Riding your bicycle on campus is currently banned. Good. It should stay banned. The way El Camino’s campus stands right now, it is simply not designed to have a bunch of bicycles riding through it.

Right now, if EC were to lift the ban on bicycle riding on campus, it would create a plethora of problems.

EC has zero bicycle lanes on campus, this creates a problem for both cyclists and students alike as now students are forced to look out for oncoming cyclists going at speeds akin to automobiles.

It would also force those on bikes to dangerously dodge and avoid students. This will increase the likelihood of an accident where someone could potentially lose their life.

This would also prove hazardous for special needs students who are in wheelchairs, blind, developmentally disabled, etc, because an inattentive cyclist could accidentally collide with one of these types of students who may not have the ability to narrowly avoid being hit by a speeding bicycle.

Much like UCLA, EC would have to build in specific fixtures on campus like bicycle paths, bicycle channels, bicycle repair stations, and even more bicycle racks for students in order to become bicycle friendly.

This would result in even more construction on campus, which inconveniences students, staff and faculty alike.

According to the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, the cost of a five-foot bicycle lane can range from approximately $5,000 to $535,000 per mile, with an average cost around $130,000.

This means that if EC were to start becoming bicycle friendly, it could conceivably come out of students’ pockets via an increase in tuition.

EC is simply not a bicycle friendly campus. Keeping them banned will prevent needless safety hazards as well as a slew of other problems. Students should simply park their bicycles in the bicycle racks located just outside of campus.