Berquam, UWPD encourage moped safety

As the weather begins to get colder, days get shorter and streets become slippery with leaves, UW–Madison officials are encouraging scooter riders to slow down and pay special attention to safety.

A growing number of scooters on campus have led to new rules on parking and special traffic enforcement from UWPD. As a scooter rider herself, interim dean of students Lori Berquam says that she’s focusing on slowing down after recently being stopped for failing to come to a complete stop at a stop sign.

“Especially as it gets colder, all scooter riders have to be just a little more careful,” says Berquam, who received a warning from UWPD. “I feel bad that I put the UWPD in the position to have to stop me — the interim dean, of all people. It’s a good reminder that we all need to be focused on safety.”

Berquam and officer Jean Vandenbogart of UWPD says that the following tips are important for all scooter riders:

• Scooters share the road with cars and bikers; they do not use bike lanes.
• Wearing a helmet makes good sense.
• When the pavement is wet, it’s easy to skid.
• Yield to pedestrians when crossing sidewalks.
• Obey all traffic laws.
• Dress appropriately for cold weather.
• Park your moped or motor scooter only in individually marked stalls designated for mopeds/scooters.
• Use the specially designed and marked moped/motor scooter drive ramps to access the parking areas.
• Don’t use wheelchair ramps at the corners of intersections.
• Don’t drive on sidewalks to reach a parking stall.

For more information on scooter safety, contact ODOS at 263-5700 or UWPD at 262-4527. Or visit Transportation Services’ moped safety Web page.