EMILY APPLETON, 7HP
I am writing in response to Mr. Hewlett's editorial letter in the July 10 edition of the Alligator. As a student who has walked this campus for five years, I could not be happier with the decision that Transportation and Parking Services made restricting scooters from the auto-free zone.
Mr. Hewlett asks for the university to compromise with scooter owners, but the university has already compromised. Students are still allowed to park in designated areas on campus that are outside of the auto-free zone; they will just have to walk to class like the rest of us who don't own scooters.
As far as going green, UF has a great relationship with Regional Transit System buses. Instead of riding scooters to campus, students can ride on the buses, with many convenient stops campus-wide. Additionally, they can park their scooters outside the auto-free zone and ride a bus to class. This will further reduce emissions into the environment.
I do not view this new policy as "punishing" scooter owners. Rather, it is a way to protect those who don't ride scooters.
Beginning in the fall, approximately 50,000 students as well as faculty and staff will be moving between buildings, especially during the 15 minutes between classes. By eliminating scooters in the auto-free zone, we are reducing the chances of accidents and injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists as well as those on the scooters. I would also encourage the administration to consider limiting the number of service vehicles in the auto-free zone during the times between classes.
