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.