Four miles of tacks on STP route puncture tires, injure rider

kingcountryvoter said on July 13, 2011 at 9:25 AM

Anyone else remember the Critical Mass riders that assaulted that driver in Seattle?

priv62 said on July 13, 2011 at 7:10 AM

Wow...first the news article last week about the teens pushing a cyclist over and knocking him unconscious with injuries, now this "tacky" behavior...whats next, targeting cyclists with roadside explosive devices? C'mon people! Treat others as you want to be treated!

dakotanative said on July 12, 2011 at 9:11 PM

Well, jenmjustice, the tacks may be about equality. What would happen if 10,000 extra cars were in a race from Seattle to Portland, running red lights and disreguarding stop signs with no traffic control or consequences for their actions? Well, actually it probably was some joker that just wanted to see bikers fall, but a wakeup call for the organizers would be a nice side effect.

pamby said on July 12, 2011 at 8:41 PM

I just want the people who got hurt to be okay. Especially the man who was knocked unconsious. Someone could have been killed.

jenmjustice said on July 12, 2011 at 8:28 PM

Did I miss something? I thought this article was about tacks on the STP route, not the equality issues of cars vs. bicycles. What a shame someone felt compelled to do this act. I hope those responsible are found.

dakotanative said on July 12, 2011 at 7:56 PM

It is all about being equal until it involves following the rules of the road, parking fees, licensing, stuff like that. Yep cars run red lights too. When was the last time you saw a bike pulled over? Yep you weigh less and cause less road damage. I cause less damage than a hummer, so my car should be free too.

seattlelovemongr said on July 12, 2011 at 7:01 PM

I rode the STP....but made it by 10:30am....so I must have missed the tacks.....also utterly amazes me to hear people whine about cyclist...as if motorist are the cream of the crop!!!....lmao......

coyotebmw said on July 12, 2011 at 5:54 PM

In reading the comments here I see many different sides being presented. First, I think Cascade Bicycle Club needs to review the State Laws listed starting at RCW 46.61.755. I am both a avid bicycle rider and motorcyclist. I have ridden in the STP, once! Never again. The lack of control and unsafe practices I observed turned me off ever riding it again. Second, I ride in many other rides, such as the Courage Classic, Cycle Oregon, and the Yakima Wine Country ride, because they demonstrate a real effort to ensure a safe experience. This doesn't seem to be the objective of Cascade. They seem more concerned with getting the most riders on the road, with little regard for the communities they ride through or the other road users.

snakepliskin said on July 12, 2011 at 5:31 PM

Little weenie domestic terrorists.

suzgrrl said on July 12, 2011 at 3:31 PM

Any reason that a street sweeper isn't employed along the route just prior to the race to clear the road of such things?

pete2242 said on July 12, 2011 at 3:12 PM

Usually it's the people that don't know how to ride a bike are the ones crying the loudest.

trojan33 said on July 12, 2011 at 2:52 PM

I'm not surprised. Seen more than a few jerks on bikes. See a lot of jerks in cars too. Higher percentage of jerks on bikes though.

saynotolibs said on July 12, 2011 at 2:52 PM

Yep, make bike riders get licensed and register their bikes. They use the road so pay up.

janemckane said on July 12, 2011 at 2:36 PM

when the price of gas climbs up to $10 a gallon or more. it's going to be fun seeing people who currently think they have sole rights to our roadways have to either ride a bike or public transportation to get to work. Maybe then they will grow some humility and learn to share our resources.

jackwong said on July 12, 2011 at 2:33 PM

LOL. These tacks were probably put down by some obese b*stard who wishes he could ride like the wind.

dakotanative said on July 12, 2011 at 2:33 PM

@drcyclops. Which of the rules are inconvenient to bikers? Stop signs? Red lights? Riding in crosswalks? No more than 2 wide in the lane? Pulling over if more than 5 cars are backed up behind you? Going with traffic instead of down the shoulder against traffic? Stopping behind cars making turns instead of pulling up on the shoulder? Running down pedestrians on the sidewalk? That is 99% of the problems with bikes. They want to ride with the cars, but not follow the rules.

speeadork said on July 12, 2011 at 2:14 PM

They should ban them.....Every year after the STP, the local businesses are forced to drive out of their way to go to the bank and deposit all the money they make from having the STP go through their towns! At $4 a gallon it is not cheap to haul truckloads of cash around......................This STP thing every weekend has got to stop! They should do it only once a year so that even the crabbiest person in the world could put up with it. What's that? It is? Never mind.

kingcountryvoter said on July 12, 2011 at 2:03 PM

license bikes and bike riders

kong5 said on July 12, 2011 at 1:57 PM

check the local hardware stores for unsually high purchase of tacks. Hopefully the cowards paid with a credit card.

intrestgal said on July 12, 2011 at 1:56 PM

I think that is a childish way to get your point across - you have a beef about the ride then show up and face them like a grown up. I also had issues trying to get to work that morning as hundreds of bicycles took over Rainier Ave heading South BUT it was just a bit inconvenient - no big deal. As John_M_ said earlier... we all have to work and play togther so lets try and get along!!!!!

drcyclops said on July 12, 2011 at 1:46 PM

Talk about thin skinned cowardice, bicyclists have as much right to be on the road as cars. Dropping tacks on the road is an improper way to protest (if that's what it was) talk about being immature. I hope the culprit(s) are caught and charged with this crime. And to any of those commenters who say that bicyclists are more and more dissing the rules of the road or whatever your issues are, maybe it's the laws themselves (and people and traffic road designs) that causes bicyclists to take defensive tactics, as most roads and traffic are very unfriendly towards bicyclists (by reading comments here, I clearly see, that anyone of you complainers need to just try to ride a bicycle in traffic just once, and you'll soon see, for yourselves.) I should know, I've ridden bikes in traffic, I don't own a bike anymore, as I was very nearly killed by being sideswiped between a parked car and moving vehicles. After being treated like that 10 or more times, I can empathize with bicyclists.

calliecat said on July 12, 2011 at 1:24 PM

Tacks on the road during STP weekend is not new. I was a volunteer with STP for a few years and I saw that happen more than once. One time in Centralia I wielded a broom on a street for quite awhile. Fortunately it was only for a block or two and not four miles. Several tires had already been punctured in spite of intense clean up. This is such a wonderful, well organized bike ride that it's a shame that a few have to spoil it.

kingcountryvoter said on July 12, 2011 at 1:12 PM

it sounds like it was a "protest"

stonetrails said on July 12, 2011 at 1:07 PM

It was probably done by one of those crazy, road-hog, arrogant bicyclists. . .

wawolf said on July 12, 2011 at 12:59 PM

Don't like the STP? Then organize a protest. Putting tacks down is not only dangerous to the bikers, but will likely affect animals and pedestrians as well. Pretty stupid and immature thing to do if you ask me.

etymologist72 said on July 12, 2011 at 12:46 PM

I'm not the biggest fan of bicyclists -- usually more off-put as a pedestrian than as a driver -- but no matter the reason or the level of frustration someone has, this was a dangerous, aggressive action by one or multiple persons who obviously aren't very bright. To any STP riders who might read this -- I am so sorry you had to deal with this on what is usually a very enjoyable ride.

matthias said on July 12, 2011 at 12:10 PM

4 miles of tacks. That is a very tacky thing to do. But really 4 miles is a lot of tacks for one person I would think. I imagine it was probably some organized little group thing. I mean 1 person buying so many tacks?

tandnreddy said on July 12, 2011 at 11:50 AM

KENKELLY - Are you proud of your post? You say "good for them"? You are precious.

jt58612 said on July 12, 2011 at 11:50 AM

@kenkelly: "good for them"??? Did you even read the article? The tacks on the road that you found so admirable caused someone to be knocked unconscious. Would it matter to you that that cyclist could be one of the cyclists that follow road rules? Or are all cyclist scum to you? I do agree that many cyclist have blatant disregard for road rules, but that does not mean they deserve to be harmed by some vigilante cyclist hater.

John_M_Vellec0d said on July 12, 2011 at 11:19 AM

It is really unfortunate to see people do things like this because they perhaps are frustrated or have a grudge against others. Admittedly MANY bikers do not follow the rules of the road. However, as a biker I must add that MANY auto drivers are not much better: Passing on shoulders, passing on the right, speeding, not yielding to others, crowding bikers, slowing down but not stopping at stop signs and lights. I am getting tired of hearing everyone SCREAM at each other rather than to work together to find viable resolution to the issues. Potentially causing damage and putting people at risk is a very immature and probably illegal way of voicing an opinion. We should be educating each other on concerns and safety. Ever try to ride a bike in traffic? Not much fun. Ever try to get around a bunch of bikers that are not paying attention to the rules? We all have to work and play together - let's try to get along.

firesoul said on July 12, 2011 at 11:19 AM

@kenkelly: Purposely hurting other people with potential severity and you say "good for them"? Sadistic much? It's all well and fine if they want to do something, as long as it's within the scope of reason, human decency, and the law. Take the issue to local community leaders instead of throwing little spikes down on the streets. Think of all the animals and people wearing thin flip flops who will probably be stepping on these now.

kenkelly said on July 12, 2011 at 10:49 AM

The bikers in this ride show total disregard for traffic rules. They run red lights, they block traffic, they completey disregard pedestrians, etc. Some of these idiots act like they are riding in the tour-de-france and act as if everyone get out of our way. There has been talk in some towns of banning the ride through their community. Look as if somene got fed up and did something. I say good for them.

kingcountryvoter said on July 12, 2011 at 10:07 AM

Interesting response to the increasing militancy of bicyclists.

clear2copy said on July 12, 2011 at 9:48 AM

that's pretty pathetic..