I like to ride the 914 bypass around Somerset. It has wide aprons, rolling hills, and is pretty safe. The only trouble is, the aprons are loaded with glass shards and auto parts, the result of numerous wrecks and half-assed clean up. So I called my County Road Maintenance Dept., and complained to the head guy about the glass. He said they would run a sweeper on both sides of the highway (about 70 miles both sides) within two weeks. It has been 2 weeks, and nothing yet. I plan to call him next week and make a pest of myself. I have had three flats in three weeks from the glass.

I like to ride the 914 bypass around Somerset. It has wide aprons, rolling hills, and is pretty safe. The only trouble is, the aprons are loaded with glass shards and auto parts, the result of numerous wrecks and half-assed clean up. So I called my County Road Maintenance Dept., and complained to the head guy about the glass. He said they would run a sweeper on both sides of the highway (about 70 miles both sides) within two weeks. It has been 2 weeks, and nothing yet. I plan to call him next week and make a pest of myself. I have had three flats in three weeks from the glass.

If you can't get anywhere further with this make you get the full name of the maintenance supervisor...for your letter to the local newspaper. :D Nothing gets someone's attention like the specter of negative publicity. :)

Pontificato: Great idea! I will do this if they don't clean the road within a week or so. Does your name indicate you go around spreading your knowledge among the uninformed? I do this with my wife and 21 year old daughter, but they routinely ignore my great wisdom. ;-)

Sind them a bill for each new inner tube you have to purchase for the glass you've run over. In time, it could add up and get their attention.

Koffee

Sind them a bill for each new inner tube you have to purchase for the glass you've run over. In time, it could add up and get their attention.

Koffee
Just curious; have you, or anybody else ever had any success collecting on a tire/bicycle repair bill submitted to "them"?

Does your name indicate you go around spreading your knowledge among the uninformed? I do this with my wife and 21 year old daughter, but they routinely ignore my great wisdom. ;-)

I really wish Bob Gardner would let me re-set my username to "ThePontificator". I didn't realize that usernames have a 15-character maximum. :(

Yes, I do love to pontificate! :D It's also a play on my last name.

Before "raising cane" with the local media you may also wish to make your request known during the next meeting of your countiy's board of supervisors or county council meeting. I'd take that tack first and not mention the "media thing" to them and only use it as a court of last resort. Many TV stations have a "troubleshooter" feature where people who cannot get relief from various problems (potholes, lousy roads, etc.) get their problems fixed...again, the spectre of negative publicity.

The only problem is, in Somerset, KY I am in a distinct minority. Our population is 12,000, and in the past six months I can use the fingers on one hand to count the number of oncoming cyclists I have passed. The only thing that passes you here are blue haired old ladies in four door Lincolns, and they don't drive these things, they aim them.

Call in and don't mention the fact you are a cyclist. Say the glass on the shoulder is forcing bicycles out into the lanes of the road and cause a traffic hazard (yeah I know taking the lane is actually safer but maybe if you "Spin" it from a "Car owning fine upstanding citizen" type tack they might listen?)

I posted to the SF Bicycle Coalition mailing list about a trench the city had dug clear across Folsom Street in San Francisco. Two days later it was fixed, and I got a nice email from the guy who is responsible for the City's bicycle program... someone on the staff had seen my post and called it in.

...blue haired old ladies in four door Lincolns, and they don't drive these things, they aim them.
They aim them?? I'd think even that was too intentional.

I really wish Bob Gardner would let me re-set my username to "ThePontificator". I didn't realize that usernames have a 15-character maximum. :(

Yes, I do love to pontificate! :D It's also a play on my last name.

I like "Pontificato" -- it has a certain, I don't know...European flavor and a little mystery. Adds weight to your, uh, pontifications. Maybe you could change it to "El Pontificato"....

Back on topic: I'd call them once more, then do the media thing. I like koffee's idea too, and I'm also curious as to how/if that works.

In the "knock on wood" department: since I switched to Conti Town & Country tires I haven't had any glass flats. I was averaging one every six weeks before that. You might try a road equivalent, something like this? http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/de/en/continental/bicycle/themes/tires/race/ultra_race/ultra_race_en.html

I like "Pontificato" -- it has a certain, I don't know...European flavor and a little mystery. Adds weight to your, uh, pontifications. Maybe you could change it to "El Pontificato"....

More like an Antonio Banderas "what's in that guitar case?" sort of vibe... :D

:eek: "EEEEYAAAAIIIIIEEEEE!!!! Eet eez...EL PONTIFICATO!!!!!" :eek:

Paul: Great idea! I will do this. I like the idea of presenting myself as a solid, upstanding citizen, when actually all these years I've been a shiftless, good for nothing saddle bum! Thanks for the tip.

Paul: Great idea! I will do this. I like the idea of presenting myself as a solid, upstanding citizen, when actually all these years I've been a shiftless, good for nothing saddle bum! Thanks for the tip.

Heard someone did this and had a 100% different reaction. It is really stupid that people think that way. Most of the people I know that ride bikes are lawyers and such but unfortunately some people don't see it that way. Kinda stupid a person would get a different response if they didn't think it was a cyclist.