A Zoomer…

As you may know, I teach in the College of Engineering at Cal Poly Pomona.  We teach more than a few technical topics, and we also try to teach our students life skills.   One of those is being on time.   I don’t like it when people are late and I ordinarily make a fuss when a student is late to class.   The way I view it, it’s part of the maturation process, and there are seldom good reasons for being late (usually when a student is late it’s because they overslept).   I’m kind of a meanie about being late, the students know it, and they’re not late very often.

This morning one of my students, a young lady who is normally prompt and always submits exemplary work, was about 10 minutes late for our 8:00 a.m. class.   When she walked into class, she was carrying a full face helmet.  I had to ask… 

“What do you ride?”

“A Zuma,” she answered.  “I’m sorry I’m late.”

That’s a scooter, I knew.   A 125cc step-through scooter.  

Hmmm.

“And where did you ride from?” I asked.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” she said.

“Yeah, I get that,” I said.   “So where did you ride from?”

“Yucaipa.  I’m sorry I’m late.”

Yucaipa.   Wow.   That’s about 60 miles from the University, and that’s if you take the freeway.   Which she couldn’t have done, because you can’t ride on the freeway unless your bike is a 150cc or larger.  But I asked the question, anyway…

“Do you ride on the freeway?” I asked.

“No, my bike isn’t legal on the freeway.   I take the surface streets,”  she said.   “I’m sorry I’m late.”

I was shocked.  That’s about a 75-mile commute.   On surface streets.  On a 125cc scooter.

I wasn’t thinking at all about her being late.   A commute all the way from Yucaipa on a scooter.   That’s what had my attention.  I was impressed…maybe even a bit in awe.  I had thought about riding my California Scooter to school this morning (it’s about an 18-mile ride), but I wussed out because it was too cold.

“How long does it take you to get here on that 125?”  I asked.  

“Usually about an hour and 40 minutes,” she said, “but there was an accident on one of the roads, so it took two hours this morning.   I’m sorry I’m late.”

Wow again.  This student is one hard core rider.  She reminded me of Arlene, my Baja riding buddy. 

And no, I couldn’t be a blue meanie because she was 10 minutes late.  Not after riding a 125cc scooter for two hours.  From Yucaipa. 

This young woman is going to be a dynamite engineer.  Whoever hires her will be lucky.   And I’ll bet she’ll be on time every day.