Be mindful of bike safety on campus

Remember the three R’s: respect, responsibility and registration. Rice’s Bicycle Safety Committee is reminding cyclists and pedestrians of these three R’s and offering safety tips this week with signs across campus.

“Bicycles and pedestrians share many campus walkways, and by keeping in mind some simple rules and courtesies, we can create a safe environment for everyone,” said committee chair Richard Johnson ’92, director of the Administrative Center for Sustainability and Energy Management.

Of particular concern are the many covered walkways on campus, which are off limits for bicycle riding.

“Riding on a covered walkway is dangerous, not just for pedestrians, but for the cyclist (or skateboarder) too,” Johnson said. “Many buildings have entrances that open blindly onto covered walkways, and pedestrians are not expecting to have to look out for a bicycle when they step out of a building. Under no circumstances should someone be riding through a covered walkway.”

Cyclists must walk their bicycles in these areas of the campus. The Rice Police Department will issue citations for riding a bicycle in prohibited areas.

Cyclists should register their bikes with the Rice University Police Department to increase the chance of recovery in case of theft and to enable RUPD to contact the owner if an abandoned bike has to be removed from a rack. Free Rice-branded bells for handlebars are available to cyclists who register their bikes with RUPD.

For more safety tips, check out the humorous video below produced by Public Affairs’ Brandon Martin and visit rice.edu/bikesatrice.