How can a charity bike take over my neighborhood streets?

[Anonymous]

I live in an area favored by cyclists. They are on our hilly, winding roads regularly. The weekends are particularly bad when you are trying to get somewhere on time. Because of the curves it is often difficult to pass and there are often no shoulders for bikes to pull to the side. I have previously encountered an organized event and been absolutely stuck.

This morning I found my regular route peppered with directional signs and, after googling, found out that there is a charity cycling event on Saturday. Neighbors aren't warned, in past there has been no police direction.

Does an organized event like this need a permit? How can a relatively small group take over a public right of way for their own use for an undetermined period of time? It just seems wrong.

[Anonymous]

Why do you think they don't have permit?

[Anonymous]

It took you loner to post this than it would take you to drive around them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It took you loner to post this than it would take you to drive around them.

You didn't read. I cannot drive around them. The throng is too big to pass given the sightlines on hilly, curvy streets. You are stuck behind them. What's more it's a no passing zone/double lined the whole way out of the neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Maybe they have a permit, but it’s sucks that you were not notified. If they could put up direction signs, they could put up some warning signs a week or two in advance.

I feel like this is one of the things the local listserves were great for (letting people know there would be road closures), before they turned to Nextdoor and rants about mundane things.

[Anonymous]

Remove the signs or flip them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It took you loner to post this than it would take you to drive around them.

You didn't read. I cannot drive around them. The throng is too big to pass given the sightlines on hilly, curvy streets. You are stuck behind them. What's more it's a no passing zone/double lined the whole way out of the neighborhood.

At that point, I'd invest in an old diesel with antique plates no longer subject to emissions laws. Not as satisfying as rolling coal, but perfectly legal

[Anonymous]

Does an organized event like this need a permit? Yes

How can a relatively small group take over a public right of way for their own use for an undetermined period of time? The permit will have a determined period of time. Even if that time is longer than needed, or longer than you approve.

It just seems wrong.

That's the way event permitting works. Nothing wrong about it. Contact your local jurisdiction about their event permit procedures.

[Anonymous]

Yes they should have a permit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does an organized event like this need a permit? Yes

How can a relatively small group take over a public right of way for their own use for an undetermined period of time? The permit will have a determined period of time. Even if that time is longer than needed, or longer than you approve.

It just seems wrong.

That's the way event permitting works. Nothing wrong about it. Contact your local jurisdiction about their event permit procedures.

Residents almost alway still have rights of egress

[Anonymous]

Are the roads actually going to be closed to motor vehicles, or will the event just be taking place on those roads so vehicles have to share with cyclists?

[Anonymous]

Since it has not happened yet, how do you know there will be "throngs" of bikes. We have some road races in our neighborhood and it is minimal disruption. Google it and ask how many people are participating.

[Anonymous]

Races happen all the time in DC, it's part of living here.

[Anonymous]

https://bellringer.org/

Is it this one, OP?

[Anonymous]

Why does this bother you so much Op?