We all know the feeling; walking to class and all of a sudden, a bike rushes by. You may jump a little or maybe move out of their way if they are heard coming, but unquestionably, bicyclists can be an annoyance.

With warm weather sticking around long into the fall months, we are still seeing a good amount of students using bicycles to get to and from class. This is good news for the folks who are not eager to see warm weather fade into sub-zero temperatures or icy sidewalks. Having the ability to be comfortable outside while getting to class is great. Seeing bicyclists, skateboarders and longboarders on their commute is a good sign that nice weather is still here. On the other hand, however, it is a sign that walkers must be mindful of them deep into the autumn season.

They can usually be seen swerving through the body of students on the sidewalk, with no warning to the others walking. Sometimes they are cautious, but sometimes not so much. They can come incredibly close to hitting other students.

Our sidewalks seem large enough to accommodate all students, bicyclists, walkers and skateboarders. But, when it comes close to class time and everyone is rushing, it can be nerve-wracking to have to worry about the students who use a form of transportation. The way to make it easier for all students is to introduce bicycle lanes around campus.

Bicycle lanes can keep sidewalks clear for students who walk and give a space for others who want to ride their bikes. This could also be safer for the students walking. It could be a bicyclist coming too close to a student, crashing into one, or worse, the person falls off their bike and causes a domino effect. Bicycles on the sidewalk are hazardous.

If bicycle lanes are too much, even a bicyclist letting students know they are coming could be a lot of help. It is not hard to say whether one is coming up from the left or right of a person. Maybe they could invest in a bike horn. It would be nice to know, especially when coming up from behind, because students usually cannot tell which side they are coming from, so they linger in the middle and just hope not to get hit.

If bicyclists continue to ride on the sidewalks, all students ask is that they be more cautious of their surroundings. We all have to get to class. It is really just common courtesy to stay to one side of the sidewalk instead of weaving in and out of groups of students.