Verdi CAB Meeting
Motorists live in a world with very well defined rules. Two motorists can confidently approach each other with a closing speed of 150 mph and think nothing of missing each other by only a couple of feet. When a motorist encounters a pack of testosterone charged bicyclists with no regard for the rules of the road, he is confused. Confusion leads to fear, fear leads to anger.
The Verdi Citizen Advisory Board had bicyclists on their minds on Sept 4th. They admit that not all bicyclists behave badly but enough do to anger Verdi residents. The CAB’s complaints boil down to two issues: 1) bicyclists don’t follow the rules of the road and 2) they are rude and inconsiderate.
Follow the rules: Bicyclists blow through stop signs, especially as the bottom of Silva Ranch Road, impede motorists by riding more than two abreast and fail to yield in the new roundabout.
Rude behavior: Bicyclists shout obscenities and flip “the bird” at motorists who honk at them when they fail to follow the rules of the road. They purposely impede motorists and then shout “Share the Road” when the motorist is finally allowed to pass.
The Chairman of the CAB offered this example: He was driving his children to work and had to slam on the brakes to avoid a bicyclist that blew through a stop sign. When he honked his horn, the bicyclist made a rude gesture and rode on. The Chairman then had to explain to his children what had just happened, a task he found uncomfortable and difficult.
The CAB was especially critical of riders who race through their neighborhood on Saturday morning with no regard for motorists, the rules of the rode, residents and, apparently, their own safety. I think I know this group. The hammerheads in front are bent on punishing the followers. The followers risk life and limb to keep from being dropped. The result looks and feels just like a continuous sprint from the inside. From the outside it looks like mob chaos. To the motorist that encounters them, it’s quite scary.
Bicycle racers need to remember that the Nevada traffic laws are not suspended when they train on public roads and that they are guests in Verdi. Testosterone is no excuse for rude behavior.
Thanks Terry!
I’ve been run off the road by these guys while biking in Verdi many times. They’re FAST! I just wonder how much of the motorists’ complaints stem from actual transgressions of the law, and how much of the time they’re just pissed they have to slow down a bit and go around. I hear complaints about cyclists running stop signs and ignoring traffic laws, but in an average day, it is WAY more common to see a vehicle running a light or making an illegal u-turn, or going 35 in school zone, and WAY more dangerous to others. I just wish the community would come together and demand safer streets, FROM EVERYBODY Unfortunately, cyclists are such a small, small percentage of roadway users, and the ones who don’t obey the rules are even fewer. I think they shouldn’t be singled out and given more than their small share of attention.
So I rode with these folks yesterday, overall they were pretty decent. However running a Peloton on residential streets I have to really think twice about that. There are two small subdivisions that they cruise through in East Verdi and something is boud to happen.
I have 3 small kids and I hate it when cars speed over the 25 mph speed limit in my neighborhood and here the group comes doing 20-30+ through small neighborhood.
They are after extra miles and extra hills but I don’t think that’s the way to do it.
Also someone crashed pretty good as the testosterone heads at the front made the corner at old hwy 40 and crystal park. Too close, too fast, period end of story.
Gonna have to think about this for a while maybe talk to their leaders.
There are two reasons for encouraging cycling: so we can enjoy something we love relatively unimpeded and so the world cleans the air and gets healthier.
The “give me all the roadway I want” cycling psychology is no different than that of the Humvee and Harley drivers – “We got the power; screw everyone else.”
How does this do anything other than complete one lucky ride while alienating everyone else.
Moving the nation toward an appreciation of cycling requires winning the hearts and minds – not unlike success in an insurgency. Pissing people off while blasting through their communities has the same effect as bombing their villages. It achieves nothing but adversity.
Grow up; wake up. The energy necessary to accelerate from a stop light or sign only ads to the conditioning of the ride.
We have a responsibility. Move as many people as possible to bicycles. Get with it!
I was riding west near Silva Ranch intesection (I had no stop sign) when another rider blew through his stop sign and came towards me in my lane (going the wrong direction). If you’re gonna break the law, it’s best that you check for traffic and make an effort to follow the rules.
Terry,
I grew up off Mayberry Drive and have been riding my bike in Verdi (off and on) for 35 years. I have also been a participant of the Saturday AM ride through Verdi for as long as it’s been in existence (8-9 years). Don’t necessarily disagree with much of your post. But, as long as I’m on a public roadway, I am NOT your “guest” when I’m in Verdi.
Can’t we all just get along?
The above “story” could just as easily be rewritten substituting the cyclists with the drivers-
Entitled Americans –