Bicycling is a great way to get to and around campus, but there are several things all bicyclists should keep in mind when riding at UT.
Safety should be your primary concern, for both yourself and for others around you. Cyclists have the same rights as any other vehicle on the road, be it bus, car or Hummer. But with these rights come responsibilies — bicycles are vehicles and must follow the same rules and regulations as cars, including obeying traffic signals and signs, yielding to pedestrians and cars when they have the right of way and signaling intentions to turn. Following the same patterns of stopping for red lights and stop signs and signaling makes you just as predictable to other traffic as they should be to you. Being predictable and following rules makes it easier to decide what to do when confronted with a traffic decision — and it makes you a more confident rider. Also, this means that cyclists should steer clear of sidewalks — but magically, once you jump off your bike, you’re instantly a pedestrian.
Make sure your bike is in good shape. Check your tire pressure, brakes and gears before you hit the road.
Keep your bike secure. Parking and Transportation Services and the University Police Department both suggest that you always use at least a quality U-lock. Bike thieves look for bikes locked with inefficient cable locks.
Finally, anyone who has a bicycle should register it with Parking and Transportation Services. Registering your bicycle is the best way to recover your bike in the event it is lost or stolen. If your bicycle is registered and improperly parked, the officials can contact you before they are forced to impound your bicycle. Otherwise, your bicycle will be history. Register at www.utexas.edu/parking/transportation/biking or come by the bicycle hub located on Speedway just north of Gregory Gym to register your bicycle Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There you will find all the bicycle information you need, and you can fill up your tires for free while you’re at it.
Cortez is a geography senior and the bicycle coordinator for Parking and
Transportation Services.
