Fort Collins 2009 One Speed Open Photos Now on Line

Check out the photos of the Fort Collins "One Speed Open" on Flickr.

Fort Collins Police Respond to Complaints of Lack of Enforcement for Bicycle Scofflaws

One big happy family?!
The image shows CSU Corporal Scott Anthony with Chris Gaughan (Vice Chair of the City's Bicycle Advisory Committee), and Colin Pinney (Bike Co-op volunteer and former Co-op board member) on the CSU campus.


In response to a recent citizen cyclist's complaint about Fort Collins police officers not stopping and ticketing local cyclists for breaking the law City Manager Darin Atteberry shared the following response from Police Services staff member Lieutenant Szakmeister.

"Thank you for taking the time and making the effort regarding your observations on the enforcement of bicycle laws by Fort Collins Police Services. You are 100 per cent correct in that these actions by bicyclists are a violation of traffic safety law.

You ask, “Why do Fort Collins police officers treat bicyclists differently?” It is not a matter of treating individuals differently but rather enforcing laws that could have a greater impact on the public good. Just last week an officer stopped and cited two bicyclists for their bicycle violations. The officer made an observation that their actions constituted a greater danger. By the way, the officer’s sergeant received an angry phone call complaining that the police are “picking” on bicyclists.

While I may not be able to satisfy your concerns, I can tell you that police officers are entitled to exercise discretion with regard to the many traffic violations they see in the course of their duties everyday. For instance, when an officer is working a speed zone with radar, the officer many times chooses to take enforcement action when the driver exceeds ten or more miles over the speed limit. From reading your message, this may be considered dishonest or corrupt. If an officer stopped you for going over the speed limit by 1 mile per hour, he would be justified in doing so according to the letter of the law. But is it the right or ethical thing to do? I would propose to you that it would not be right or nor ethical as a general rule. Nor would it be practical.

Officers throughout their work day attempt to stop people for what they consider to be serious violations that might lead to dire consequences, similar to what Officer Deyen told you. If officers stopped everyone for every violation they see and write tickets to each violator, let alone bicyclists, it would not be reasonable or practical.

That is why the law allows officers to exercise discretion in the exercise of their duties to enforce the law. The courts have long held to this as well. It is not a matter of being dishonest or corrupt, but ethical and correct. Being sworn to uphold the law does not mean that each and every observable violation must be acted upon.

I would agree with you that if the officers are not busy taking care of other matters, officers should enforce bicycle laws as well as other laws. A discussion will take place with these officers, not as a matter of discipline, but as a reminder that citizens like you are cognizant of what’s going on out there and that there is an expectation that officers take action when possible or expedient.

Thanks again for your inquiry."

Polaris High School Freshman to ride the Colorado Trail

Thursday, 30 April 2009 21:07
To whom it may concern:

I would like your assistance in raising money for the Fort Collins Bicycle Co-op. I am looking for sponsors who will contribute directly to the Fort Collins Bicycle Co-op as I spend 2 weeks mountain biking the Colorado Trail. I will cover all my own expenses, carry my own gear, ride during the day and camp out along the 500 miles of trail between Denver and Durango.

I felt I could make my 2 week trip even more rewarding by raising money for the Fort Collins Bicycle Co-op http://fcbikecoop.org/index.php . The Bicycle Co-op is a nonprofit organization that promotes the health, environmental and economic benefits of bicycling in Fort Collins and abroad. They do this primarily by collecting and repairing old bikes and reusing them here as well as in developing nations over-seas.

There are several ways you can support my cause for a more bicycle friendly world. You can go directly to the Fort Collins Bicycle Co-op web site and donate on line at the Fort Collins Bike Co-op or mail a check to the Fort Collins Bicycle Co-op 222 Laporte Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80521. If you prefer you can pledge a donation now, either a set amount or a dollar-per-mile amount and I will collect from you after I finish in July. If you contribute direcly to the Bicycle Co-op please let me know so I can track it.

Thank you for your support. I appreciate your contribution.

Sincerely,

Cassi Mason

tony@greyrock.org
freshman Polaris High School

Bike Co-op Seeks Volunteers for Collegiate National Road Cycling Championships May 8 - 10, 2009

The Fort Collins Bike Co-op is looking for 80 volunteers to help marshal the 2009 Collegiate National Cycling Championships May 8, 9 and 10, 2009.

The best part about this is that the Convention and Visitor's Bureau, the Fort Collins Cycling Festival have come up with 84 (you got it, EIGHTY-FOUR awards that will be given away by drawing to VOLUNTEERS ONLY!!

The list is below but the bike at the top is one of the prizes donated by the Co-op - it's a sweet single speed Raleigh Grand Prix complete with mustache handlebars. (And if it doesn't fit or it's not your style, bring it in and we'll trade it for something that fits you AND your style!)

Other awards for volunteers for the races include:

Sense of Place: $20 Gift Certificate
Mountain Whitewater Descents: T-Shirt, Guided Rafting Trip, Book
Coopersmith's Pub & Brewing: 25x2 Free Beer Coupons
Austin's, Moot House, Enzio's: 10 $10 Gift Certificates
Vern's Toffee: 1 lb box of Vern's Almond Toffee
Kilwin's Chocolates & Ice Cream 4x2 Single-scoop Waffle Cones
Cambria Suites 10 Single Night Stays
Bisetti's Ristorante $25 Gift Certificate
Quality Inn & Suites Complimentary one night stay
Courtyard Marriott Complimentary weekend night stay
Residence Inn by Marriott Complimentary weekend night stay
Hampton Inn One Complimentary Night Stay
Hilton Garden Inn One Complimentary Night Stay
Copper Creek Restaurant at the Fort Collins Marriott Complimentary "Sunday Brunch for Two"
Alpine Arts $20 Gift Certificate
C.B. & Potts (2) $20 Gift Certificate
Fort Collins MOCA Free Individual Membership to the museum
Super Shuttle (2) Complimentary Round Trip Airport Shuttle
Bas Bleu Theatre (4) Main Stage or Readers' vouchers Theatre Super 8 Motel Complimentary one night stay
Cheyenne Frontier Days (2) complimentary Ticket to the rodeo
A Wanderlust Adventure One Complimentary rafting trip
Fort Collins Bike Co-op One Raleigh Single Speed Commuter Bike "Sweet!"

Contact Rick [at] ExperiencePlus.com to volunteer for your spot on the road TODAY! We especially need volunteers for May 8th. And this is going to be a spectacular race from Hughes Stadium along Horsetooth Reservoir to Masonville and back!

Fort Collins' Own BHA Design Leads Boulder's Valmont Bike Park Design Team

We've got the expertise, we just don't have the . . . what? Vision, political will, money, drive, organization? BHA design, based right here in river city, headed by landscape architect and planner Bruce Hendee, was chosen as the lead designer for Boulder's Valmont Bike Park. Read about it here, on BHA design's blog
or here on the Valmont Bike Park blog.

BHA Design is designed the new on-street bike parking in Fort Collins that was installed last month.

Bike Co-op Achieves 501-c-3 Designation

The Fort Collins Bike Co-op recently received its very own 501-c-3 designation and at about the same time it signed a contract with the City of Fort Collins to handle:
1) Bike maintenance through 2009 for the Bike Library bikes and, 2) Valet Bike Parking for the City Parks Department at a variety of events. The Co-op also has undertaken to be more visible in the community through tabling events at CSU and in Fort Collins. The photo shows Co-op founder and Rafael Cletero and volunteer Steve Burns staffing a table at the CSU Earth Day event April 22nd while stuffing themselves with Kasbah Pizza (Kasbah is a Co-op sponsor!)

Denver is Planning a City-Wide Bike Share Program

Mayor John Hickenlooper and several community partners today (January 14, 2009) announced plans for a citywide bike sharing program – Denver B-Cycle – that will make 500 bikes available to the public at 30 to 40 stations throughout the city beginning this summer. Read all the details here. In the photo note the fully enclosed bike with the docking station and the Parisian businessman ready to head off for a meeting. Read more about this system by clicking on Bike Share at the bottom of this post where the labels are.