An inside look at living, studying and working at Cal Poly.

Inside Cal Poly

When the weather is beautiful and the Central Coast views beckon, biking becomes an irresistible way to navigate the Cal Poly campus. And it&#8217;s important to prioritize safety while enjoying your rides. In honor of National Bike Month in May, here are some valuable bike safety tips to keep in mind on your rides to campus and around town.



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Gear Up: Helmets aren&#8217;t just a fashion statement, but vital protective gear. Never get on your bike without one, no matter how short the ride.</li>



<li>Be Seen, Be Safe: Show courtesy to yourself and others by riding with bike lights in the dark. It’s also the law! At night, equip your bike with red reflectors on the back and white reflectors on the front and side pedals.</li>



<li>Tune in to the Road: If you enjoy riding to your favorite tunes, ensure you stay aware of your surroundings. State law prohibits covering both ears with earplugs or a headset while biking. Keep one earbud out to stay connected to the sounds of the road.</li>



<li>Lock It Right, Keep It Yours: Bike theft is an unfortunate reality, even at Cal Poly. Invest in heavy-duty U-locks for enhanced security. They&#8217;re tougher to break than flexible wire locks, helping keep your bike safe and sound.</li>



<li>Keep Them Safe and Secure: Use <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?hl=en&amp;ll=35.30397042240203,-120.66215079999999&amp;z=15&amp;mid=1qZX4ToXyPzTQ6lrgbvbdy39023twT6z4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">designated bike racks</a> or lockers to keep your bike safe and secure. To ensure ADA accessibility of sidewalks and to keep a clear path for pedestrians, bikes may get impounded if locked to poles or things other than bike racks.</li>



<li>Play by the Rules: As a cyclist, you have the same rights and responsibilities as any vehicle driver. Failure to follow traffic laws can result in being stopped and cited. Respect stop signs, ride with traffic flow and make sure your brakes are in proper working condition.</li>



<li>Stay Alert, Avoid Accidents: Use your common sense and maintain vigilance on the road. Be cautious around driveways, navigate tight corners carefully, yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and keep an eye out for fellow students. Prioritize safety in every situation.</li>
</ol>



By following these essential bike safety tips, you&#8217;ll be well-equipped to ride and thrive on the Cal Poly campus. From wearing helmets and locking your bike securely to following traffic laws and using common sense, these guidelines will help you stay safe while enjoying the convenience and freedom of biking. So, ride smart and relish the joys of bypassing parking lots and traffic jams. Happy Bike Month and safe riding all year long!

Bicycle on a road in front of green hills with a white "P" on one hill.

Bike Safety 101: Essential Tips for Riding

It&#8217;s official, back to school season is upon us. While you may be prepping your first day outfit, getting your supplies in order or thinking about which mask to bring, don’t forget to take some time to consider your campus commute. It’s important that when traveling to campus you are doing so in a way that is sustainable and efficient. Hence, this academic year Transportation and Parking Services wants you to commute with confidence! See below for how you can do so.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Share parking with confidence. Got roommates? Great! Introducing the new student carpool permits. Students interested in starting a carpool group for winter, and skip the parking permit lottery, need to review the guidelines <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/parking/commutingtocampus/carpooling.php#carpool1">here</a>.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Bike with confidence. Biking is one of the best ways to commute to campus if you live within a reasonable distance. Fun fact: 57% of students and 33% of faculty and staff live within five miles of Cal Poly’s campus, so get your helmet and get to campus!</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Ride SLO Transit with confidence. One of the many perks of being a Cal Poly community member is that you can ride the SLO transit bus for free when you present your ID. Now trips to and from campus from throughout the county on Regional Transit Authority (RTA) buses are also free. These busses serve all of SLO County and extend down into Santa Barbara County. All campus community members who are interested must sign up with TAPS. For more information visit <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/parking/commutingtocampus/bus_services">afd.calpoly.edu/parking/commutingtocampus/bus_services</a>​</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Be car-free with confidence. No car, no problem! That’s what Zipcars are for. There are many Zipcars located all over campus to rent for just an hour or even a whole day.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Rideshare with confidence. Thanks to our partners at Rideshare, faculty and staff who are registered and actively recording their smart commutes qualify for an emergency ride home, allowing ridesharers to get home quickly in case of personal or family illness and emergencies.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Keep charged up with confidence. Cal Poly has electric vehicle charging stations located in the Grand Avenue Structure and in the H-2a parking lot to keep your vehicle charged and ready to go.</li>
</ul>



Being mindful of your commute is a great way to start of the academic year on the right foot. As you return to campus the university hopes that you will do so with confidence!

Green car illustration with text "COMMUTE with confidence." on a light blue background.

Commute With Confidence!

Dust off your bike, grab your helmet and begin your ride for a chance to win some awesome prizes from May 20 – 23 for the first “Bike There” celebration.



That’s right, prizes will be involved in this celebration. You might remember the annual Bike to Work and School Days from previous years. This year Cal Poly has partnered with the San Luis Obispo Council of Government to highlight the power of community through bikes by creating “Bike There”, which leaves the door open to bike anywhere in your community, including Cal Poly.



Here’s how it will work, from May 20-23 you can bike anywhere around the county to find signs with a QR code and scan them to redeem free “Bike There” giveaways. There is no registration that has to be completed beforehand in order to participate in this event. These prizes include a buff, sticker and Whalebird Kombucha discounts that can all be mailed to you. On top of this all participants will get the chance to win an electric bike. The three Cal Poly campus QR locations can be found in the University Union plaza, Campus Market, and O’Neill Green off of California Boulevard.



Students, staff and faculty can also log their rides on the&nbsp;<a href="https://irideshare.org/#/">iRideshare</a>&nbsp;page to track total rides, calculate the number of calories burned, compare smart commute options, work towards personal goals, compete in challenges, and more.



Biking improves our physical and mental health in a fun and relaxed way. Not to mention it also supports our economy, preserves our air quality, reduces traffic&nbsp;congestion, and saves money on transportation costs. Check out&nbsp;<a href="http://rideshare.org/bikethere">this page</a>&nbsp;for a complete map of locations participating in Bike There so that you can start planning your route.



Lastly, as you bike around your community don’t forget to share some photos of your rides on social media using&nbsp;#BikeThere and tag @slorideshare on Instagram, @Rideshare on Facebook and @slorideshare on Twitter. You posts will help spread the word!

Person wearing a helmet riding a bike near outdoor tables with red and blue umbrellas, with two other people sitting nearby.

Participate in “Bike There” at Cal Poly

Taking advantage of the beautiful weather and Central Coast views, biking is a great way to get around campus, especially this time of year! Here are some bike safety tips to keep in mind:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Helmets are your friend. Don’t try to be the cool kid and leave your helmet at home. This <a href="https://nutcasehelmets.com/products/watermelon-street?variant=511466341">piece of plastic</a> can not only be a fashion statement, but save your life.</li>



<li>Lock it up! According to a recent <a href="http://www.ksby.com/story/36720191/slopd-sets-up-bait-bike-to-catch-thieves">KSBY article</a>, around 17 bike thefts take place in San Luis Obispo each month. Heavy duty U-locks are a safer option than flexible wire locks since they’re harder to break.</li>



<li>Remember that time you were in the car and couldn’t believe the biker next to you riding without any bike lights? Don’t be that person. Be courteous to yourself, those you share the road with, and follow the law. In fact, according to <a href="http://www.calbike.org/bicycling_in_california_sharing_the_road">California bike laws</a>, at night bicycles must have red reflectors on the back and white reflectors on the front and side pedals.</li>



<li>Listen up! Enjoy listening to music on the ride to school? Make sure to leave one earbud out. According to state law, both ears may not be covered by earplugs or a headset while operating a bike.</li>



<li>Speaking of following the law, all bikers are held to the same rights and responsibilities as any vehicle driver. You are subject to being stopped and cited for riding through stop signs, wearing headphones, riding against traffic, or not having proper brakes. This applies for riding on campus too!</li>



<li>Use common sense and watch out for driveways, tight corners, crosswalks and students!</li>



<li>Go to <a href="http://mustangnews.net/the-rules-of-bike-night/">Bike Night</a>. Just do it.</li>
</ul>



Be careful and be smart riding your bike. Enjoy the luxury of avoiding parking lots and lines of traffic by utilizing your bike as a main mode of transportation!

Several bicycles parked together near a brick pillar with greenery in the background.

Tag: Bikes

Bike Safety 101: Essential Tips for Riding

Commute With Confidence!

Participate in “Bike There” at Cal Poly

Pedaling Safely Round’ Cal Poly