Hello Free Wheelers, June 2024
Our calendar page has turned to June, and I kid you not when I mention that I had full intention of getting this column out to the membership either just before or just after the Memorial Day All-Paces rides. But as the weather gods would have it, the clouds wouldn’t decide whether or not to unleash the rain on us until after most of those rides were canceled. Of course, it turned out to be a fairly nice day, and now the delay has allowed me the opportunity to include some recent news that most, if not all, of you should be interested in hearing about.
PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF
At-Large Board Member David Speis has made Advocacy Issues his main platform on behalf of our Board, and over the past year he began a dialogue with Governor Murphy’s office about communicating the Safe Passing Law to the public. Many of you may recall that last winter he called into the governor's radio show and specifically asked him about this subject, referring to it as a symbolic or unenforced law. Such laws are usually ignored by law enforcement, and therefore there are few or no practical consequences for breaking them.
Not to be deterred, Dave kept after the governor, and eventually had a meeting on April 24 with the governor’s NJDOT Chief of Staff, Chris Scales. As a result, the NJDOT will be doing the following:
- They have obtained approved Safe Passing Law signage from the Federal Highway Administration and are scouting out appropriate and effective locations for posting. These should be up by July 4th.
- They will be incorporating Safe Passing Law requirements into all future highway safety assessments.
- They will provide sign support to municipalities outside the NJDOT’s jurisdiction (local and county roads) for those who request signs.
- They will be incorporating electronic highway marquees to communicate the Safe Passing Law message.
However, this is only the beginning! On Friday (June 7) Dave received the following email from Bill Riviere of the NJ DOT. Take special note of the sentences that I have bolded:
Good Afternoon:
The New Jersey Department of Transportation will be installing signs along state roadways to help make the traveling public aware of the requirements of the Safe Passing Law, one of which is that motorists give bicyclists at least 4 feet when passing them on the roadway. The signs, and their installation, will conform to the requirements of the most recent edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
To help identify locations where safe passing signs could help make cycling safer, the Department is seeking input from bike clubs across New Jersey. At this time, we are asking for recommendations from club members for sites on any roadway in the state. These locations will be reviewed to determine if signs can be installed. Sites on local roads will be forwarded to the appropriate county or municipality for consideration.
We would like to receive your feedback by COB next Friday, June 14th. Please respond directly to this email. Thank you for your assistance with this important matter.
Thanks,
Bill
Moments later I saw this email from Board Member Heddy Bartell to Dave: “Congratulations to Dave! I just saw the 4 ft Safe Passing sign on a video billboard on Route 1 Southbound just south of Alexander Road. It was the same as our bumper stickers and as big as life. It's a rotating ad but shows up clear!”
Kudos to Dave for his persistence but now comes the plea for help. Notice that we have less than one week to collect locations to send to Bill Riviere. So that we do not overload his inbox, please send any suggestions to Dave Speis. Dave’s email address is therave17@verizon.net. Dave will collate our suggestions into an organized list that we submit to the NJDOT. Please also take note that the other bike clubs in NJ have also been approached. Ward Kradjel of JSTS has already let us know that they will assist the PFW in generating this list for our area. THIS IS THE REAL DEAL, MEMBERS, AND WE HAVE DAVID TO THANK FOR NOT GIVING UP! Now we need all ride leaders to step up and help Dave this week.
NEW JERSEY BIKE AND WALK COALITION (NJBWC)
I promised myself that I wouldn’t start this section off by saying that in my opinion, Dave just did what we would have expected the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition (NJBWC) to do, but I guess I just said it anyway. The New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition (NJBWC) is the only state-wide advocacy organization for bicyclists and pedestrians. The NJBWC partners with clubs, advocacy groups, and local, regional, and state agencies and is supported by a growing list of sponsors who share its goals.
On Saturday, May 18, 2024, the NJBWC held its Thirteenth Annual Summit at Middlesex College in Edison, NJ. The NJBWC Summit is New Jersey’s statewide meeting of bicycle and pedestrian advocates, elected officials and state, county, and municipal leaders, transportation and urban planners, bike shop owners and managers, cycling, walking, fitness and health enthusiasts and experts, recreation, trails and club leaders and others who are interested in making our state a better place to live.
Board Member Jeff Lippincott attended the Summit on behalf of the Princeton Free Wheelers. Jeff prepared a two-page summary of the event for the Board, which we will post on our website. I will ask Jim Brittain to put the link to the report on the home page for all those interested in learning more.
One topic stood out for me - - - Safe Routes Academy: Talk the Walk—Putting Your Vision into a Plan. This session reviewed factors for consideration to ensure safe routes in walking and biking to school. The session also discussed Target Zero, an action plan to reach zero fatalities and severe injuries in NJ by 2040.
NEWEST MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
As I emailed back in April, the PFW Board of Trustees faced a sudden opening for Recording Secretary after an unexpected resignation. I would like to thank those who reached out to me about their interest in filling the role and report that after careful consideration, Anthony “Tony” Sasso was appointed to fill the remainder of the term, which runs through the 2025-26 club year.
COMING EVENTS
The next big events on the calendar are the Juneteenth and the Independence Day All-Paces Rides. As in the recent past, this year’s rides will depart from Lot 10 in Mercer County Park beginning as early as 7:30 am, although most of the rides will be starting at 8:30 am or 9:00 am.
“Ice Cream Truck you tease?” Yes, that is also correct. Looking ahead to our Independence Day All-Paces event, considering the positive feedback from the Food Truck last year, this year the Board has approved an Ice Cream Truck to upgrade the snacking options after the July 4 All-Paces rides. Be sure to see your ride leader for a ticket to claim your post-ride refreshment!
RIDE WITH GPS PFW ROUTE LIBRARY – IMPORTANT!
One of the greatest benefits of membership in the Princeton Free Wheelers, is the ability to access over 1,000 routes in our RWGPS Route Library. These routes benefit new ride leaders and ad hoc riders in finding routes that others have used when leading rides. A WORD OF CAUTION – In recent weeks I have been on rides using routes on Saturday and Sunday that are best left for Monday through Friday due to differences in traffic patterns, and vice versa. If anyone uses a route from the library that they didn’t create, please be sure to review the roads on the route and consider their appropriateness for both the time and day of the week that you intend to use it. Traffic on certain roads at 10:00 AM on a Saturday can be a lot busier than 10:00 AM on a Wednesday, especially as people head to soccer and baseball games, morning errands and down the shore, often cutting through Allentown and Robbinsville.
World Bicycling Day was on June 3 and in honor of it, let’s look at 12 Reasons Why We Love Riding Our Bicycles. (Thanks to Board Member Mindy Newman for sending me the link to this article I sampled: https://momentummag.com/love-our-bicyles/).
- It’s a blast from the past – taking you back to the simpler times of your childhood.
- You get to feel the wind in your hair (or face) – Bad hair day? Let the wind do your styling.
- Bikes are eco-friendly – they emit zero pollution.
- It’s a great excuse to eat more – your bike will help you burn off that second helping.
- It saves you money – no need to pay for gas, parking or a gym membership.
- You get to see the world in a whole new way – you’ll notice things you’ve never seen before.
- Bicycling is social – a great way to spend time with friends and family.
- Bicycles never run out of gas – they run on food and water which are readily available!
- Bicycling is a confidence booster – it builds strength and endurance, which boosts confidence and self-esteem.
- Bicycles are versatile – they can be used for so many different things.
- Bicycling is a stress reliever – a great way to reduce stress and clear your mind.
- It’s just plain fun – it’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors, get some exercise and have a good time.
Well, that’s “As I See It”.
Happy Pedaling!
Michael (Mike) Valazza
President of the Board of Trustees
pfwclubpresident@gmail.com