Car Show on Bike Path

[Geonz]

It would be nice if more than one voice were heard. Otherwise the idea that a very tiny group of loudmouths made them put a bike path in and then complained when it was used for something far more beneficial to "normal" people... were any other bikes on the path?

[Biciclista]

she might not know anyone else who rode there that day. She still needs to report it. It isn't a matter of One person complaining, it's a matter of unsafe practices that need to be rectified.
Imagine setting up a bike show across the main drag?

[newfsmith]

I think it would be best to concentrate on the lack of warning signs for the cyclists that listed dates and times of the event. Public ways do get closed for special events (parades, block parties, Maxwell St Days, etc) but not only are permits required (which Mr. Snotty implied they had) but signage is also. That is the real breakdown you incountered.

[OakLeaf]

I think it would be best to concentrate on the lack of warning signs for the cyclists that listed dates and times of the event. Public ways do get closed for special events (parades, block parties, Maxwell St Days, etc) but not only are permits required (which Mr. Snotty implied they had) but signage is also. That is the real breakdown you incountered.

The "real breakdown" is not closing the path, signs or no signs, it's allowing cars where they aren't normally allowed. Every one of those drivers is now going to think of that bike path - and all bike paths - as a short cut they can take whenever they don't notice any bikes. Enough motor vehicles wind up on the bike paths already - just last week two people on an ATV and the cyclist they hit on the bike path were all life-flighted.

That's the problem, IMO. This isn't like closing Main Street for a parade - it's like having a horse show on the interstate.


ETA: ha, well now I know what Maxwell Street days are anyhow.

[Geonz]

Oops, I didn't mean one voice was worthless (especially worth less than none) - just that it would be lots better if a connection with Kansas cyclists could be made. No local email list?

[sfa]

The "real breakdown" is not closing the path, signs or no signs, it's allowing cars where they aren't normally allowed. Every one of those drivers is now going to think of that bike path - and all bike paths - as a short cut they can take whenever they don't notice any bikes. Enough motor vehicles wind up on the bike paths already - just last week two people on an ATV and the cyclist they hit on the bike path were all life-flighted.

That's the problem, IMO. This isn't like closing Main Street for a parade - it's like having a horse show on the interstate.

I don't agree. I think it's fine to allow cars where they aren't normally allowed (or horses on interstates for that matter) as long as there's plenty of warning to the people who normally use that path about the change. Closing the path for the show would be fine, or just providing warning several days in advance and signage the day of the event to tell cyclists to walk through the area. It's not as if these were just any old drivers allowed to drive on the bike path and park there--these were people who brought in their cars for a charity car show. I don't think people who park in the parking lot at shopping malls think that they can park inside the mall just because there's a display of cars there sometimes.

Interstates are often shut down to allow the the roads to be used for other events. In our area, the main expressway going downtown is shut down once a year to allow bikers, joggers and rollerbladers to use it for the morning. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is also shut down once a year for walkers to go across it. No one thinks that it's o.k. to walk or bike on these roads the rest of the year. I don't think show car owners are any more clueless than bikers and walkers. Not usually, that is.

The failure here was in not properly warning path users about the change. What they did was inconsiderate and potentially dangerous, and clearly someone screwed up (assuming they had a permit--without a permit it's another matter entirely) in not notifying the public about this event.

Sarah

[TrekTheKaty]

Our local park frequently puts up signs at least a week in advance of 5K's or boating events that will affect the bike path. I would check with the State or Local Parks department and see if they have jurisdiction.

[ilima]

I think it would be best to concentrate on the lack of warning signs for the cyclists that listed dates and times of the event. Public ways do get closed for special events (parades, block parties, Maxwell St Days, etc) but not only are permits required (which Mr. Snotty implied they had) but signage is also. That is the real breakdown you incountered.

And overtime for police officers to direct traffic.

[Mr. Bloom]

I'm struggling here:
- I understand the frustration, but

- they clearly had a legal permit for gathering...

- our consensus is to express the same indignation that uninformed drivers have regarding our presence on the road

[PamNY]

our consensus is to express the same indignation that uninformed drivers have regarding our presence on the road

The consensus seems to be that cyclists should be notified of special events that affect the bike path. Having police in place is ideal; if that's too costly, signage is necessary.

That's not even remotely similar to drivers objecting to cyclists being on a road where they are legally allowed.

Pam

[Deborajen]

We don't know for sure that they had a permit at all. Whether or not they should have been allowed to park on the bike path, permit or no permit, is the big issue. Additionally, if they were allowed to park cars on the bike path, should they have been required to post signs, etc., notifying any oncoming cyclists, runners, etc.?

When we went back to take the pictures, we thought it was interesting that there were quite a few cyclists checking out the car show. They weren't being chased off or scolded by a snotty emcee, but DH and I agreed that there could have been some mutual benefit to some better planning. Cyclists and runners could have been safer with some advance warning of the cars being on the path, and the charity benefited from the bike path traffic, and some kind requests to the cyclists to dismount bikes when in the car show area would have made the car owners happy as well.

It just doesn't seem like it should be so difficult to figure out where to go to ask for some resolution to this. Between State Laws, City Parks and Recreation rules and plans, permits and who has them and what they cover, etc. - why does "cars, being motorized vehicles, don't belong on bike paths, which are supposed to be safe havens for bikes and pedestrians" - get lost?

[PamNY]

Have you talked to the charity again? Do they perhaps work with a fund raiser? People who do fund raising are experts on the details of special events, and would surely know who issues permits.

Another idea is to contact your local elected representative. He or she (or a staff person) should know who controls what in your city.

If that doesn't work, a reporter on your local paper could be helpful in determining who to contact.

Pam

[Mr. Bloom]

We don't know for sure that they had a permit at all. Whether or not they should have been allowed to park on the bike path, permit or no permit, is the big issue. Additionally, if they were allowed to park cars on the bike path, should they have been required to post signs, etc., notifying any oncoming cyclists, runners, etc.?

I understand.

Ironically, you were more polite than me. I wouldn't have "walked" my bike unless they could demonstrate that their permit mandated that requirement

[Deborajen]

Well, what we've been able to find out so far isn't very encouraging.

1. The City says they have no authority over the bike path in this situation. They're saying that the science museum (the building in the picture) is county property and that includes the bike path on its land.

2. The county says that since the museum is within the city limits, they can't do anything.

3. The science museum says they're sorry, they'll try to do better next time.

4. The charity says they're sorry, too (for the "inconvenience"), and they'll talk to the museum, etc., etc.

The local running club helped me get in touch with the City Park Dept contact, who responded (cc'd the running club) by saying this is a very serious issue - it does need to be addressed. I agree totally - but I haven't heard from the running club since.

The local cycling club has a city/county liaison (a former county commissioner) who offered a few suggestions on who to contact (mayor, city council, county commissioner, etc., which I was already working on). Then he e-mailed me back saying something like "I assume you're looking for assurance that this won't happen again because, at least so far, nobody in the world is able to undo events from the past" - ??

This is so frustrating! What good is a bike path if certain parts are an unexpected "free-for-all?" An event involving cars should not be able to be held on the bike path unless permits or signs or other safety measures to protect cyclists are LEGALLY required, and those laws should be enforced. I'm hoping the running club hasn't just dropped this, and I especially hope the cycling club takes this more seriously than that liaison fella. I just don't get this.

Maybe I'll write to the State, too.

OK - Vent over.

[Tuckervill]

I grew up in Chicago, and Maxwell Street was the place to go for the flea market. My grandfather used to take me there all the time. I just remembered...he bought BICYCLES!

I didn't see the reference in any of the posts so I don't know if this is what it was referring to.

eta: Oh, there it is. and then Oak's post asking about Maxwell Street was GONE!

Karen