Square & Compas

This coming Saturday I am doing a ride called the Mayors Annual Ride for Trails in Des Moines, or MAR. It is a ride to benefit Des Moines area recreation trails. I have done the ride for several years now and it is a great time. I am driving 200 miles tomorrow to go to Des Moines to do this ride. As some of you know I have posted about a collision between Doug Smith and John Lynch in Madison County. Madison County is not that far from Des Moines. A lot of the participants at MAR will no doubt have heard of the incident in Madison County and some likley know Doug Smith. A lot of cyclists in Iowa are upset over the inadequate justice with this incident. Lynch is only being charged with unsafe passing, yet he left the scene after his trailer hit Doug. He went home, dropped off the trailers, picked someone up and then returned later. There is an idea to Iowa cyclists to boycott Madison County because of the lousy job the county sheriff's and county attorney's office is doing to prosecute Lynch. There are politics involved.

An idea I have is during MAR have a big corroplast board attached to each side of my rear rack that says "Pledge to boycott Madison County Dedicated to Doug Smith." It will have plenty of space for people to sign their names and after MAR I will send them to the Madison County Attorney's office.

Here are my questions. Is this something you would do at a ride like MAR? Or would you not do something like this because MAR, a benefit ride for trails, not meant to be a platform or forum for things like this, is probably not the place to ask for signatures like this?

I will be checking the responses on this up until I leave for Des Moines tomorrow. After which I will not have access to the internet.

What would you do?

Thanks

uke

To be honest, I wouldn't drive 200 miles to ride a bike.

Square & Compas

If it's any consolation the MAR is up to 30 miles long. I have driven further for other organized rides as well.

AlmostTrick

You're not breaking any laws, right? As long as it's done peacefully and in good taste, I'd do it.

crhilton

I wouldn't. I don't think it's appropriate at MAR.

SneakyKing

Do it. The cycling community needs more people like you!

Square & Compas

If I do this I wonder what the Madison County Attorney will think about receiving 2 large corroplast "signs" with a lot of signatures on them. These things are about 15" x 24". More then likely what I'll do is jsut have them attached to the rear rack on my bike and let people see them and sign them if they want. I won't say anything or try to get people to sign and will only speak to people about it if asked by someone. Again that is if I do this.

xenologer

I think you'll need a bigger board...