More students at USFSP mean more cyclists on campus, and campus bike racks have become more crowded. As SG gears up to promote a bike program, Zachary Westmark, SG co-director of sustainability initiatives, held a focus group on Oct. 6 to hear students’ opinions.
The first matter discussed was the current bike racks. Westmark said the racks could be “easily updated.”
Brandy Murphy, a junior environmental science and policy major, thinks the locations of the bike racks are just as important. She would like to see covered bike racks closer to the Campus Grind, the Tavern, Harbor Hall and the Multipurpose Student Center.
“It is important to get in there earlier rather than later,” Murphy said.
SG wants to implement a bike program, and is in the process of determining the best possible outcome for students. Murphy said is “bothered with the city because we’re an urban campus,” and she loves that aspect, but feels St. Petersburg isn’t bike-friendly.
Marshall Eli, a senior English literature major, would like a bike program through the school or the city.
“I’d like to see one either way,” he said. He feels it might be more efficient to partner with the city.
Westmark plans to have surveys to discover the attitude on biking.
“It’s a good hobby to get into,” Murphy said. “I stay on the sidewalk, I’m not even sure if that’s legal.”
Murphy is an Old Northeast resident.
Westmark compared the bike use in European countries to St. Petersburg and said, “We just don’t have that type of history.”
His focus is to provide more bike racks, educate students and implement a program, either at USFSP or through the city.
The Residence Hall One courtyard bike racks are nearly overcrowded and constantly exposed to the elements. Acknowledging it would be a “hefty investment” to purchase fully enclosed bike lockers for RHO residents, Westmark and Eli believe it’s a good idea. Eli described the fully enclosed bike lockers “like a little cave.”
Considering the overcrowding along the Davis Hall railing at the end of Harborwalk, Eli thinks it’s so crowded because “it’s central and it’s covered,” he said.
Westmark realizes the hesitations students might have when considering commuting via bike to school—getting hot and sweaty, trying to find roads with bike paths and the difficulty in hauling books around all day.
Murphy rides her bike because “it cuts down on gas,” she said. “I enjoy being outdoors, it’s exercise. I don’t see it as an impossible way of [travel].”
She deals with the discomfort of riding in the hot weather in the most effective way she can. She changes when she arrives at school, and brings her makeup bag.
“I have to take a bird bath,” she said.
Westmark is also inconvenienced by lugging around his books.
“If I have to run to Publix, I check out a study room in the library and leave my stuff here,” he said.
Ideally, both would like to have lockers at the university.
“I think a lot of it has to do with getting the word out and getting people jazzed about [riding bikes]. I don’t think people give it a second thought,” Murphy said.
Westmark agrees and said that a lot of people aren’t aware of the ease of commuting via bike.
Westmark and Eli would like to help people with their bikes. From choosing the correct bike for the right distances to helping with the maintenance, they are willing to do it all.
Eli is currently working with the city to form a bike co-op at the St. Petersburg Shuffle Board Courts on Friday nights. His goal is to help educate people to become better, safer cyclists.
He would also like to offer a stand on campus with tools for bike maintenance, like USF Tampa. “It’d be a great resource for students,” Eli said.
Westmark believes in advocating bike safety.
“I think most college students aren’t thinking about safety, it’s more about the sweat and stuff,” Eli said.
Westmark believes that sometimes riding a bike is about “putting yourself out there.”
Photo by Daniel Mutter
