Washington football Coach Steve Sarkisian must have been feeling green with envy after his Huskies lost to the Cardinal 34-14 last Saturday. Sarkisian had said on his radio program last week that he was turning off the practice music to get his team used to “a somewhat more quiet atmosphere” at Stanford Stadium. Didn’t help much. Stanford fans were cheering from the get-go, after sophomore CHRIS OWUSU returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown. Owusu was named Pac-10 Special Teams Player of the Week.
According to ARIADNE SCOTT, the university’s bicycle program coordinator, the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, which provides free bike valet parking for the Stanford home games, had much to cheer about after the game as well. They parked 1,002 bikes last weekend and 974 bikes the weekend before. Scott called these “record numbers to date for the most bikes parked for one game.”
BeWell@Stanford and Athletics also have gotten into the green act by printing “Seed the Future” cards, which they are handing out at BeWell events, such as this Saturday’s football game against UCLA. The holder of the card can “redeem” it online for a tree that will be planted in a global reforestation project of the holder’s choice. The card, printed on seeded paper, also can be planted. Instructions are included.
And if the notion of hundreds of multitasking, distracted and preoccupied students whizzing by on bicycles makes you turn another shade of green, there is some comforting news, Scott reports:
- An estimated 90 percent of new freshmen registered their bikes during New Student Orientation, which means that these frosh are equipped with a front headlight, handed to them free upon registration.
- At the Medical School’s orientation, first- and second-year students who took an anonymous poll indicated that their entire class wear helmets while riding a bike. Scott called them “great role models and helmet heroes.” We need all the help we can get since only an estimated 10 percent of undergraduates wear helmets.
- Scott’s office joined the Department of Public Safety in hosting a bike safety show Sept. 18 at Bechtel International Center, to a standing-room-only crowd of 75 new international students who learned all the rules of the road, including the top three citations issued by Public Safety
to bicyclists: not stopping at stop signs, not having a headlight at night, and wearing earbuds in both ears. A show of hands at that event indicated that all international students wear helmets or planned to buy one.
- Free bike safety classes continue this quarter. There is one today (Wednesday, Sept. 30) from 4 to 5 p.m. at 340 Bonair Siding, Conference Room L. This class is an interactive presentation with video clips on how to ride on campus and follow all the rules required by law, how to maintain a safe bike, and how to properly lock a bike to avoid theft. Attendees also can receive a coupon from Public Safety to purchase a $40 retail-priced helmet for only $10 by attending the class. More information is available at the Public Safety’s bicycle programs website. Bike Safety Stations are set up every Friday at White Plaza from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. offering bike registration on site ($3.50, valid for up to 3 years), free bike safety information and free bike safety check-ups.
- Elaine Ray