Oops: 10 MPH Speed Limit

1. July 26th: Commuter path workers spray-paint dozens of "10 MPH" on the Kenilworth and Cedar Lake Trail bike paths which are heavily used by bike commuters that often hit 20 MPH or more including yours truly
   
   
2. July 27th: My friend Scot Gore posts a message on MplsBikeLove.com saying,

   Just did my commute ride in to work this AM and noticed new 10MPH stencils on the Kenilworth connector trail and the Cedar Lake Trail. It leaves us transportational cyclists 3 choices
   1) Break the speed limit all the time.
   2) Shift our routes out to Cedar Lake Road or Hennepin Ave
   3) Give it up and get back in the car.
   
   All bad options. I also think it a big deterent to new commuters. Makes biking the commuter trails as slow and frustrating as sitting in traffic. I've left a couple of messages this AM to see if I can learn more about the why's, the what for's, and the how do I make it go away's. Scot

   
   
3. July 28 to July 30: More than 1000 views from the MplsBikeLove community (just one forum example) and more than 60 active posts in the thread, covering the various government leaders and transit leaders (including biking and other) that were contacted. Let's just say that the proverbial phones were rattling off their hooks...
   
   
   
4. July 30th response that dozens or more received from Don P. from the City of Minneapolis:
   

   The MPRB did this by mistake. They are working to correct this. It was never intended to place a speed limit along our commuter trails.

   
   

I was impressed: Within a matter of a few days, the bike community organized itself without any leader and accomplished a very quick visibility and turnaround from the right people. I'm grateful for involvement in this from the Transit for Livable Communities (Steve Clark), the later involvement by the City of Minneapolis (Don Pflaum), the scores of others.

Hmmmm...very interesting you say? Whether this was really just a bone-headed mistake (Park board worker: "But those are our favorite stencils for around the Lakes!") or something more sinister ("Quick, Karl...how can we spin this awful mistake?"), I love how the collective understanding of these bikeways was reinforced to be COMMUTER facilities.

Yes, we have froot booters, dogs on really long leashes, giant unicycle riders reading novels (yup, it happens!), spandex-clad racers, and vegan utility riders hauling goods from Whole Foods...believe me, there is NO reason to start imposing arbitrary rules such as a flippin' speed limit.

Note to spray paint stencil workers: Please do not inhale the product.

Besides, since when were bicycles required by law to inform their drivers what speed is being registered? Unlike cagers, bicycles don't really go much faster than 20 MPH in most conditions for most riders. The important thing, dangit, is to PASS WITH CARE. Believe me, an idiot can do lots of damage at slower speeds.

If you don't believe me, try getting your ass hit by a 200-pound biker going at 9.5 MPH while you're strolling along listening to The Fray and smelling dandelions. Now, wouldn't you rather have a biker going 20 MPH that actually gave you 3 feet of clearance and also bothered to say "On your left" if you were walking like Captain Jack Sparrow?