Bike riders and skateboarders need to weigh the pros and cons of the law that states that no person shall drive any vehicle or animal, nor shall any person stop, park or leave standing any vehicle or animal, whether attended or unattended upon the driveways, paths, parking facilities, or the grounds of any public school, state university, state college.

This law has been around for many years, but now it is being strictly enforced.

Some students may see the law as an infringement on their rights and that it should not be tolerated.

This law directly affects students who are hurrying to class or students who choose to bypass parking lot drama and save gas.

EC is a big campus and its walkways are wide enough to navigate on a bike or a skateboard.

The main reason for implementing the rule is to protect students and faculty who walk in pedestrian areas.

To date, 26 students have been ticketed $150 each for refusing to comply with the law.

A warning is issued first and one’s name is entered into the computer.

If a perpetrator is caught again, he or she is fined.

A campus police spokesman said that there has been a significant drop in the amount of bikers and skateboarders riding to class.

However, our environment is already congested with car traffic due to road blocks and parking lot construction, and this law will causing more students to drive, cause more congestion.

Couldn’t this law have been implemented at a less hectic time? Administrators and police said that the main reason for the enforcement is due to the safety of people on campus.

Safety?

One feels safer on a bike because there is less chance of that person being mugged or raped.

Safety is an issue on this campus, but valuable police time is being wasted on staking out the next bike or skateboard offender.

Police presence is strong on campus and bike riders and skateboarders need to obey the campus law if they cannot afford the fine.

Is a $150 fine worth the few extra minutes to class?

EC is not the only campus college to extend this law; Santa Monica and Cerritos colleges also tickets students who skateboard or ride their bikes to class because of the dangers they pose to pedestrians.

Students who have trouble getting to class on time need to schedule their time responsibly.

Change can be a tough pill to swallow, especially when police are ticketing at such a high cost.

The smart students are the ones who remember to reschedule their mornings to make time to walk across campus.

The rule is also set in place to protect school property.

Insurance costs are also a major concern because of skating and biking on campus.

The more people who skate or bike on campus, the higher the risk becomes of someone getting hurt.

So, remember to get off that bike or board when you arrive at school, unless you can afford the fine.