Blue Jay Bikes, a new advocacy and awareness club dedicated to improving bicycle policies, infrastructure and awareness on campus and in the greater Baltimore area, discussed the University community’s attitude towards bicycles at its first meeting last Friday.
“Biking is such an affordable, healthy and easy, not to mention sustainable, way to meet people and to inspire pride and lifelong empowerment to those willing to make that first step,” Blue Jay Bikes founder, President and senior Erica Tan wrote in an email to The News-Letter.
Tan explained that she created the club after studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, one of the most bike friendly cities in the world. According to the City of Copenhagen website, about 52% of its residents commute by bike.
“I saw what a convenient and sustainable transit alternative bikes were compared to cars and how biking really has the potential to increase the quality of life and thought, why not us too?” Tan wrote. “It's the ideal solution (in addition to promoting walkability and better public transit) to both the urban congestion and public health problems we face today.”
The meeting attracted about 15 Hopkins students and one Hopkins parent to meet and share their various interests dealing with bicycles.
“I am interested in Blue Jay Bikes because I love biking,” senior Elizabeth Gomez said. “Biking is such an amazing way to see Baltimore City and get around campus. I think it's awesome that there is a student-group that is advocating for better bike infrastructure in Baltimore and on campus as well as working to create a more colorful community of bikers at Hopkins.”
The meeting consisted of brief introductions and Tan’s PowerPoint presentation bike use on campus. The group outlined the main issues that deter students from biking, citing safety concerns, monetary commitments and lack of familiarity with bike routes among other reasons.
The club members have already begun to brainstorm ways to address these problems in the upcoming semester.
“As a new student group it is sometimes hard to foster a sense of camaraderie among club members, but we have already started to talk about having social events,” junior Aryel Ambramovitz said. “I like the idea of getting more students to ride their bike. Why drive your car to campus when you can ride a bike?”
Tan emphasized the club’s aim to gain a greater presence on campus as well as more membership.
“Basically, the more students/staff/faculty/nearby community members we get out into the city (and out of the Hopkins bubble) on their bikes, the more potential we have to enact positive and responsible change within and beyond Baltimore — particularly in the realm of transportation and urban livability,” Tan wrote.
Recently, the Hopkins Student Government Association (SGA) proposed an on-campus bike-share program. Blue Jay Bike members feel they can catalyze the implementation this biker-friendly initiative.
“I am hopeful about the future of Blue Jay Bikes,” Abramovitz said. “The SGA started an on-campus bike-share system last semester but that is taking a long time to get up and running. We could help with that, or create our own, less official bike-share program.”
With Baltimore staples like the monthly Bike Party and local groups like Bikemore, Tan proposed that another goal of the club will be to connect and get support from the off-campus community.
“Once we get a sizable, well-versed and dedicated group of individuals involved, we can collaborate with the JHU med campus and city groups like Bikemore to start reaching out to grade schools or other community hubs throughout the city,” Tan wrote.
New members remain positive about the future of Blue Jay Bikes and hope Hopkins students continue to raise awareness about the benefits of biking.
“I am very hopeful about the future of Blue Jay Bikes,” Gomez said. “I know Erica is a senior, but there were a few young men and women at the meeting, so hopefully we can get some underclassman involved and continue to build a vibrant biking community at Hopkins and in Baltimore.”
