I saw a cyclist stopped at a stop sign
Now how many of us can say we've seen that vision - a cyclist that came to a full-and-complete stop at a stop sign. I was stunned. I hesitated to proceed driving through the intersection. Then I recognized the kit of the woman cyclist who took her time not only to obey the law but to give her team a good name - she was a member of the local Naked Women's Racing team and I say she represented her team very well to the community that day.
She stopped her bike along a stretch of road in Denver (north of Washington Park) where it is very rare to see any cyclist fully stop at the progression of 3 stop signs. It really annoys me as a fellow-cyclist and neighborhood resident. Being in the car that day and seeing her stop - made me say "Wow".
Just two days prior to this miracle sighting, I was cruising on my new pink cruiser bike around Washington Park as the sun was setting on a quiet Sunday evening. The park was filled with families and pods of friends and dog-walking couples. A Vanderkitten woman team member dressed in her team kit, came flying past me yelling at every group she passed, "This is a bike lane!, this is a bike lane!" Without a doubt, that cyclist would have angrily taken out a child, a pet, or a passing soccer ball, all to maintain her 15mph inner city park speed limit pace.
What a horrible way to represent cyclists and your team. Shame on you Vanderkitten rider!
I can't count the number of times I have been inside a car with another person who has commented, "I just wish they would stop or obey the law, they give such a bad name to all cyclists!" I can't argue with that. I think about the issue of stopping at stop signs almost every time one crosses my path while riding. It's not easy to obey the law as a cyclist; it requires not being lazy, it requires caring about giving all cyclists a better name.
So I would like to say thank you to the member of the Naked Women's Racing Team who was not lazy and set a good example - for me. She represents a fine Colorado bike team, who also happen to help out with the Ride for Reading program.
Now how many of us can say we've seen that vision - a cyclist that came to a full-and-complete stop at a stop sign. I was stunned. I hesitated to proceed driving through the intersection. Then I recognized the kit of the woman cyclist who took her time not only to obey the law but to give her team a good name - she was a member of the local Naked Women's Racing team and I say she represented her team very well to the community that day.
She stopped her bike along a stretch of road in Denver (north of Washington Park) where it is very rare to see any cyclist fully stop at the progression of 3 stop signs. It really annoys me as a fellow-cyclist and neighborhood resident. Being in the car that day and seeing her stop - made me say "Wow".
Just two days prior to this miracle sighting, I was cruising on my new pink cruiser bike around Washington Park as the sun was setting on a quiet Sunday evening. The park was filled with families and pods of friends and dog-walking couples. A Vanderkitten woman team member dressed in her team kit, came flying past me yelling at every group she passed, "This is a bike lane!, this is a bike lane!" Without a doubt, that cyclist would have angrily taken out a child, a pet, or a passing soccer ball, all to maintain her 15mph inner city park speed limit pace.
What a horrible way to represent cyclists and your team. Shame on you Vanderkitten rider!
I can't count the number of times I have been inside a car with another person who has commented, "I just wish they would stop or obey the law, they give such a bad name to all cyclists!" I can't argue with that. I think about the issue of stopping at stop signs almost every time one crosses my path while riding. It's not easy to obey the law as a cyclist; it requires not being lazy, it requires caring about giving all cyclists a better name.
So I would like to say thank you to the member of the Naked Women's Racing Team who was not lazy and set a good example - for me. She represents a fine Colorado bike team, who also happen to help out with the Ride for Reading program.
- "Naked Women’s Racing will deliver thousands of donated children’s books by bicycle to Valdez Elementary School Friday, May 1st for National Ride for Reading Week. Naked Women’s Racing partnered with the charity Ride for Reading, a non-profit with a mission to promote literacy and healthy living through the distribution of books via bicycle to children from low-income neighborhoods. Delivery takes place Friday, May 1 from 7:00 am to 12 pm." Volunteer to help.
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| Members (with the purple sleeves) of the Naked Women's Racing Team racing in August, 2014. I like this team even more now. Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer® |
