Car Show on Bike Path

[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.

[TrekTheKaty]

Even though you may not hear about it, hopefully you have gotten someone's attention.

We ride a paved path around a lake here in St. Louis. They have frequent boat races, triathlons, senior olympics that may involve closing part of the path (inconvenient--it's a loop). They always put up signs along the path every intersection, the week before events. It's very considerate and allows us to make alternate plans. I wouldn't be surprised if this didn't develop from a problem way back.

Maybe a follow up letter to all concerned with suggestions for ways to avoid this in the future, such as signs a week before events that would affect the bike path?

[Zen]

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" - ??
.

head/desk

[Tuckervill]

head/desk

Well, as a person who puts on events on public property, and who listens to a lot of complaints and "constructive criticism" I think the above response indicates that perhaps she wasn't clear with her solution to the problem.

What is done, is done. Can't change that. Acknowledge that and move on. You don't know how many times people complain to get things off their chest and never offer a solution. It may seem obvious to us that the solution is to make sure the bike paths are kept clear, or if that can't be avoided, to provide adequate notice and safety measures. But if you don't state that outright to the official, you may just sound like a complainer, and you will be tuned out. Stop talking about what happened and try to focus on what *could* happen in the future if the same actions are taken by organizers again, and how that can be prevented.

Also, offer to help make it happen next time. Don't just say, "if you need my help, let me know." Say, "I can watch the community calendar and make sure I call the museum/organization ahead of time and suggest they take the proper steps that this doesn't happen."

Eventually, if you follow up with this level of detail, marking the trail will become standard protocol, and will be included in any contracts, I'll bet. But if we just never thought of it, we just never have. Nothing to be done about it now.

Karen