.
It is possible that Pierce students continue to break these rules because they are unaware of the policy.
It is also possible that law enforcement on campus is not strictly ticketing for any abuses of the policy.
So what good is a policy that is not visibly posted or enforced?
Perhaps the Associated Students Organization (ASO) could draft a policy to present to the Pierce College Council (PCC) considering that many of these outlaw bikers and boarders are students.
It doesn’t make sense to exclude the entire biking and boarding population. We need a policy that works for all students, not against them.
Without a proper policy or procedures in place, people have been securing their bikes in inconvenient places, such as benches, classroom ramp rails, and light poles.
Bicycle racks would be a simple way to encourage the eco-friendly method of transportation. There is an apparent need for them in the Village and up on the Art Hill, for these locations are somewhat distant from the center of campus.
The ASO could consider allotting some of their funds for this purpose.
The ASO could also consider allotting some funds toward a bike lane along the Mall, this would ensure the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians alike by giving two wheeled travelers a path to ride down.
But what about skateboards and skates?
As for boards and skates, it can be written into this new policy that no tricks are to be performed on campus and that they should be used for transportation purposes only.
Students need to let their voices be heard in order for changes to be made.
