Is it true you never forget how to ride a bike? College students across the country are hoping so, as they receive free or discounted bicycles from their colleges as an incentive to leave their cars off-campus. Overcrowded parking lots, as well as increased concern for the environment, are two of the reasons schools are encouraging students to wear helmets instead of seat belts. College bicycle programs are becoming increasingly popular, and Emory University has begun a Bike Emory initiative, a $250,000 plan to sell discounted bicycles to students and faculty as well as increase bike lanes on campus and store bikes in order to loan them to students, free of cost.
Emory is not the only school urging students to stop driving and start biking. Ripon College is offering one free bicycle, helmet and lock to any student who does not bring a car to campus. About 180 freshmen have signed up for the Ripon Velorution Program. The University of New England also gave out free bikes to the incoming freshmen, which resulted in a 50 percent reduction in the number of cars brought to campus. Duke University and Northern Illinois University have also started programs, and the University of Washington is starting an electric bike share program to encourage cyclists wary of pedaling up Seattle’s steep hills.
Colleges enforcing programs like these have faced challenges with vandalism and theft, but the enthusiasm from the students is strong. Their schools are supporting clean energy, health and fitness and it gives starving college students free stuff! What more could they ask for? Well, maybe better food in the dining hall.
Source: BecauseAction.com
