Rachel Kallem scoots to class. Literally.
Forget the bus, or huffing it on foot. The first-year College student rolls out of bed and hits the road on her scooter when it's time to get to lecture.
For Kallem, who rides to all of her classes, scooting cuts 10 minutes off her old walking route. That's 10 minutes more to sleep -- time that's worth the perils.
"The scooter is more dangerous than a bike, and going uphill kind of sucks," Kallem said, standing in front of the Chemistry Building one recent morning, scooter by her side.
Kallem is one of many students who has found an alternate way to class -- one that doesn't depend on a bus schedule or a traffic light.
Second-year College student Wes Pettigrew prefers to take his beach cruiser, a bicycle with no hand breaks or gears.
Yes, that is correct, beach cruisers, right here in Charlottesville.Now to most people a beach cruiser would appear to be any ordinary bicycle, but at a closer look there is a very distinct difference.
Pettigrew rides his cruiser to all of his classes and said he enjoys the break from walking.
There are, however, some drawbacks of the vehicle.
"The cruiser is a little rough on the hills," Pettigrew said. "Sometimes the chain slips out of place and it is easy to lose control. I was riding along once when the chain fell, and I rode right into a girl walking down the street."
Fortunately, neither Pettigrew nor his victim was harmed by the accident, though he said the girl appeared to be a little shaken up.
Fourth-year College student Steve Snider sports a fixed-gear bicycle. "It really lets you feel the road and makes for a very elegant bike," Snider said.
Basically, a fixed-gear bike is a single-speed bicycle that does not coast. Instead, you have to keep pedaling. "When the wheel is turning, so are your feet," Snider said.
Other students found a more compact device for traveling more efficiently. They say bicycles are too large and heavy to lug around all day. Scooters can be folded up and carried into class; skateboards can fit under your arm.
The skateboard is a classic mode of transportation.Every once in a while, fellow Wahoos dash by on their boards, weaving in and out of unsuspecting pedestrians on their way to class.
First-year College student, Ryan Brake is a big fan of this alternative. Brake did mention, however, that skateboarding is a decent mode of transportation going downhill, but he has to stop and walk up hills.
"It is pretty efficient, but more fun than anything," Brake said. "I like feeling the wind in my hair."
Known to some as "the unicycle man," third-year College student Frank Brown braves the paths to class on his single-wheeled tandem.
Brown is a veteran skateboarder, but said he began riding the unicycle three years ago when his skateboard broke. It only took him one week to master the balancing act.
Brown uses his unicycle to get to all of his classes. "It is more compact than a bicycle and is very maneuverable, as well," he said of his handlebar-less ride.
Despite a few accidents along the way -- one resulting in five stitches in his head -- Brown has taken a strong liking to the unicycle and has plans to try out mountain and cross-country unicycles.
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