Board of Selectmen Public Hearing Bike Ordinance December 12, 2022

Board of Selectmen Public Hearing Ordinance Changing Bicycling on Sidewalks

December 12, 2022

A lobbying group, the cyclists, want the Town to add an Ordinance to the Town that allows bicycles on Town sidewalks. They are called sidewalks not multi-use spaces as they are constructed to have walkers, not bicyclists mingling with walkers.

Walkers are all ages, some with disabilities will be challenged by space on narrow sidewalks. People with walkers and strollers use the sidewalks.

Many children walking to get to school, use the sidewalks for safety.

Many people walk their dogs on the sidewalks that could be aggressive with the bicyclists in their path.

There is a reason Sidewalks are named Sidewalks

They are designed for walkers not bicyclists.

At the present time many of the bicyclists on the roads do not stop at stop signs as they are required to do by law.

If the bicyclists can’t follow State Law, why should anyone believe that this Ordinance would regulate their conduct?

This is an accident waiting to happen and inconsistent with the designed space on sidewalks.

Town Manager Maria Capriola and the Board of Selectmen should not even entertain this absurd Ordinance, that a self-serving cycle group is promoting.

A few lobbyists should not determine the health and safety of Simsbury.

This is an accident waiting to happen.

This Ordinance if passed should require all sidewalks, at various areas have signs with notification to call 911 when hit by a bicyclist.

This Ordinance should remain as written.

The Police Department has rarely written any citations for cyclists that don’t stop at stop signs.

This comingling of cyclists and walkers will not be regulated or enforced and it is another Board of Selectmen action allowing a cyclists group to encroach on walkers’ space.

Do Not Approve Changes to the Ordinance.