Summary of UC Davis Bike Safety Videos

UC Davis TAPS BEEP Video

UC Davis's Transportation and Parking Services staff created a safe biking video that articulates five major safety rules all cyclists should obey:

1. Stop at all stop signs and stop lights

2. Be visible at night by using reflectors and headlights

3. Pedestrians have the right of way

4. In a roundabout, travel counter-clockwise and yield to oncoming traffic

5. Do not text, call, or listen to music with both headphones in while riding a bike

In order to articulate these points, the video illustrated police officers giving students $250 tickets when they would run a stop sign or travel too fast. Each time a student would get pulled over on their bike, they seemed flustered and unaware that a ticket could result from bike riding. And frankly, it made me irritated too to see a cop pulling over busy students in a not-so-busy street. I understand, however, that once students leave this campus, they must understand the basic rules applied to cyclists outside of university life. Additionally, cops were just as unforgiving to cyclists as they are to motor vehicle operators.

The use of this video seems incredibly necessary for this university as the amount of cyclists at this university appear like a swarm of fish or bees. They are very close together and students must learn how to ride a bike again in addition to their school work just to attend this university! It definitely emphasizes the cultural difference of this university compared to most universities on the East Coast. But even though this school is very dedicated to riding bikes for a source of transportation, it appears many students do not understand basic bike laws. This was indicated by student interviews and real-time footage of students breaking basic biking laws.

UC Davis has several videos about bike safety and the bike culture at the university. Another video posted on YouTube about the university delves into the infrastructure of the community and how it increases the pleasure and ease of riding bikes around that community.

UC Davis: A Leading Bicycle-Friendly Campus

This video, unlike the last video, interviews professors at the university asking for their opinions on the biking community. The professors gushed about the positive and safe environment UC Davis provides for students, staff, and faculty because of its infrastructure and community norm (such as a lack of cars).

This video takes into account why so many students decide to ride around campus. Their reasons being:

1. Facilities and infrastructure designed specifically for biking

2. Strong education programs that make riding a bike more comfortable

3. Enforcement of bike safety

4. Freshman parking permits are not available

5. Close living facilities that make it more convenient to bike than drive

This video differs from the last as it does not offer safety tips, but rather explains the biking community at UC Davis and why it is so prominent. This information can help future universities as they provide an explanation for why so many bike rather than drive.

This last video also leaves with a compelling message to students:

"By the time you leave UC Davis, you will have attained a world-class education, but you’ll also be one of the most experienced bike commuters in the country. No kidding. We hope you use the bicycling skills you develop here for the rest of your lives. Remember, during commute hours, there are 20 thousand bicyclists heading to class. Think of what that would be like if that were 20 thousand cars. Your actions are having a direct impact, making for a cleaner, healthier, and more livable world. We hope you continue to do that for the rest of your lives."

This message is extremely important because it urges students to take the environmentally friendly habit they obtained in college and implement it throughout their lives. A strong message that the university is selling by saying this is that they not only create well-educated individuals, but they create great citizens who are benefiting themselves and the environment.