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Angry motorists in Jersey and Calhoun counties

Once again, motorists are expressing their frustrations with bicyclists. The people of Jersey and Calhoun counties, two rural Illinois counties on the edge of the St. Louis metropolitan area, are complaining about cyclists who clog their roads and don't use bicycle trails when they are available.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch article published today is seriously flawed. The responses from the cyclists and tour leader quoted in the story are buried deep in the story. The reporters and editors who handled this story should have made an effort to get the cyclists' side of the story higher in the story. You would think that the editorial staff of a major metropolitan newspaper would know people don't always make it to the end of the story. The lead of the story also assumed that the roads were originally built for cars, trucks and farm equipment. The farm equipment portion probably is correct, but there is a strong possibility many of these roads were first created during the horse-and-buggy days.

Nevertheless, there are some valid points here. For example:

Pennie Pohlman recalls a recent Saturday when more than 100 participants in a charity bike ride converged on her tiny hometown of Brussels. What she saw that day on the winding Calhoun County roads leading from the Brussels Ferry into her village frightened and angered her.

"(Bicyclists) were riding three abreast and sometimes stopping on the shoulder of the road" holding up vehicle traffic, said Pohlman, who was working at the Red and White grocery that day. "We have a lot of bike riders come through here, and I'm sure it's because the countryside is very pretty. But it's infuriating to see what they're doing because they are so inconsiderate."

Riding three or more abreast is illegal on most Illinois roads. Don't believe me? Then read the section of the Illinois Vehicle Code pertaining to bicycles. While I attempt to educate cyclists of that fact on the map for the Tour de Stooges, I know people ignore that. I think all of the groups that lead organized rides in the St. Louis area do a horrible job of educating cyclists of the rules of the road. For example, here's what Trailnet's Trailnetiquette Safety Tips has to say on the subject:

By law, cyclists must ride to the right except when the road is too narrow, when turning, when avoiding a hazard and may ride two abreast if not impeding faster traffic.

The problem here is that Trailnet makes absolutely no mention of the fact that riding three or more abreast is illegal on most Illinois roads.

As for people stopping in the road (other than for a stop sign, of course), that's a definite no-no. The organizers of most multiday rides I've been on have done a great job of telling people to pull off the road if they are stopping to rest or to make a repair. I need to do a better job of informing people of that next year on Tour de Stooges, and I hope other ride organizers do the same.

Another complaint cited in the Post article involves people who ride on the Great River Road instead of the Vadalabene Bike Trail:

Brussels resident Matt Meyer said he frequently sees cyclists pedaling on the shoulder of the Great River Road near Grafton instead of using the Vadalabene Bike Trail a few feet away.

Once, Meyer stopped a rider and asked him why he didn't use the bike path.

"He said, 'I have just as much right to use this road as you do,'" Meyer recalled. "I understand that the paths get crowded, but they're not using them at all."

While technically, Illinois cyclists aren't required to use bicycle paths adjacent to roads, it might be a good idea if they do. But cyclists aren't completely to blame here. People have a tendency to throw out their beer and liquor bottles on the trail, leaving lots of shattered glass. As of last year when I last rode the trail, much of the trail that is off-road was in poor condition with broken pavement and cracks. I can understand why many people on road bikes avoid the trail.

Alton cyclist Ron Mayhew also was quoted in the Post-Dispatch:

Mayhew said problems often arise when amateur bikers who are unfamiliar with group events join ranks with more seasoned riders. "They don't have a clue as to what the rules are for bike riders sharing space with cars," Mayhew said. "Sometimes you get people riding three or four abreast right down the middle of the road."

Once again, the reporters and editors showed their ignorance of cycling. The overwhelming majority of people who do group rides are amateurs. The proper word here would have been "inexperienced." But Mayhew, generally speaking, is correct, although my experience has been that more "seasoned riders" sometimes ignore the rules. Here's some more from him:

Mayhew said the wise solution would be for both bikers and drivers to do their homework. "Lots of (drivers) don't know what the rules of the road are, either," said Mayhew, who recently co-founded the Alton-based Riverbend Cycling Club. "It's an education issue."

Yes, it is. And those of us who lead group rides need to take the first step.

Roger 0 comments 11:58 AM