Motivated by the slow speed of walking and the difficulty of storing and securing bicycles, different modes of transportation — from unusual to fantastic — have grown in popularity on campus.
One such contraption belongs to Scott Burke, mechanical engineering freshman, who can be spotted peddling a 5-foot-3-inch tall unicycle around campus.
Burke said he rides this one-wheeled wonder, which was given to him by a stranger at a party, around campus to become more comfortable around crowds of people before he performs on it for a talent agency.
“Riding a unicycle isn’t difficult. I think it’s safer than a bike,” Burke said. “Sometimes different books in my booksack are different weights that I have to account for, though.”
Burke said riding the unicycle has garnered him a lot of attention with students staring and taking pictures.
“One night I was finishing up a physics test and was riding back at about 8 p.m. at night. I was chased by a drunk guy who tried to tackle me, and I jumped off and landed on a curb with my right foot and sprained my ankle,” he said.
There are at least two other unicyclists on campus: Nic Chason, disaster management freshman, and Adam Barnes, mass communication freshman.
Burke, Chason and Barnes all said unicycles can be chained to most bike racks, and none have ever run into a pedestrian while unicycling.
Alex Hanna, psychology sophomore, also uses a non-traditional vehicle in the form of a Razor scooter.
Hanna said he rides a scooter because having to tie up a bicycle is inconvenient and can make students late for class — plus riding a scooter is more fun.
“I don’t find any problem getting around because I have bigger wheels than the ones we used to ride on as a kid, but I still feel like a kid again,” he said.
Hanna said he gets a few funny looks, but many people appreciate the nostalgia of a Razor scooter.
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Some sets of wheels are less familiar.
Shane Pantoja, biological engineering freshman, rode through the Quad on an unusual-looking board Monday afternoon.
“It’s a Stow Board. It folds up, and you can put it in a backpack,” Pantoja said.
The longboard has a place for the front foot on the metal deck and a spot toward the end to rest the back foot, and it folds up to about the size of a textbook.
“It’s cool looking,” Pantoja said. “People look at me when I ride it. I make someone pull me, but it doesn’t do well when I hit cracks.”
Longboards have become popular with students because of their ability to handle bumps and sidewalk cracks more smoothly than other skateboards.
Jordan Auxt, mechanical engineering sophomore, chose a longboard because a bike wouldn’t fit in his car. He said the board gets him to class in a third of the time.
“It’s small and light,” Auxt said. “I can carry it wherever I’m going, and I don’t have to lock it up on a bike rack. I can keep it with me at all times.”
Auxt said the board isn’t best for moving uphill, and he has to pick it up and walk if sidewalks are crowded.
Sam Bossier, business administration sophomore, also rides a longboard.
When he gets to class, Bossier said he puts his two-and-a-half foot board under his desk or sets it by the door.
“I’ve left it behind a few times,” Bossier said. “I start walking and think, ‘This feels really slow,’ and have to go back for it.”
Bossier said he gets a lot of compliments on his board, including people wanting to know where he got it.
“It’s so much fun to just hop on,” he said. “The longer board has less wobble, but you can’t really ride on campus as a beginner.”
 
 
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Contact Morgan Searles at [email protected]