Bikers and longboarders had the chance to stop by the Bailey/Howe green to purchase helmets from local bike shops at discounted prices on Oct. 21.
Local Motion, a Burlington area organization promoting safe recreation and transportation throughout Vermont communities, works alongside of the Safe Streets Collaborative, which is a campaign to reduce accidents throughout the county by encouraging safer behavior, according to the Local Motion website.
After several incidences of injuries due to the absence of helmets, UVM Police Services expressed their concerns about student safety to Education and Safety Manager Jason Van Driesche at Local Motion, Van Driesche said.
Following many phone calls and emails, UVM in partnership with Local Motion, Fletcher Allen Health Care and all the bike and board shops in town were able to organize a way to make helmets more affordable to students, Van Driesche said.
North Star Sports, Skirack and Earl’s Cyclery collaborated with the Inter-Residence Association, Student Life, the Office of Sustainability, Police Services and Transportation and Parking Services to give several students were discounted helmets. Helmets regularly priced from $45-$60 were available for $10-$20.
Senior Maggie Druschel said she worries about the safety of students riding without helmets and is excited about the bike safety event.
“I love it,” Druschel said. “I ride with a helmet all the time and I worry about other people getting hurt.”
The Bike Users Group (BUG), in cooperation with the Old Spokes Home, set up alongside the retailers to offer safety checks on bikes free of charge.
BUG member Daniel Yablonsky said goals of the organizations to increase the number of bike users on campus as well as bike accessibility.
In an effort to promote these intentions, BUG is hosting their first annual BUG Auction on Nov. 11 from 6-9 p.m. at Maglianero Café.
They will be auctioning off a vintage bike as well as bike gear and much more, according to BUG’s flyer.
The BUG Bike Shop is open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. and is located in the loading dock area of the Davis Center, Yablonsky said.