The start of the school year doesn’t just bring a congestion of walkers at Iowa State, but bikes clog the streets and sidewalks as well.

Problems can arise from the combination of walkers, bikes and cars when people neglect to find out the rules and to obey them.

There are several advantages to riding a bike on campus.

Bikes are less expensive to use and maintain than cars, and there is convenient parking for bikes.

“It’s faster and allows me more time to sleep in in the morning,” Ben Oviatt, a freshman in finance and Spanish, said.

April Goodwin, a sophomore in journalism and mass communication, said she likes the speed when riding a bike.

“You go five times faster and I don’t feel like I’m wasting my time,” she said. “I have more free time and study time.”

While speed seems to be the biggest advantage, this mode of transportation has its flaws.

With the congestion of walkers and more bike riders, many riders said the main flaw of riding a bike on campus is having to watch out for other people.

“I always try to stay as far away from people as possible,” Goodwin said. “You’re not in control . . . you need to give pedestrians the right-of-way.”

Cory Schmitz, a freshman in computer engineering, said he finds the foot traffic difficult to maneuver through.

“Sometimes you can get places by walking just as fast as biking,” he said.

With the congestion of students hurrying to class by bike and foot, accidents are sometimes hard to avoid.

DPS officials said the typical accident reported is a bike coming off a sidewalk and getting hit by a car.

In 1996, there were five bike-motor vehicle accidents and five accidents involving individual bikes, which tend to have more serious injuries, DPS officials said.

DPS officials said this year there have been four individual bike accidents and one bike-motor vehicle accident.

There haven’t been any bicycle accidents reported since the start of this academic year.

Steve Hasstedt, a Department of Public Safety officer, said many bike accidents go unreported because nobody was injured or there wasn’t substantial damage.

Hasstedt advised bike riders to ride with the flow of traffic, follow the rules, watch cars and be aware of the surroundings.

“Bikes are the same as cars; they need to follow the rules and use hand signals,” he said.

According to the Department of Public Safety:

1. All bicycles on campus must be registered and/or licensed through ISU or the City of Ames.

2. Bicycles must use bicycle paths and road ways.

3. Bicycles are forbidden on campus sidewalks and lawns.

4. Bicyclists shall give the right-of-way to pedestrians.

5. On streets where bike paths are not designated, cyclists are to flow with the traffic and obey all traffic control signs.

6. Bicycles must be parked in bike racks provided by the University. Bicycles in violation may be cited and/or impounded.

DPS also advises that riders wear helmets to avoid head injuries in accidents.