Editor,
I am one of the many students who ride a motorcycle on campus and I feel I have to address a situation that is becoming a larger problem. For the record, pedestrians have the right of way in crosswalks on campus, to which the "Stop for Ped" markings everywhere attest.
The problem is the laws of physics don't acknowledge right of way. More and more, pedestrians on campus are simply walking off the sidewalks into crosswalks without ever bothering to look to see if anyone is coming. It's not a right-of-way situation as much as it is a common-sense issue.
My bike and I weigh more than 600 pounds, and while I couldn't tell you the force of the impact at 20 miles per hour - I'll leave that to the physics majors - I can assume it would be painful to the pedestrian and to me.
I always yield to pedestrians already in the crosswalk, but when I am in the middle of a turn or already proceeding into the crosswalk, and someone just walks off the curb without looking, it is nearly impossible for me to stop in time.
I don't want to hurt anyone, and nobody wants to get clipped, so let's employ a little common sense. It's easier for a pedestrian to stop at three to five miles per hour than it is for me at 20.
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Get the iPod earplugs out of your ears and take two seconds to keep us both from being hurt.
Joe Greig
UNM student
