Bob Ferguson said his officers have been observing many traffic infractions committed by bicyclist on campus roadways. These include riding on the wrong side of the road and riding across pedestrian crosswalks without dismounting. "The minute a bike enters a roadway, they become a vehicle under the provincial Vehicles Act," said Ferguson. "That means they have to obey all the rules of the road although some cyclists seem to think they have the right of way."

The Campus Safety bicycle units have been instructed to enforce the Vehicles Act and ticket cyclists for infractions. In fact, a recent collision between a vehicle and a bike on campus resulted in charges being laid against the cyclist, said Ferguson. He added that tickets "are in the couple of hundred dollar range."

And although bikes are not allowed on sidewalks within the city, "here we share the sidewalks but bikers are not pedestrians." Ferguson encourages cyclists to be aware of and courteous toward walkers. "We'd rather educate than enforce."

On another matter related by bicycling, Ferguson said he "can't believe that more than half the cyclists I see on campus aren't wearing helmets."