Pasadena loves cycling. No, wait: it doesn’t!
The route for the 2008 Tour of California was released a few days back. Pasadena was lucky enough to score the final stage – a road race from Santa Clarita to Pasadena, concluding with a circuit race in Pasadena. Cycling isn’t a really popular sport in the US, but Pasadena is sure to rake in considerable cash when fans in the states come to see one of only two Hors categorie events in the US. (The Tour de Georgia is the other one.)
Of course, Pasadena doesn’t always love the cyclists. From the July 30th City Council Agenda:
(1) PELATON BICYCLISTS – ROSE BOWL
Recommendation of Rose Bowl Operating Company: It is recommended that the City Council approve and direct the City Attorney’s Office to prepare a City ordinance to prohibit bicyclists from riding more than two abreast on any public street in the City other than pursuant to a City permit issued for an event or activity, including the area around the Rose Bowl.
The staff report pretty well comes right out and says “we don’t like those people who ride at the Rose Bowl.” Which seems odd, as those are Pasadena’s hard-core bike racing fans and the city is poised to rake it in from a bike race.
I can understand where the city is coming from, though. From what I’ve heard, the Rose Bowl ride is pretty intense. I’ve heard several horror stories about people just trying to get across the parking lot and almost being run down by speeding cyclists. Is banning it (which banning riding in a peleton may or may not do) the right way to solve the problem, though? These are “50-75 people” getting geeked about a sport. They’re not selling drugs or stealing cars. They’re riding bikes. In our generally obese and out of shape society, you would think that Pasadena would be peeing itself with glee over the public health benefits of a few dozen people getting out and exercising on a regular basis. Especially with a major race coming to town, potentially getting more people in to the sport.
I say deal with the cyclists the same way you deal with skateboarders. They’re a damn nuisance at the mall, but it’s absolutely great that kids are out skating instead of at home playing Halo, so you build them skate parks. Maybe the Rose Bowl riders put some people out, but banning them isn’t a good answer, especially when what they’re doing — getting some exercise, being in the outdoors, being social — is something that more people really should be doing. Figure out a better way for them to do their thing and everybody wins.
As an aside, if I could make one note to cyclists in the SGV: Could you at least try to obey traffic signals and signs? I would say that nothing gives cycling a black eye more than riders breezing through stop signs and lights, making cars that have the right of way slam on their breaks.
July 31st, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Sorry Corey, I love biking myself and I’m all about promoting biking to the general populace, but I have no pity whatsoever on that evil lot that we runners call “The Pack”.
They’re all hopped up with the ‘roid rage, they yell at their own like a pack of wild dingoes AND especially any pedestrian who strays a bit too close to the line that they themselves are edging, and are a menace to cars and even other bicyclists who might be more novice than they are. They piss me off greatly, to the point where I absolutely yell at them when they take on some poor unsuspecting passerby.
I’ve had the “pleasure” of enjoying their company for the last 4 – 5 years while I’ve been running with the Idealab crew down there. It’s high time someone did something about those guys.
July 31st, 2007 at 9:26 pm
Oh come on, cyclists don’t do steroids. The blood dope. (Or use synthetic testosterone.) Totally different.
I know that they’re totally unpopular and for good reason, but is putting the Pasadena PD on anybody who happens to ride out of single file really a great idea? That’s from time to time pretty well anybody who rides bikes in groups larger than two people. Sure, it gets an unpopular crowd away from the Rose Bowl, but it seems like it’d do more harm than it could possibly do good. The best answer is something that lets the peleton do their thing without getting in everybody’s face while avoiding putting a bunch of silly ordinances on the books.
July 31st, 2007 at 9:27 pm
A velodrome! That’s what the Dena needs. A velodrome!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velodrome
July 31st, 2007 at 9:29 pm
There’s one in Carson. Although that’s not nearly as good as doing the same thing on the roads. Where’s the fun if you can’t tip over in to ten other people and spend the next two weeks picking asphalt out of your back side?
August 8th, 2007 at 3:13 am
Oh please! As a rider at the bowl, who if lucky may someday be able to hang more than on lap with the “pack”, I have to say that the runners and roller bladers with iPods drowning out the world around them, mommies with strollers and on cell phones, people with long leashed dogs, and un controlled children with wheeled vehicles are the biggest danger down there.
Even when riding by myself (which I do most of the time), I am continualy confronted by these types of folks aimlessly wandering out into th traffic lane or feeling it is their “right” to occupy a portion of the trafic lane which is legaly designated under state law for cyclists.
Then there is always the pleasant task of looking out for the guys from “Rusnak” that feel the bowl is a good place to go show a test rdiving customer how fast the car can go (during peak recreational hours)…and don’t get me started on the Linda Vista residents that use the bowls as a “speedy shortcut”.
Granted it the pack can be intimidating for the uninitiated, onad the timid, but when I am riding around or walking at the bowl, the “pack” is the least of my concerns…at least they pay attention, focus and a have a purpose, which is more than the majority of folks down there have.