Apparently the Sahuarita police are upset with the shootout riders behavior through their jurisdiction. I received an email from Mary Reynolds, the Sahuarita community communications coordinator. Check it out:
I work for the Town of Sahuarita and the Police Chief told me today that his officers are getting upset with Shoot-out Cyclists “who take up the entire lane, riding 4-5 abreast.” The Police Chief and the Town of Sahuarita support cycling—just check out the newly paved bike lanes that will soon be open on Sahuarita Road. In fact, Sahaurita Mayor Lynne Skelton rode in the 79-mile El Tour de Tucson.
Sahuarita Road is narrow at the moment due to road construction; however, cyclists should ride single file or no more than two abreast. Sahuarita Police Officers have warned cyclists, but they may start issuing tickets.
Following the law is critical to maintaining safety on Sahaurita Road, especially because of faster speeds cyclists achieve coming down Helmet Peak Road.
The Chief asked me to talk to Tucson, Sahuarita, and Green Valley cyclists about this issue. So Shoot-out Cyclists, please follow the rules. Thanks!
Any idea of what road they’re talking about? The majority of the shootout does not go down Helmet Peak Road.
I’m sure they are talking about Helmet Peak. They’re grouping all cyclists with the Shootout group, no matter the route taken or their direction.
There’s no need for any of the local police force to be upset. We have a way of dealing with this sort of thing that doesn’t really involve emotions, press releases, or how much the city (or its mayor) cares about cycling. We don’t need any of that because we have a set of laws that aren’t being followed or enforced. Start there. It’s where we are going to end up eventually, so why not skip everyone getting bent out of shape beforehand?
Or not. What am I missing here?
It has been decades since I rode the shoot out, so I don’t speek for that group.
With that said, I’m one of those who doesn’t see any problem with a large group pf riders filling an entire lane. In fact, if I were dictactor I’d make it totally legal to fill the lane. In addition, I’d confiscate the car of anyone who harasses cyclists and make them ride a bike to work until the day they retire.
Aside from that, the article says the biggest problem the riders are creating is when they’re on a stretch of road where they’re going fast. Do they want the riders to block traffic while they’re going slow?
The problem with this whole thing is that people think cyclists are interlopers on car turf. As didctator, I’d turn that around.
Vote for me, 3wheeler, for dictator! I approve this message.
The officers are upset? My, my isn’t that professional! OMG! Rapidly-growing (notice all the foreclosures), badly-managed hick municipal governments tend to emit cheesy whines such as that of Mary Reynolds. Time to bike for valium for the upset officers and the Mary Reynolds?
I think a lot of people forget what the roads were originally built for: motorized vehicles. If bicyclists want to ride 4-5 abreast, they should do so only if they can stay within the bike lane. It’s the same as asking cars not to drive in the bike lane even though they could if they wanted to be a-holes. I have nothing against bikes (commute on one regularly) or cars, but this is a safety thing first and foremost and the bikers are in the wrong if they’re riding outside the bike lane.
ChrisR,
Roads were originally built for pedestrians & mule carts. Later on, bicycles were invented and cyclists raised money for the first asphalt paved roads. Years after that, cars got cheap enough that their numbers rose and became a significant factor in the road population. Cars do not own the roads. Collisions between cars and bicycles are cause by the car driver two to one. If a group of riders who are taking an entire lane is hit by a car, who is to blame? You would blame the cyclists, I would blame the driver and I believe the police would cite the driver for failure to avoid an accident. That is what it all boils down to, whether the driver is paying attention. I don’t care if a guy is in a hurry and he gets stuck behind a bunch of cyclists. I’ve been stuck behind cyclists while in my car, I turn on my flashers, sit back and enjoy watching the show that a group of cyclists always seem to provide.
Yeah, I’m sure that’s why we have millions and millions of miles of asphalt across the US. Anyways, I think the point is that the LAW states that bicycles belong in the bike lane, and cars in the car lane, to paraphrase. I’m not sure who the police would ticket if bicyclists were hit in the car lane, but it would probably depend on several factors. The POINT I’m trying to make is that bicyclists would be upset by any car driving in the bike lane and slowing them up, so why is it so hard to imagine the situation in reverse? I’m just saying, it’s a multi-use road, and people need to respect each other.