I think these are both good ideas. Thank you for raising the topic. I am
inclined to offer PCEI as an organizing tool for such an event (#1). There
may be a few individuals here interested in spearheading it.
I am of the opinion that even with the Chipman Trail, bicyclists riding
fast between Pullman and Moscow (eg, those doing it for transportation
rather than a leisure stroll) will continue to ride on the highway
(particularly when there are lots of people on the trail). We need to keep
(make) the highway safe for bicycle commuters.
Incidently, on the Thursday before the recent Triathlon. I contacted the
Washington Department of Transportation requesting that they sweep and
stripe the highway before the event (Sunday, April 20). The Spokane
regional office had me call the Colfax shop office who told me that they
were scheduled to sweep and hose the highway (shoulders) that week, but
that they had "no control" over striping schedules.
Deborah Budwig was killed on a section of highway with an inside bend where
cars traditionally hug the shoulder. The stripe was all but gone on that
piece of the highway. While a strip is not going to stop a drifting car,
it does act as part of the communication between bicyclists and motorists.
Tom
>I've been thinking a lot about the recent death of Deborah Budwig. I think
>all of us who bike the Pullman highway know that it could have been any of
>us. Two thoughts occurred to me:
>
>1. a memorial ride from Pullman to Moscow to call attention to the number of
>people who bike that road and the need for cyclists and auto drivers to be
>vigilant. (But this requires organization and I'm not sure I'm up for it.)
>
>2. having cyclists wear a black arm band on their left arm (the side the
>cars are on) during the month of May.
>
>If you think #2 is a good idea, I will do some spreading of the word. If #1
>appeals, someone else will have to organize it.
>
>Lois Melina
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