Despite the hostile looks that some student bikers report receiving from Providence drivers, we find it hard to believe that there are many people who truly think biking is a bad thing. Biking is an environmentally friendly alternative to motor vehicle usage and is well-suited to student travel. It is more efficient than walking, and bikes can be used to carry schoolbags and groceries. Its health benefits are also significant, and these benefits contribute to lower costs: A recent Environmental Health Perspectives study estimates that nearly $4 billion could be saved if just half of all short trips were made on bike, rather than by car, in the Midwestern United States.
But why is biking important at Brown, where only about 10 percent of students have cars on campus, and transporation alternatives are more likely to be walking or using public transit? On an individual level, many students find that bikes are a great way to cut out travel time from off-campus housing and while running errands. Biking at Brown can also create habits that stay with students beyond their university years. But bikes at Brown play a more discrete function as well: They get students out of the bubble.
Dan Rejto '12 is a member of Bikes at Brown, a student group that offers free repair assistance, workshops and two-day-at-a-time bike rentals to the Brown community. He said most students who rent bikes seem do so for trips, such as group trips to museums off College Hill. "I think Brown students should travel more off campus," he said. "And I think the best way to do that is by bike." Brown students are proud to have everything we need within walking distance and more than enough going on around campus to occupy us year-round. But there are some real benefits to seeing more of the city: great restaurants, arts events, beautiful trails, farmers' markets and volunteer and internship opportunities around Providence may seem a world away to students whose Providence experience is limited to the occasional College Hill-Providence Place mall commute.
By purchasing bikes or making use of resources like the Bikes at Brown rental services, students can broaden their experiences of Providence and help increase the visibility of bikes on campus and in the city. A bike share program would make bikes even more widely accessible. And as Providence considers the possibility of a city-wide bike share program — a recent Providence Bike Share Feasibility Study suggests that, despite barriers like the steep ride up College Hill, a bike share could be implemented in Providence — we hope students and administrators will be among the first to support continued research and commitments to encouraging a bike-friendly Providence. Finally, we offer a friendly reminder to wear those helmets, stop for stop signs and know the rules of the road.
Editorials are written by The Herald's editorial page board. Send comments to editorials@browndailyherald.com.
