 Goldwing Motorcycle Safety Patrol
Designed as a compliment to the Ride Ref Program, the Goldwing Motorcycle Safety Patrol will discourage unsafe or illegal behavior on the Group Health Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic through the use of $25 tickets payable to the Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation. Our purpose is to improve rider behavior and safety on Cascade event rides and to improve relations with communities that our riders pass through.
Goldwings will request that the rider discontinue unsafe/illegal behavior and will give $25 tickets payable to the Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation for the following infractions:
- Running through a stop sign or red light without stopping (riders do not necessarily have to unclip, but they must come to an obvious momentary stop)
- Passing other bicyclists on the right in a dangerous manner
- Riding more than two abreast
- Crossing a solid centerline
- Public urination or littering
- Not wearing a helmet
Goldwings will also remind riders that use of earphones/headphones or cellphones while riding is not allowed according to Cascade policy. Goldwings should emphasize to cyclists of the danger of using these devices, especially in a large group event where it is essential to hear other nearby riders and vehicles, and to stop using them while on a Cascade event.
Goldwings may take rider bib number to report to club officials for possible further action if the rider is uncooperative.
History
Cascade Bicycle Club promotes and encourages safe riding behavior on our rides and events with written brochures and newsletter articles, online information, classes, safety seminars, and Ride Refs. Our 2009 safety campaign message is again "Single File is Safer" and is designed to encourage responsible and safe riding.
This year, we will once again be having the Goldwing Safety Patrol, in addition to our Ride Refs program, to place additional emphasis on proper rider behavior. In 2007, a hit-and-run drunk driver injured several cyclists who were riding legally during STP. The resulting community discussion about this crash reflected that many community members were very upset about rider behavior on STP. Specific behaviors listed were riding more than two abreast, running through stop signs, and holding up traffic.
Ride Refs will also be on the course to remind riders about a broader variety of safe riding policies. In addition to the six listed above, Ride Refs will remind riders of our policies of:
- Single File is Safer
- Using vo stp_safety.cfm ice and hand signals/calling out when passing
- Move off the road when stopping
- Ride right/Pass left
- Do not pass too close/ride too close to another rider
- No headphones/earphones
- Do not hold up more than 5 vehicles
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