Training Wheels and Smartphones

Throughout my undergraduate career, I rode my bike everywhere. 

It was the single greatest investment I made while in college.

Now, before I continue, I would like to preface this by saying there may not be any substantial takeaways from this post, but it has been on my mind for a couple weeks now.

This post will be more on the 'rant' side of the Club SEBU spectrum...

Continue reading at your own risk...

As stated above, riding my bike is a past-time of mine that I thoroughly enjoy.

Since I have started school again and have been treated to some good weather, I have revisited this past-time and indulged in some bike-riding to and from campus.

What is a relatively short ride is also a sincerely calming one...

That is until I get to campus...

As I approach the sidewalks, I am always met by a host of students walking around from point A to point B.

No problems there...

The problems arise when I am on the narrow sidewalks and realize that 95% of the students are walking around with their eyes glued to their cell phones; trusting that muscle memory will get them to wherever they are trying to go.

With students flying in all different directions on these narrow walkways, panic always ensues as I try to refrain from crashing into a wide-eyed underclassman. 

Since my classes are during rush hour, there typically isn't room on the road to avoid humans because of the cars.

Surprisingly, the vehicles are more trustworthy than the walkers, but I digress.

There are the fast walkers, the slow walkers, the group walkers, the zig-zag walkers, and all of them are on their phones.

While staring into their DM's, and talking up a storm with their fellow sidewalk occupiers, I am the one awkwardly turning my handlebars back and forth, clutching and unclutching the brakes with one leg off the pedal just in case I have to make an emergency foot-skid and leap to the grass for a soft landing.

This is never pretty...

It only gets worse when the students make eye contact with me and proceed to panic as well, moving side-to-side as we both stare down our embarrassing encounter.  This lovely moment always makes me look like I am just learning how to find balance on a two-wheeler.

I promise their lack of spatial awareness makes it appear this way...I've been riding for several years.

Thankfully, I haven't run into anyone or fallen off yet, but I don't rule out the possibility. 

Furthermore, I will continue to ride my bike when the weather permits it but all that I ask is...

If you are going to shield the entire sidewalk, at least use your eyes occasionally for oncoming traffic.  Whatever is in your phone can wait those two seconds. 

I know you're not driving, but I don't want to be in your Snapchat...nor do I want to ruin it by crashing into you.

Until next time,
Long Live The People

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