Pasadena Abandons Cycling Prohibition

Last night the Pasadena City Council voted unanimously to abandon a proposed Ordinance which would have prohibited cyclists from traveling more than two abreast on any city street.

The proposal was championed by Police Chief Melekian and was a direct response to the popularity of the Rose Bowl area for cyclists who ride Peloton style on Tuesday and Thursday nights. Melekian and Rose Bowl Management have claimed that user group conflict between the pedestrians and the cyclists required a legislative response in order to restrict the size of the Peloton.

As the Council prepared for the 2nd reading of the Ordinance, opponents of the proposal filled the City Council Chambers with a SRO crowd consisting of bicycle commuters, social riders, cycling activists and, of course, the Peloton riders. Public comment was limited and the crowd of cyclists selected representatives to present their collective objections.

Challenging the Ordinance as unnecessary, ineffective, inappropriate and illegal, the cycling community left the City Council with this quote from the national Complete Streets Campaign:

"Regardless of your mode of transportation, your freedom to move in the public arena is a civil rights issue, and when one user-group gains access at the expense of another user-group, it's a civil rights violation - plain and simple."

See you on the streets!

Top photo by todbot via Flickr