University officials say the policy will make UW safer and less congested, but riders say it makes their mopeds "obsolete."If you're a student who spent your money on a moped, would you have bought it if you'd known you wouldn't be able to use it to get easily and quickly from place to place on campus?
"It's not a matter of laziness, it's a matter of getting some place in time," said sophomore and moped owner Anthony Winchell.
August 27, 2012
"We are going to start treating mopeds the same as we do automobiles."
The moped free-for-all here on campus is over.
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Reading the comments there and you'd think that there's a conspiracy by the bicycle people against people with motorized transportation.
Kids are lazy these days.
Inmy day we walked uphill in the snow to class. Every class. They were all uphill. Every damn one of them.
Seems kinda mean to announce this right before the semester starts. Any reason they couldn't give students some advance notice? Were the administrators busy on something else all summer?
Should have bought a Surly, instead.
I agree, the timing by the University sucks, but the solutions are do-able. High class problem, I'd say.
They chose poorly.
Or, at least, weren't paying attention to the poobahs in charge.
Next step is to limit those 64 passenger University Bus Service buses to - well - 64 passengers. Sooner or later students will need to walk between classes, as we did in the 70's. We quickly learned to schedule Arts MWF and Sciences TTh, or Morn/Aft, so that we could stay in one (or a small block of) building.
Wait, WHAT? UW doesn't arrange the class locations and times for the convenience of the paying students?
I would thank the university for saving me from embarrassing myself by sitting on a moped.
It was educational. The University gave them a quick lesson in The Danger of Trusting the Government 101.
A moped is truly an unloved vehicle. Perhaps because it's not quite a "mo" yet not entirely a "ped."
That is, you're not permitted to ride a moped on the Glacial Drumlin trail or most other bicycle trails because it doesn't quality as "not a motor vehicle."
Yet you surely can't ride one in traffic, as it doesn't go fast enough.
Then again, perhaps they should be unloved as at least some of them seem to produce as much noxious fumes as an old diesel bus.
There are several upsides for the University to ban moped use on sidewalks, and to make them park like other vehicles.
First, REVENUE. Are those mopeds registered like bikes (at a small cost for a sticker) or like a car (at a huge cost for a permit to park on campus)?
Second, REVENUE. What will be the dollar amount paid as penalty for each ticket written for a mis-parked moped, or a moped performing a moving violation on a campus sidewalk? Same as for a car?
Third, REVENUE. With mopeds banned from driving on sidewalks and parking in bike spaces, the University won't be troubled as much by liability suits for negligence by those students run down by the idiot drivers of the mopeds. HAving fought valiantly to protect the students from the threat of moped injury, the U has reduced its negligence when a kid gets a broken ankle from a skidding two wheeled horror.
Did I mention REVENUE? There will be other ways thought up to charge the moped operators money, just wait....
What!!! No Moped? I guess they should ride Vespas instead. This would be my choice
Seriously. I would love to have this so I can go to our local grocery, zip in and pick up a few items.
:-D
What's wrong with the standard bicycle? Are youth lazy?
Moped and bicycle riders can be pretty careless on campus. But then so are a lot of pedestrians. Of the three groups, moped riders are the best at following the rules.
I have noticed that mopeds seem to be used disproportionately by busy student athletes and probably those with jobs to get to. It's a big campus, so I have some sympathy for those riders.
Dust -I ride a Vespa to work about half the time, the other half I bike, but because it is not a moped, I park on the streets--Frankly I like the atmosphere of the mopeds running between classes etc; it reminds me of Florence, and if our students had any spine they would figure out a way to make the administration reverse its course.
I like the atmosphere of the mopeds running between classes etc; it reminds me of Florence, and if our students had any spine they would figure out a way to make the administration reverse its course.
They should ride mopeds around the block that holds the Chancellor's house ('tho I'm not sure if David Ward is living there) until the edict is rescinded. Bonus: It's close to Meadehouse so they could take pictures.
Or they should do the same thing for the administrator who came up with the idea, if Ward is not in Olin House.
Frankly I like the atmosphere of the mopeds running between classes
As long as they aren't running pedestrians and bikers off of the walkways, running their vehicles over flowers, landscaping and causing damage....AND when they get to their destination, they park in an orderly fashion so as not to block the ability of others to get around, I don't really see what the problem is.
So much assumption and misinformation out there! So, as a devoted moped rider let me say that:
1. you are not allowed to ride mopeds on sidewalks. Park, yes, but only until next spring: Madison is planning on issuing a ban then on such parking. I have to agree with the cynical comment that it's all about revenue.
2. I ride because it's energy efficient and delightfully pleasant. Sorry, I prefer my moped to an SUV. Punish me for it.
3. There are polluting mopeds out there. So tighten up emissions standards, don't punish my non-polluting lovely Rosie (it's a Yamaha Vino).
4. Public transportation sucks to the south of Madison. Get me better buses and parking transfer point lots and I'll stop grumbling about moped restrictions.
5. Students are reckless in all that they do. Maybe we should limit students' access to campus.
6. Having said all that, the UW policy seems less odious than than the Madison change in parking laws. The new fees? Monstrously high. No thanks.
"Back in the day" we used these things called "bicycles" .... they ought to try them.
Wow, it's a wonderful news for students, Now no need of buying scooter but i think these scooter will not be more 50cc and that okay.
scootercity
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