Deaths spark campus call for bike ban
(CRI)
Updated: 2005-05-19 14:32

Students at Shanghai University are calling on school authorities to ban motorcycles on campus following the deaths of two young men who were killed after being thrown off their fast-running bike at the university's Baoshan campus on Tuesday.

The students union of the SHU's foreign language school also posted a letter on the campus Website, asking students to maintain safety by limiting their speed and fight against racing motorcycles.

"The deaths prove that racing bikes not only disturb campus serenity but pose a serious threat to the safety of teachers and students," the students union wrote in the letter.

At about 3pm on Tuesday, two young men riding a red Honda to their dormitory in the Baoshan campus were thrown off when their motorcycle suddenly slid on the rain-drenched road. Both the riders crashed into a roadside tree and died instantaneously.

One of the victims was identified as an Indonesian student at the university's international exchange college. The other's identity is still unknown as he was not an SHU student.

Witnesses said the bike was doing at least 70 kilometers per hour, while the maximum speed allowed is only 20 kph.

"It's the riders' fault, but university authorities should have taken action much earlier," said Xin Qing, an SHU student.

Since the weather started getting warm recently, motorcycles letting out large exhaust-pipe noises have been frequently seen dashing down the campus roads in the afternoon and evening.

Several accidents have already occurred but without casualties. In one case a male student was injured when his scorching motorbike bumped into a stone in front of a college building early this year.

Zhu Jian, a university official, claimed that the university was working on regulations over motorbike management on campus. But before it could unveil them, Tuesday's tragedy struck.

Taking a lesson from the tragedy, other universities have reiterated their resolve to push through speed limit regulations to ensure campus safety.