Biking and community
Inclusion and accessibility on campus
Biking on campus is hobby of mine, one I most definitely didn't think I'd develop in my time here at Wooster. I originally started on an upperclassman's rickety old mountain bike with a shaky seat and less than stellar performance, and bought my very own mountain bike about a month ago. In that time, I've come to appreciate the beauty of campus, and it's accessibility for all bikers on campus
Bike shop in downtown Wooster called "Ride on"
When I arrived here, I was surprised that a college in a small town was so bike friendly, with bike lanes to go right along with it. It's one of the things that's made me more comfortable with owning a bike on campus in the first place.
ignore the mess you have no idea how long it took to get this
I got this bike because I had to get to my job (which was 3 miles away) and was too embarrassed to ask anyone for a ride all the time. I always enjoyed the ride to work, but it was pretty dangerous because it involved me having to cross a lot of intersections, and this led to me being in a number of close calls. I still have cuts on my calves from falling off my bike and getting caught on the pedals, but this just makes me appreciates the campuses inclusiveness and accommodations for riders.
I eventually began using my bike for transportation around campus, and the amount of time it's saved me is astonishing. A ten minute walk was shortened to a mere 2 1/2 minutes, and I feel even healthier than if i had just walked like everyone else.
The 2 old bikes I used
Now, this isn't to say that its *entirely* safe to bike on campus. You do need to be wary and watch for pedestrians (and less than competent drivers). I feel like there's room for improvement, such as extending the bike lanes to fully connect with downtown. If we look north, it's not safe for bikers at all. I've narrowly avoided being run over a few times, and this just leads me to wish for bike lanes all over town.
a map of woosters bike lanes
