Originally published on Sept. 19

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Mae Ryan

A notice about the new regulations that barred bikes, rollerblades and skateboards from the Main Quad arcades is stapled to a bike in the Quad.

Nostalgic images of students riding their bikes between the arches of the Main Quad will now find their place alongside the Stanford Indians in the Pantheon of forgotten Stanford traditions.

Starting this fall, Stanford police will enforce a no-wheels policy in the Main Quad arcades, prohibiting students from riding or parking bicycles, skateboards and rollerblades in the covered walkways.

The new rule was added by Parking and Transportation Services (PT&S) to the pre-existing access policy for the Pedestrian Zone, an area that covers most of the academic areas on campus and is marked by gray on this year's campus maps.

"The purpose of the policy is to create a safer central campus for pedestrians and bicyclists, preserve facilities, and minimize the disruption of University activities through the elimination of unnecessary vehicular traffic," said Bill Larson, supervisor of the Pedestrian Zone Access Project.

Police statistics show that, on average, two students were hospitalized each week for bicycle-related accidents last year, though it is unclear how many of those occurred in the Main Quad.

The new ban will be advertised through signs and flyers for the first six weeks of the quarter. After that, police will issue citations to students biking in the arcades.

The use of skateboards and rollerblades has been illegal throughout the Pedestrian Zone for more than 15 years, Larson said, though police have never enforced the ban in those areas and don't plan to start any time soon.

The University also added additional bike racks throughout the Main Quad. When asked how they expected students to bring their bikes to the racks if they couldn't ride them there, police officers answered that students could dismount and walk the bikes to the racks.