I am the Executive Director of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, a statewide nonprofit education and advocacy organization. I was forwarded your email (below) this morning. I am very sorry to hear that there are some issues of conflict between bicyclists and motorists in your area. I am very concerned...because just last week I received word that on June 24th two bicyclists were out by Black Earth CP east of 78 and that they were shot at by the occupants of a dark sedan. I know these cyclists personally and know that they were behaving lawfully, though breaking the law would be no excuse to have one's life threatened.
I want to first say that I hope that the leaders of your community will be willing to bring bicyclists into the discussion...rather than only law enforcement and elected officials.
I do not think that the answer to your troubles is more laws or more fees or more tickets...I think the answer is that BOTH user groups need to understand that BOTH have a right to the road and that BOTH have responsibilities. I would be glad to be part of the process of having that discussion...and I would be glad to contact other bicycling leaders in the area to participate. The bicyclists have to be part of the discussion though, or nothing will improve.
I will plan to attend your meeting on July 12th. Please contact me before then if you would like to discuss the issue.
Now I would like to address some of your points. With regards to laws...in Wisconsin a bicycle is a vehicle and must follow all the same rules of the road as a motorist. Along with that responsibility, the bicyclist is also granted full rights to use the road unless specifically prohibited (like on a major freeway like the Beltline in Madison). Bicyclists may travel single file or two abreast...and they should ride about 3 feet from the edge of the road and cars should pass them with three or more feet of clearance. The 3 feet rules are general...but the bicyclist and the motorists should always do what is safe, predictable, and couretous...which may mean that the bicyclist needs to ride in the middle of the road or the motorist may need to pass with more than 3 ft clearance. I would dispute your claim that "the biker has alot more rights then the people who are paying for insurance, license plates and the roads we drive on"...first in that the law gives no additional rights to bicyclists...and second that bicyclists pay all the same fees for the most part that motorists pay. Indeed, most bicyclists are motorists as well. Further, the more bicyclists that there are on the roads...the less cars that there are on the roads...which reduces wear and tear on the roads and reduces motor vehicle congestion. More bicyclists can actually benefit motor vehicle drivers in this way...as well as reducing air pollution for everyone.
In Madison, bicyclists already register their bicycles for a fee...and they are already accountable for breaking the law.
Bicyclists share the road with motorists all the time...indeed, there are far more motor vehicles than bicycles...so I would say that the assertion that bicyclists are taking over your community a bit extreme.
Finally...bicycling is not merely a hobby. Bicycling is a legitimate use of the public roadways. I agree that law breakers, whether they be bicyclists or motorists, should be cited for offenses. This logic does run both ways...so every motorist that passes a bicycle with less than 3 feet, or drives 5 miles an hour above the speed limit, or does not yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk is also at fault...just like the bicyclist who runs stop signs and rides in a pack of more than two abreast. Law enforcement does not have the resources to catch every incidence of bad behavior by either group...so what we are left with is education...and communication.
As I said, I will plan to attend your meeting on July 12th. Please contact me before then if you would like to discuss the issue.
-Marjorie Ward
Executive Director
Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin
-----Original Message-----
From: BE Village Pres.- Jeanne Poast
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Monday, July 05, 2004 10:21 PM To: Governor Jim Doyle;
Rep.Travis; Robert Bowman; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: Vern Wendt; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Sen.Erpenbach;
Knutson, Tryg; tammy.baldwin; Falk, Kathleen; Jim EMS; Village
Jack Curtis; Joe Flynn; Paul FOSSHAGE; Melbankes; Vermont
Bill Hanson; Senator Kohl; Town of Cross Plains; Town of
Mazomanie; Town of Vermont; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; 'Wells, Topf'
Subject: Bicycling on the west end of Dane County
Hello to the Governor, County Exec. Kathleen Falk, Senator
Erpenbach, Senator Feingold, Rep. Travis, Rep. Baldwin, and Dane
County Supervisors -Wendt and Hitzemann!
We have been having a real problem with groups of bike racer
(groups) over taking our area and the roads! Leaders from the
Townships of Berry, Mazo, Vermont, Black Earth, Cross Plains
and the village of Black Earth have expressed concerns to the
Dane County Sheriff's office. But we need more help then they can
give us. Laws need to be changed or understood better. Seems the
biker has alot more rights then the people who are paying for
insurance, license plates and the roads we drive on!
Next Monday night there is a meeting at the Vermont Town Hall
and I have been asked to go and I really want you to come to the
meeting!
These people are living through this all the time and they need your
help! They need to be heard by someone who can make a difference!
I have an idea... Charge them a fee! Why can't we put license
plates on bikes. That way we can make them accountable for
breaking the law! When they break the law then we can call the
police and have a way to know who it is! So many of these groups of
bikers come into our village and /or townships and take over the
roads! This is where we live! How would they feel if we take over in
their town or village? They have no regard the people that live here
or their property. The state and county need money and this is a major
problem. Charging them a GOOD healthy fee for a license plate would
help with some of the sort fall in the county and state budget!
After all this is a hobby!
Please come to the meeting on July 12 at 7:30 p.m.!
Something needs to be done and it has to start some place!
Jeanne Poast
Black Earth Village President
Population 1314
1210 Mills St., Black Earth, WI 53515
Cell # 608-444-0190 or home office 767-2564
www.villageofblackearth.com
Marjorie S. Ward
Executive Director
Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin
106 E. Doty Street, Suite 400
P.O. Box 1224
Madison, WI 53701-1224
Phone: 608-251-4456
Fax: 608-251-4594
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Web: www.bfw.org
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