Group: ba.bicycles




Subject: CHP on bikes
From: John Michaels
Date: 3/19/2007 2:59:16 PM
Yesterday, on the Golden Gate Bridge, there was a CHP officer on a bike with a radar gun. He was right be the gate where you get off the bridge on the Marin side. The gun was clearly aimed at the bikes. He was checking out the folks coming over from SF to Marin. When I crossed, what looked like a large group training ride was on the bridge and he was checking all of them out. Now yesterday was a bit unusual because they rerouted the bikes. If you come across on a weekend day, you are routed to the ocean side or west side of the bridge. They had some sort of organized run that was on that side so the bikes were mixed with everyone else on the bay side or east side of the bridge. I am not aware of a posted speed limit for bikes on the bridge. My guess is it is about 15 mph. If the objective was to slow down the bikes, I am not sure why the officer was right by where you would get off the bridge rather in more strategic location like the middle. I understand the need for it as I watched several near collisions the day before when we went across. Maybe this is an ongoing thing. I am not on the bridge that often and generally get there during the more off hours. I have just never seen it.