HAWKS HIT ROAD FOR MARQUEE MATCH-UP
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2008
WWW.KANSAN.COM
VOLUME 120 ISSUE 17
SAFETY
Putting the brakes on bikes
BY RYAN MCGEENEY rmcgeeney@kansan.com
Peddling westward on Jayhawk Boulevard Thursday morning, the last thing Max Kozak, Anchorage, Ala., junior, expected to hear was a high-pitched siren burst from the KU Public Safety officer's car behind him.
Straddling his bicycle with one foot on the curb in front of Bailey Hall, Kozak was dumbfounded when Officer Todd Carpenter asked for his identification and informed him that he had just run two stop signs in a row.
"I've worked in a bike shop for six years, and never in my life have I heard of this," Kozak said after Carpenter returned to his patrol car to fill out a citation form. "I slowed down. I yielded."
But cyclists like Kozak are learning, in increasing numbers, that simply yielding at a stop sign doesn't mean they're obeying the law. According to statute, cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicle operators, including coming to a full stop at stop signs and red lights.
Stop signs, and their perceived relevance to cyclists on campus, have become an increasingly important issue this semester after four new stop signs were erected on KU property in August. The KU Public Safety Office issued a statement announcing the signs in August, describing their purpose as "regulating traffic" and "increasing pedestrian safety."
Running a stop sign, a violation of Lawrence traffic ordinance 59B, carries a
A cyclist rolls through one of the four new stop signs that were installed on campus in August. KU Public Safety officers, who have previously issued only warnings to cyclists who fail to abide by traffic laws, have started issuing citations to bicycling violators. A stop sign violation can cost perpetrators up to $120.
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
SEEBIKES ON PAGE 5A
CAMPUS
Performance about Sept.11 effects to show at Lied tonight
FULL STORY PAGE 4A
The events following Sept. 11 will be explored with a combination of music, speech and electronics tonight at the Lied Center. Nationally recognized artist Laurie Anderson will perform "Homeland" at 7:30 p.m.
POLITICS
Symposium highlights tribal issues
The Native American Symposium at the Dole Institute of Politics will be open for students to attend throughout the day from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.The symposium will feature several speakers, including Kevin Willmott, professor of theater and film, and actor Wes Studi. The symposium will focus on the communications between the government and American Indian tribes from the 19th century to the present day, and the boarding schools that American Indians were forced to attend.
POLITICS
Professor discusses U.S. government abroad
FULL STORY PAGE 3A
Burdett Loomis to travel to China to explain American political thought in election process
BY ANDY GREENHAW agreenhaw@kansan.com
The U.S. State Department has invited KU professor of political science Burdett Loomis to speak about the U.S. presidential elections in China. This won't be Loomis' first trip abroad to talk politics, as the State Department has also invited him to speak in Malaysia, Singapore, Brazil.
Argentina and Mexico. The Kansan sat down with Loomis to discuss what people abroad think about the United States.
What did the State Department invite you to speak about in China?
The basic idea was to talk about American politics, but in an election year it almost always moves around to
the election itself. When I was in Malaysia and Singapore, even though I had two or three talks prepared, almost everyone was most interested in the election so I gave that talk and would offer questions about other aspects of American politics.
the Olympics, you're there for sports. I'm there for the support of the American election. If someone raises a question about freedom of speech, I'll definitely answer it, but as diplomatically as possible.
Will you bring up any issues that might be considered controversial to China such as freedom of the press?
When you visited Malaysia and Singapore to talk politics, what were they most interested in?
BURDETT LOOMIS Political Science professor
My job is to make American politics moderately understandable. It's not to go over and make inflammatory statements about freedom of speech.It's like covering
I think there's no question that in February as Barack Obama was immersing as a very strong presidential candidate, his
"My job is to make American politics moderately understandable. ... I'm there for the support of the American election."
presence in the mix of American politics was extremely important to them — emotionally interesting as well as intellectually. At the same time I talked to a lot of well-educated folks and many of them were concerned about American trade policies — how much we might be constraining free trade.
But Barack Obama seemed to be the favorite?
Yeah, and there were some places where maybe McCain would win an election with Barack Obama but most places in the world — I'd say 80-20, 70-30 — in favor of Obama. The idea that we are seriously considering electing an African American in the wake of George Bush I think is both exciting and kind of mind boggling to many people around the world.
Tyler Waugh/KANSAN
SEE PROFESSOR ON PAGE 5A
Burdett Loomis, professor of political science, will give speeches on the U.S. presidential election in China next week. Loomis said he has traveled all over the world to give speeches on elections, including Malaysia and Mexico.
index
Classifieds. .5B Opinion. 7A
Crossword. 6A Sports. 1B
Horoscopes. 6A Sudoku. 6A
All contents, unless stated otherwise. © 2008 The University Daily Kansan
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