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BikeDC called off this year
I just saw on WABA's site that BikeDC has been called off for 2005. This was a really fun ride through downtown D.C. and outlying areas with huge participation. I did it in 2003 and was hoping to ride it again, but I guess the terrorists have won after all.
What Happened to BikeDC? Since 1999 BikeDC has been the most visible feature of WABA's mission. It has provide us with an opportunity to educate people of all ages in proper cycling technique in a safe and fun environment, and to improve our advocacy efforts, both through membership recruitment and by calling the attention of local elected officials and the public at large to the fact that bicycling is important for healthy and sustainable communities. However, because of the unique security challenges we now face in DC, the number of agencies and jurisdictions involved in the permitting process for the event has increased dramatically. Accordingly, WABA needs to take time out in 2005 to evaluate whether to continue the event in the future or to achieve our goals in other ways. In the meantime, there will be no shortage of fun WABA rides in 2005! We encourage you to attend or volunteer at other events such as Bike to Work Day, Bike Arlington, the Clean Air Ride, our City Paper Singles Rides, the Washington Ridge Ride, and the 50 States Tour. If you’d like to share your thoughts with us regarding BikeDC, please email us at waba@waba.org or call us at 202.628.2500 with your questions or comments. |
They've been really pushing that Bike Arlington thing pretty hard. I'm thinking about doing it... a little.
Koffee |
Originally Posted by Dr. Moto
...but I guess the terrorists have won after all.
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You know we've been fighting this so called "war on terror" with no end in sight.
Just more and more loss of personal freedom. It's pitiful that you can't have a bike ride in DC. |
Too bad. I did that last year for the first time with the hurricane and all. I was hoping to do it again this year in more dry conditions...but it does not look like it.
I'm not so sure why secruity would be a problem. Its not like we rode laps around the White House or anything. We were on public roads the whole time and did not go near the mall or anyother "important" public biuldings for that matter. Now if I were a terrorist I think I could get more explosives in the trunk of my can than I could in a fanny pack. Come to think of it I think the closest I came to the White House or Capitol was where I parked my car. Come to think of it, if I recall it was on a Sunday...there are only tourist in Washington on a Sunday. Seems something else is going on here. Maybe some sponsors pulled out. I remember there being a lot of sponsors Giant (that cool pace car), some pizza company (free pizza at end of ride), etc. Bill |
Could it be maybe it is not concern for the elected officials, but concern for the bikers, a terrorist might find it effective to attack a group of average citizens, and to get the permits, there needs to be enough security not to hassle you but to protect you. Terrorists do like to bomb and hurt the innocent. Just a though.
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I dunno... they keep the shopping malls open, don't they?
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- shame to call off the ride... i lived just off a portion of the trail in Shirlington (Arlington) until last August...
- but now life is good and i get to ride year round! :-) |
What a shame. I just rode in BikeNY a few weeks ago and, since DC my second favorite city, I would have loved to participate in this one.
Any chance that emailing waba will encourage them to cut through the post 911 red tape next year? Stacy |
If it's any consolation, they cancelled Taste of DC, a food festival, for essentially the same reason -- plus the fact it was scheduled for the same time as "Rolling Thunder Memorial Day Ride for Freedom," our annual motorcycle invasion, and the city could not provide security for both events.
Maybe if we tell the city our bikes are really motorcycles with the engines turned off they'll let us have our event. |
I emailed WABA using the link on their site just to throw my voice in. I hope that if enough people do that they'll reconsider bringing back the ride.
"Rolling Thunder" trumps Taste of D.C.? That's just wrong. |
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