By Derek Gartee Derek.Gartee@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn For many students, getting to class is as easy as turning a key and hitting the throttle. The moped has turned grueling commutes across campus into joy rides. However, this luxury almost was banned from campus. In 1986, the All University Traffic Committee banned mopeds from campus during business hours. The members believed these mopeds were a hazard to students and drivers. On July 9, 1986, a second meeting was held to determine if the ban should be reversed, pending student input. Taking a look around campus today, it is obvious the decision of the committee, but this article brings up the question; what would our campus look like without mopeds? The moped is becoming more common around campus in recent years. For students with a short commute, a moped is the best of both worlds. Their ability to drive on the road, without the need for a parking spot is both convenient and cost-effective. Without them, many of these students would be forced to decide between a long bike ride or a short drive and a costly parking pass. However, a lack of mopeds on campus might have a silver lining. The 1986 story shows the All University Traffic Committee was concerned with the safety of mopeds, and today those concerns still stand. In its annual report for the 2011-12 academic year, the committee outlined many of their recent concerns, mainly dealing with the rise in popularity, because of the amount of mopeds on campus. Members worried about the parking for these machines blocking sidewalks for pedestrians. They also still seem to be pushing to ban of mopeds in certain areas of campus. They set goals to “provide signage on main pedestrian and bike routes... to prohibit use of mopeds.” Recently, the threat of safety has been overshadowed by a rise in crime. This year, there has been a string of moped thefts across MSU. Around 10 to 15 mopeds were reported stolen this semester alone. While these machines are convenient, the risk of theft for students seems to be higher. For more information on recent thefts, follow the link to Katie’s story here: http://statenews.com/article/2013/09/police-investigating-on-campus-moped-thefts