Cyclists ride for bicycle awareness
Dozens of bicyclists hit Lawrence streets Friday in the name of making streets safer. Enlarge video
Dozens of bicyclists hit the streets of Lawrence on Friday evening, hoping to raise awareness of their presence on our roadways.
“I think it’s difficult as a cyclist,” 26-year-old rider Malakai Edison said. “You get yelled at a lot. I’ve been shot by paintball guns and all kinds of stuff.”
Edison was one of more than 50 riders who took part in Friday’s “Critical Mass” ride, an event that takes place in cities around the world on the last Friday of every month.
“Basically we want to get the message out that we’re here, we ride, it’s an alternative form of transportation, and we want to be safe,” Edison said. “So, we’re out here to say happy Friday to everyone out on the streets.”
The group started its ride at Wescoe Beach on the Kansas University campus, and after circling the roundabout at the Chi Omega fountain multiple times while motorists sat at a standstill and watched, the pack headed out onto such busy roadways as Iowa, 23rd and Massachusetts streets.
“Actually in Lawrence there is a lot of support,” said 21-year-old KU student Charley Berry. “We get a lot of honks and good things. There are some opposed who think bikes should be on the sidewalk, but you know it’s illegal to be on the sidewalk, so it helps promote motorist awareness, too.”
Those involved in the ride said overall Lawrence is a pretty bicycle-friendly town, but they believe there is still room for improvement.
“Just getting your three feet of space on the road is pretty difficult,” Berry said. “If I can reach out and touch you, you’re too close.”
The rides are open to anyone and take place at 6 p.m. on the last Friday of every month. “It’s just a group of cyclists getting together to support bike awareness and just have fun and ride,” Edison said.
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just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
As anyone who has read this forum knows, I'm a big supporter of the purported purpose of this ride-- having the driving public accept cycling as a legitimate form of transportation and getting them to treat cyclists with respect. However, I think most people see Critical Mass as nothing but an organized tantrum, and is likely counterproductive to their stated goal.
Solomon (anonymous) says…
Disrupting traffic for the fun of it.
In the meantime many local cyclists continue to ignore the basics of traffic law and courtesy. They run stop signs and red lights with impunity, at stop signs or lights they leave a legal lane to pass on the right in gutters, they refuse to move over to let traffic pass (see the picture, for example). This is not to mention the inherent danger of a vehicle going 10 mph on a 45-55 mph road/highway.
Not everyone on a bicycle violates the law or acts if the road is theirs alone, but there's enough of them to give the rest a bad name. Courtesy and awareness cuts both ways.
Informed (anonymous) says…
For, perhaps, the first time I can recall, I am in 100% agreement with bozo's statement. Critical Mass rides are the antithesis of their stated goal.
I, too, am a cyclist, but I think that Critical Mass actually does a disservice to those of us who ride conscientiously and within the confines of the law.
Interestingly, in the photo posted I was able to count maybe 6 people wearing helmets. C'mon, CM, if you're going to promote awareness, look within and inform your own group about the need for helmets.
HenryPeach (Matt Needham) says…
What?!? Americans are throwing organized tantrums to try to get their way?!? I can hardly believe it.
JKBagby (anonymous) says…
I have never been yelled at, never been shot by paintball. But then i don't disrupt traffic just to let people know i ride a bike. Critical Mass is tarnishing my primary mode of transportation. Get over it!
parrothead8 (anonymous) says…
Funny...I posted around 7:30 on this story and my comment doesn't show up, but I mentioned the same thing as Informed. Out of 50 or so riders, I count maybe five helmets. As a fellow cyclist, I found that sad.
q_ball2kand1 (anonymous) says…
You commented on the picture, not the article.
tumbilweed (anonymous) says…
Before we talk about helmets, lets see if we can count how many of the motorists are intoxicated and/or playing with their phones while driving.
Informed (anonymous) says…
Why can't both conversations happen concurrently, weed? Of course, not via cell phone if one is driving.
RoeDapple (anonymous) says…
From 'Kansas Bicycling Statute '
8-1590. Riding on bicycles or mopeds; riding on roadways and bicycle paths.
(Bicyclists must ride to the right)
(a) Every person operating a bicycle or a moped upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, except under any of the following situations when: (1) Overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction; (2) preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway; or (3) reasonably necessary to avoid conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving bicycles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards or narrow width lanes that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand edge of the roadway.
(b) Any person operating a bicycle or a moped upon a one-way highway with two or more marked traffic lanes may ride as near to the left side of the roadway as practicable.
(c) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast, except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.
bad_dog (anonymous) says…
I happened to be traveling north on Iowa last evening about 6:45 when CM was heading south. The lead riders went through the intersection of 19th & Iowa after the light turned yellow. The balance of the *peloton* streamed through the intersection over the next 15-20 seconds. Needless to say, this was not an impressive public display of *safety* and I wouldn't be surprised if LPD got a few calls raising their *awareness* of CM's activities.
I too, was struck by the low number of helmets on display, particularly given the size of the group and their location. BTW, I wasn't texting, talking on my cell or intoxicated. Both hands on the wheel at 10 and 2-eyes straight ahead.
I don't run with scissors, either.
DThomas (anonymous) says…
I have no problem with anyone that wants to ride and get some exercise. The article states "we want to be safe", then why was I south bound at 19th & Iowa, stopped for a red light. This group came around my car and blew right through the red light. One person did stop on his bike, right in the middle of the intersection to try to block traffic. Everyone else went right through with out blinking an eye. For once the motorist should be thanked for paying attention and stopping, it is stupid stunts like this that get the cyclist's yelled at. Thanks for "being safe".
bearded_gnome (anonymous) says…
Informed,
I know what you mean. when you and I actually agree with the ranting clown, well the earth shifts.
besides is "bicycle awareness" what's really needed?
this has the feel more of a flash mob.
The group started its ride at Wescoe Beach on the Kansas University campus, and after circling the roundabout at the Chi Omega fountain multiple times while
motorists sat at a standstill and watched, the pack headed out onto such busy roadways as Iowa, 23rd and Massachusetts streets.
---while motorists sat at a standstill. ... well aren't they just special!
randysavage (anonymous) says…
Talk about an epic fail...
"We are cyclists and motorists need to respect biking as our mode transportation and allow us to safely travel on the roadways. But, as for helmets? I'll admit, safety is my #1 concern, but I don't need no stinkin' helmet!!"
And if these cyclists are as concerned as Tumbilweed is about motorist driving drunk and messing with their cell phones, they would wear helmets. I mean, with the money their saving on gas I'm sure they can afford a helmet.
What a joke...
Graczyk (anonymous) says…
I commute by bike 5 days a week and do recreational rides on the weekends - but I hate most cyclists in this town. This is just another example of why.
tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…
Ah, Autumn... and the flocking of students... ritual gatherings in
preparation for the annual migration to the Gulf Coast in the Spring....
cheeseburger (anonymous) says…
I disliked their oftentime illegal antics before, and I really detest them now, but for some unknown reason, I guess that was their goal. And those hooligans wonder why the motoring public doesn't embrace them with open arms! Pulleeezz!
puddleglum (anonymous) says…
agree with bozo.
I ride for sport-usually in rural areas.
bicycles must obey the law, just like bearded gnomes and pilgrims and others
pdecell (Paul Decelles) says…
I don't ride a bike but am a big supporter. What both cyclists and drivers forget is the fundamental asymmetry between a car and cylist. That mean drivers need to be really clear and careful and yes share the road. I've seen plenty of impatient drivers who don't seem to want to take the time to share the road.
On the other hand many "cyclists" in Lawrence don't know how to ride their bikes. Case in point. I was just at one of the 4 way stops on CT St. Me going straight a cyclist stopped in the opposite lane going North. We had stopped at the same time. I wait for the cyclist to go or at least signal what he is doing.
He wobbles into the intersection like he is going straight and suddenly veers(Actually wanders) left right in front of me with no warning just as I start up thinking he is going straight. If I had been impatient or not paying attention there would have been an accident.
Watching him (no helmet by the way) it was clear that he did not have good control on his bike-so even if he wanted to use hand signals, it would not have worked.
Cycling is great but being able sort of balance on a bike does not make one a cyclist . It makes one a menace and an organ donor.
gsxr600 (anonymous) says…
I'm ok with riders that obey the laws. The picture above pretty much sums up the image of rider irresponsibility. I'm sure someone will disagree with me for what I just said. I would love to hear your objection.
beatrice (anonymous) says…
Heck's Angels!
cozy (anonymous) says…
Think of all the money that could have been made off of them violating the laws in this very picture: "Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast" and "Every person operating a bicycle or a moped upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable". If motorized vehicles violate the law, they get ticketed. Since bicycles are held to the same traffic laws as motorized vehicles, WHY arent we ticketing them and gaining revenue to throw toward our budget deficit?!
-------------------------------------
http://www.kctv5.com/news/20490008/de...
prairie village, Kan. -- A group of 17 bicyclists were written tickets for failing to stop at a stop sign, all at the same time.
Prairie Village police have cracked down on a group of bicyclists they had warned about following traffic rules. Police said they had tried to educate and warn the riders in several groups of bicyclists in recent months.
On Aug. 13, 17 bicyclists from a much larger group were stopped when they allegedly ran a stop sign at 79th Street and Belinder. Police said the entire group of bicyclists numbered over 30.
"All laws apply equally to cyclists, as well as vehicles," Prairie Village Police Chief Wes Jordan said. Jordan said that they wanted the bicyclists to work with officers, but once they continued to not follow traffic laws, officers had to react.
"We wanted to catch them doing right, not wrong, but felt the next step is compliance," Jordan said.
Maggi Hacker is president of the Johnson County Bicycle Club that has been ticketed. She was riding with the group Aug. 13, but was not in the pack ticketed.
She said she doesn't agree with police pulling over more than a dozen cyclists at once.
"Several people did stop who got tickets," Hacker said.
However, Hacker said she she agrees cyclists have to follow the same laws as motorists.
"Expect respect and give respect," Hacker said.
On Thursday, Prairie Village police were back out at the same intersection and two more people were cited for failing to stop. It's a big improvement over the previous week and may make a step at keeping people safe.
"I think it already made a difference," Hacker said. "It's unfortunate it had to be done this way, but it may save a life."
rooster (anonymous) says…
Went to burningman a few years back they had a similar ride but better, it was women only and called
"Critical ^its" and all the ladys were topless.
blakec (anonymous) says…
Civil disobedience is a good thing.
puddleglum (anonymous) says…
dang bike riders....why can't they just use a skateboard?
asimpleman (anonymous) says…
Civil disobedience is a good thing when it is directed at an unjust or corrupt system. This is just disobedience for the sake of it. The laws being broken are intended to help ensure that cyclists can safely co-exist with other vehicles. I wonder how many of the participants ride on a regular basis and how many just wanted to stir things up a bit...?
Although I currently don't travel extensively by bicycle, I have done so in the past. When riding a bike, I am very intentional about following the rules of the road. Consequently, most of the time, drivers respect the space I need in order to safely travel by bike. I wonder, though, if events like this tend to raise the ire of drivers and prejudice all cyclists.
JayhawkAlum03 (Julie Gasper) says…
Would love to see LPD ticket this group in masse. I am also a cyclist and obey all traffic laws. I HATE the fact that groups such as this make the rest of us look bad and provide more non-cyclists with an excuse to hate us. I personally will cheer if I ever see tickets being handed out to this group (like prairie village did). I have seen several of their rides go by and was shocked at the complete disregard for all basic laws. I understand their point, but the tactics are completely flawed if they want to win anyone over. Makes me wonder if anyone has ever changed their opinion for the better because of this group...i suspect not.
KS (anonymous) says…
Just obey the traffic laws and you will be fine. If not, may the Lord be with you.
labmonkey (anonymous) says…
When you are a driver, you hate pedestrians. When you are a pedestrian, you have drivers. But one thing that drivers and pedestrians agree on...they all hate cyclists.
The LPD should have ticketed these a-holes. If the police fail, it should be open season with paintball guns.
jumpin_catfish (anonymous) says…
I know you're there, stay out of my way please.
zettapixel (anonymous) says…
Anyone have a monster truck for the next event?
workinghard (anonymous) says…
Makes you wonder if they would have moved over for an emergency vehicle.
merrill (anonymous) says…
I detect a bit of road rage from drivers which may be indictative of the need to leave the motorized large vehicles at home. Take up riding and walking to mellow out a bit.
50 bikes occupied the space of 4 automobiles. Cars are not an efficient use of space and tear up the roads therefore increase taxes.
This is a good way for cyclists to travel busy roads. The mass of cyclists creates visibility.
This is such a short ride in the big picture. So many of you would be complaining if it were two bicycles or one bicycle which is to say you like to complain about bicycles. Is it road rage built up after being behind the wheel too many years?
asimpleman (anonymous) says…
Merrill,
Actually, I'm offended--because--I've been the victim of road rage. This type of event has the potential to increase danger for cyclists, not decrease it.
What we need are more cyclists setting a good example of how it is possible for both cars and bicycles to share the road. Take away all excuses that drivers use to complain about cyclists. Blocking the entire lane and riding with disregard for rules enacted to ensure public safety is not the answer.
Question for you: Were the cyclists really riding in a large group covering the entire lane as a demonstration of the "efficiency" of cycling? Really?
gringa (anonymous) says…
I was stopped as this group illegally entered Jayhawk Blvd. and proceeded to block traffic, ignoring both stop signs and yeild signs at the Chi O fountain. The partol car infront of me was not inconvinenced (the group waited for him to pass) hence no tickets were issued. Simply organizing a group and calling the press, does not negate breaking the rules of the road. Hopefully they are all smarter as individuals, because their group mentality is sadly lacking.
and yes, I enjoy bike riding for recreation and to "mellow out. The difference is, I follow the rules of the road.
merrill (anonymous) says…
The efficiency of space regarding bicycles vs automobiles is demonstrated whether or not that was part of the agenda.
Fifty travelers vs 4 in the same space speaks for itself.
The T also is far more efficient than automobiles considering that fifty passengers can occupy one bus while requiring less space than four automobiles.
Bicycles of course are far more efficient than automobiles and trucks regarding miles per gallon.
Bicycles improve and maintain the good health of the riders. Whereas drivers spend a lot of time frustrated whether bicycles are on the road or not. Automobiles do not provide the daily cardiovascular in addition to frustration = not a healthy situation for human beings.
In so many ways the automobile/truck driving is not efficient.
Bottom line one person per vehicle is simply not efficient considering the many variables to include the constant resurfacing of roads = tax dollar increases.
asimpleman (anonymous) says…
Merrill,
This ride wasn't organized as a demonstration of the efficiency of cycling. It was simply an effort to get attention.
I'm more concerned about your attempts to legitimize negative aspects of this event by using it as a springboard to discuss the positive aspects of cycling. I agree that cycling is healthier, better for the environment, causes less wear and tear to our roads, is more cost efficient, etc. I just don't think any of that is relevant to a group of cyclists hitting the roads and breaking all of the rules,
There's a time for selling cycling as a positive alternative to motor vehicles, but I'm not sure this article is the best platform to discuss that.
Now, if in future rides, CM members all wore helmets, stopped at stop lights, signaled turns, and rode single file; I might just join their ranks. I have nothing against the group per se. Honestly, I think it might create a greater impact if we could see a group of 50+ riders along a one-half mile stretch of road, than what we've seen here.
bearded_gnome (anonymous) says…
yes,
why are KUPD and LPD failing to enforce the laws equally. hmmm, constitutional violation?
David,
Merrill sits on the Traffic Safety Commission, but his real mission is to discourage all driving. he does this by making it increasingly inconvenient with roundabouts, speed cushions, speed bumps, etc.
he believes that broken streets serve a useful function as passive traffic calming devices.
he believes that we should have regularly scheduled power outages, to force energy conservation.
there are about a dozen more of these in his posting history.
oh, he supports nude hiking too.
***
here's why so few helmets in the CM group.
Zombies don't need helmets:
http://willwyatt.com/dbb.php?http://w...
bergerfry (anonymous) says…
Ride your bikes all you want but get the hell over when a 2000lb vehicle going 30 miles an hour or more comes up behind you. I have nothing against bikers but it now seems like a lot of them purposefully ride in the middle of the lane and won't move over. When they slow traffic then it becomes a problem.
Graczyk (anonymous) says…
Merrill failed to answer any of the objections mentioned in these comments. Not a good showing.
monkeywrench1969 (anonymous) says…
I guess the protest groups have returned to Lawrence for some resume' improvement since the summer break is over. Get ready for "civil disobedience" in the form of infringing on others everyday rights to drive down established roads, enter a business of your choice to spend money (to increase revenues to benefit our city and those who pay all the forms of taxes here year round), go to the fairs, go to the family run circus, make the chose to join the military at the local recruiting stations and go into a chain store without seeing some slogan spray painted on the side of it.
Every time I see the phrase "bring attention to" attached to the cause I check to see if it involved some costume or chaining themselves to something or violating others rights to walk, drive, purchase, listen to the everyday sounds they are accustom to or carry on a mature discussion about the issues without infringing on others everyday behavior which typically occurs on days without these protests. This is as it has always been about "Look at me".