While waiting for the meeting to start, a couple sat down next to me and caught me up on the last meeting. Apparently, one gentleman stood up and said he taught his teenage daughters to treat cyclists like deer--don't swerve just hit em straight on!

However, I'd say the meeting went to the cyclists. It started with a sweet grandpa type who said he had been cycling for his health for 70 years, lived in the county and last he checked, it was a free country. He didn't believe in banning anything.

Several excellent presentations included: driving away potential businesses that are looking to improve the health of their employees, loss of tourism (including the loss of tourists for the Tour of Missouri), the reasons why staying within 20 inches of the white line is unsafe, how much it will cost the tax payers to defend the suit MoDot promises will follow, where the county can get federal funding to educate motorists and cyclists how to coexist safely, and questioning why the county isn't concentrating on the bigger issues facing our country at this point in the economy.

The one anti-cycling person's rant was, "when I honk because I want to pass the cyclists use an obscene gesture" and finished with "bicycles aren't vehicles and they don't have a right be on the road."

The next person said, "I'm so glad I followed him, because, as the council knows, Missouri state law says a bicycle is a vehicle with a right to be on the road."

One farmer said, "I'm not against bicycles, but I need to see you. I frequently cross the road in my truck or on my tractor. A flag, lights, mirrors, signs whatever it takes because I really don't want to hurt anyone."

A few residents showed up to say they live in the stated area, and haven't had any trouble with bicycles holding up traffic.

And this wasn't the big topic of the night. Apparently, there is a heated fight amongst taxidermists and the city council involving permits. (Cyclists came in as pro-taxidermy). I should go to those meetings more often!