[ndcf] Fw: TNW in trouble

[Fritz Fremgen]

The sobering message below shows the twin cities are suffering the consequences of poor manners among cyclists.  Race organizers are being told to find another venue for the Tuesday night "Opus" criterium series that's been running, I believe, for somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 years.  

To most people, cyclists are about as welcome as a hemmorhoid.  With the "2nd great awakening" taking place in Jamestown, we may ask ourselves whether people are admiring us in our flashy get ups or swearing at us to get out of the way.  

Last Sunday, Jerry Levene and I got yelled at for riding two abreast up the State Hospital hill when there was no oncoming traffic.  I chalked it up as the guy having a bad day and we let it go unanswered.  

*The author of the message below, Kevin Schaeffer (aka Skibby), is a member of Loon State Cyclists, a very friendly and personable fellow, who gives his time to cycling in the Cities as Russ and Ken do up here.  

Fritz 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Kevin Schaeffer 
To: Loon State Cyclists 
Sent: Friday, May 16, 2008 12:44 AM
Subject: TNW in trouble


The company that owns the land and adjacent parking lot on yellow circle drive where we have been having the start/finish no longer wants us there. They are tired of people urinating in the bushes, leaving their trash behind and rudely getting in the way of people leaving work. They are letting us finish the series, so we will still have our last race next Tuesday. As far as the future of the race series, we have 10 months to figure something out but the lady I talked to was pretty adamant that we are no longer welcome. Keeping races at this venue has become a constant battle because we continue to irritate the property owners in the Opus park. 

Next Tuesday there will be NO parking in that parking lot allowed. All racers are to congregate at the Musicland parking lot at the bottom of the hill. NO WARMING UP on the course and no riding on the course when you are not racing. Last week I saw people riding the wrong way down the one way also. I am so sick and tired of repeating this stuff, and seeing it happen week in and week out. Not only that but people are leaving a mess in the registration parking lot also. There were banana peels blatantly thrown in the lot last week. I have been extremely disappointed with the rider behavior this season. Not only the Opus behavior but also the behavior at the Marty Road Race. It was next to impossible to keep traffic moving through Marty with all the cyclists just hanging out in the main street. I also witnessed a huge pack of riders who weren't yet racing riding across the finish line, on the wrong side of the road! Not only is this illegal and rude to the officials and those whose highways we are sharing, it's a good way to get killed! 

Sorry about the preaching, but as MCF president I am at a loss on what to do about this. Common sense and courtesy should dictate that we realize we are guests at any race venue we attend. We have a hard enough time with the media presenting us as lawbreakers, but then what do we do when we have permission to hold events? We show up like the obnoxious unwanted guests who never leave, littering, snarling traffic while being rude about it on top of it, breaking the rules of the road, public urination, the list goes on and on and on. 

I will have last Tuesday's race results posted tomorrow along with the series leaders. Tim Turnquist from the IC3 team will be providing refreshments in the Fortune Financial Building lot for the last night of TNW. This is on the left side of yellow circle drive on the hill, two buildings before you get to the current start/finish line. Thanks to Tim for offering this, and hopefully you will repay the kindness with courteous behavior and by picking up after yourselves. 

Skibisdismayed
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