Despite my very liberal leanings, it’s surprising how often I find myself emulating Tea Party darlings. LOL, kidding.

Usually, it isn’t until after the fact that I realize I pulled a Sarah Palin by quitting an elected position (see MSA senator) halfway through my term or acting out like Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., and yelling, “You lie!” at inappropriate times.

So quickly, I’ll continue this trend and emulate Herman Cain by stating, “I don’t have the facts to back this up, but,” and continue on my way.

I don’t have the facts to back this up, but I think the increasing number of scooters and small motorcycles around campus are more endearing than the ubiquitous and overwhelming number of bicycles.

Hold your horses, environmentalists. I promise, I am one of you. Hear me out, pah-lease.

Lately, I have noticed more and more motorized two-wheel vehicles on my commute to campus. It took me aback the first time I saw more than three, causing me to wonder aloud, “Am I back in India?”

Let’s take a trip back to fall 2010, when I studied abroad in India. The international student hostel was located four kilometers (yes, kilometers; that’s how they measure distance in the rest of the world) away from campus. There were four ways to get down to class: bike, take the unreliable bus, walk or hitchhike down the path.

Most of the international students hitchhiked for its convenience. A couple of my guy friends had an ongoing competition of who could get the farthest by hitchhiking. The winner ended up traveling 22 km.

There was something almost romantic about getting on a stranger’s motorcycle or scooter and trusting him or her to get you where you needed to go. Don’t worry, mom, I had a friend with me most of the time.

Anyway, this new university trend in the states is taking me back. I see scooters parked outside Lowry Hall or Engineering Building West, and all I want is to ask for a ride. Alas, hitchhiking is considered dangerous and uncommon enough for that dream to come true.

Beyond the nostalgia this influx of scooters has caused me, I like that the riders, for the most part, know to stay on the streets. I haven’t seen a motorist try to ride through the quad at 10:50 a.m. or almost knock me over as I turn to enter the Arts and Science Building.

That can’t be said about MU’s cyclists.

Each fall, everyone brings their bikes to campus, assuming they will use them. Most of the time, the bikes stay at home or by the residence halls. Not this fall. I’m assuming this is the result of Sustain Mizzou and the Sustainability Office’s phenomenal effort to make our campus greener.

I’m all for that. I’m all for university campuses becoming aware of their carbon footprints and taking action to reduce them. I appreciate the focus shift away from car transportation issues. I appreciate the increased number of bike racks and the tire pump stations and the bike workshop in Lowry.

I don’t appreciate walking between classes and having to walk around someone walking their bike on the sidewalk. I don’t appreciate students not letting me know they’re coming behind me, almost causing accidents. I don’t appreciate the lack of respect cyclists show to pedestrians.

There isn’t enough room on our campus with 35,000 students, most walking and a few biking. The bikes take up the room of four students and are, honestly, a nuisance when walking through campus.

There need to be some set routes student cyclists can use during transition periods and bike safety lessons for all students, starting with incoming freshmen. MU is a pedestrian campus between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. If we hold cars and motorcycles to that, it is time we hold bicycles, which are vehicles, to the same standard.