Yes, it's me. The one whizzing by you as you walk to class, coming up behind you on the sidewalks, slowing you down in your car. It's me, the on-campus transport everyone loves to hate, the bicyclist (not to be confused with biker, which according to Google's dictionary, means: a motorcyclist, especially one who is a member of a motorcycle gang or club). Not only do I ride my bike around campus, I also ride it to campus. Yes, my electric, lime green (cringe if you must) bicycle is my main source of transportation for school. I think my fellow bicyclists would agree with me that this choice of transport, like any other, comes with lots of pros and lots of cons.
One of the best parts of riding a bike to school for me is that I avoid, for the most part, traffic and, most of all, parking. What would normally be a 30-minute drive, park, and walk to class is only about a 10- or 15-minute ride for me. This allows me at least 15 minutes longer than you drivers or bus-goers get to sleep in the morning, which in my world, is a big deal.
The biggest drawback when riding a bike to campus are those days when you walk out of class in the afternoon and it is pouring. Your choices are either to stay at school until it lets up, call a generous friend or to take the plunge and be that poor soul racing through storm itself.
A pro, however, is that on beautiful days, a bike ride is truly an awesome way to start the day. Fresh air, a slight breeze—I almost forget I'm riding to school sometimes.
Another con is choosing between riding on the sidewalks or the road. Do I want to irritate everyone who is driving today, or do I want to terrify all of the pedestrians? On the days when I choose the road, believe me, I am just as frustrated as you are that my bike does not go as quickly as your car, but please, please don't run over me. On the days when I choose the sidewalk, guys please don't panic, I do not want to hit you. That would be tragic for the both of us. The best way to help me accomplish not hitting you is for you to simply choose one side of the sidewalk and continue with your day. I will take it from there.
The worst part of being an on-campus bicyclist is exactly what you might expect, and may be the reason that you don't get a bicycle yourself—wrecking. I can honestly say that I have only wiped out on my bike one time in the past two years. However, to say it wasn't arguably one of the most embarrassing moments of my life would be a boldfaced lie. It was awful. And the worst part is that all you can do is get your bloody knees back on, apologize (profusely) to whoever or whatever you hit and ride away into the sunset with your pride in shambles.
Despite everything, and despite its color, I love my bicycle. I love the time it saves me. I love the slight bit of satisfaction I get riding past all you slowpoke pedestrians. I love my morning rides that allow me to fit some time to myself in the fresh air. I love that I can claim I did some exercise today, even if it wasn't much. I love this lifestyle, and I am proud to be an on-campus bicyclist.
