On target is the realization that we could fund many city projects from police ticketing cyclists who disobey the rules of the road. The same applies for the county. It is time to give equal rights to motorists, not overriding preference to bicyclists.

We are casual cyclists who condone this healthy recreation and sport and our local cycling mania, as long as fair consideration and regulation is given for all who share the road. However, our intersection, Niwot Road / 63rd Road, has become ground zero for cyclists. Daily we observe them careening though our four-way stop with no hesitation, and riding two and three abreast, well outside of bike lanes, clearly impeding traffic, disobeying county and state law.

Also, far too numerous permitted cycling “special events” deny access to our neighborhoods and give tacit approval to the cyclists’ habit of ignoring traffic laws in other situations. Perhaps cyclist could show some appreciation that it is we residents, not they, who have paid the taxes to widen those roads to include bike lanes. Yet we have been given no serious consideration to address our concerns.

County officers say that they get many complaints, and express frustration that “cyclist think they have their own set of rules” but the Sheriff does not have the manpower to watch our intersection or presumably any other. Cyclists, do you comprehend the dangers you pose to yourselves and others when you run stops or force drivers to swerve across center lines? Do any of us really want the animosity of an ‘us vs. them’ culture?

Residents of our affected neighborhoods have had enough. Solutions please! Commissioners and officers, tell us how we can help you enforce the law. Should it be the cyclists who pay road use taxes? May we add signs like “Cyclist Must Stop! (bike symbol)”? In Boulder’s cycling Mecca, God forbid if we should require license plates on bicycles so driving citizens, police, and law-abiding cyclists can identify the lawbreakers!

Cyclists, please step up to the plate — no pun intended. The Boulder area has seen cyclist injuries and deaths. Commissioners, police, sheriff, drivers, cyclists, please take this seriously, we need solutions.

ROGER REINKING

Longmont