http://www.myfoxlubbock.com/news/local/story/tour-de-tech-terrace-police-students-bikers/2aT1ZEDYqE6aOL64JCrHTA.cspx
What started as a small group of friends taking a bike ride through the neighborhood has now grown substantially in numbers. Hundreds turned out for the cycling, socializing, and charity event, the tour de tech terrace, that winds through the near campus neighborhood.
The tour has gotten quite a reputation after incidents like this last year, when video of an officer tasing an unruly participant was put on "you tube."
This year, organizers have partnered with members of a neighborhood association safety committee, to help spread the word that having fun should not infringe on the neighborhood's peace, safety or property.
Kevin Austin Keith, president of the Tour de Tech Terrace organization on LPD's presence: "they're here to do their job, i'm not gonna get in their way, i hope they view every case as a case by case individual basis.. i just hope that they students will take heed to their presence and control themselves."
Miriam Lockhart, TTNA Safety Committee Member: "i think it's a good think for police to be here, the student organization had tried to get the bicyclist police .. the off duty police ... they wanted support from the law officer, so this is a good thing for them to be here."
City Manager Leeann Dumbauld tells us permits were denied to Tour de Tech Terrace, mainly because of the property, traffic and public safety concerns that come with such a large, mobile crowd.
LPD tells us the event was fairly mild in comparison to last year, with only one arrest made for public intoxication.
The group arrived at my house mid afternoon as they had a "station" at my next door neighbors. They proceeded to cover my entire yard with bikes, beer cans and then, I noticed my backyard door opening and closing. When I went to the back yard a group of "boys" were urinating in the back yard. So maybe LPD thought it was mild but I didnt enjoy it a bit. I realize that there is a push to overcome the reputation that Tech Terrace earned earlier this year, but I was incensed by their behavior and feel confident that their parents would be embarassed and outraged. When I talked to LPD, they had no sense of concern.
ReplyDeleteThat's not right. Of course they have the right to gather and ride, but clearly this is trespass, unseemly and unneighborly. LPD was very responsive throughout the ride and ticketed at least 5 young men for peeing on a fence. We saw them ticketed. 5 out of 500 shouldn't ruin the fun for everyone. If the street could be blocked off and neighbors' yards roped off that would help, I would think. Sounds like your neighbors didn't do a very good job communicating with you before they volunteered their house.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you had a negative experience. Thank you for your feedback.
ReplyDeleteNext year, if the parade permit is issued, the route can be roped off, which should eliminate bikes parked in yards (they had to have them out of the street because the parade permit was denied -that led to bikes parked in yards.)
People in your back yard is a Class B misdemeanor criminal trespass. Urinating in inappropriate places can be handled by more porta potties - that would end the criminal trespassing, as people looked for private places to urinate. A permit being issued would also solve that, as the city's porta potty supplier could contract with TDTT and have sufficient porta potties.
I understand from another post that the Tour volunteers and participants took care of all the beer cans in your yard, so that part seems to be working.
If the TDTT leadership continues to be as responsible as Mr. Keith, I bet these problems can be eliminated or greatly lessened.
-Helen Liggett
Kim's negative experiences with the Tour this year are identical to what I experienced at my house during the 2009 Fall Tour. While I give some credit to the safety committee, the main reasons that my house had no problems this time are because the police were parked on the corner where my house is, which kept the riders and their activities out of my yard (last year the police arrived well after I called and the group had moved on), and there were half as many riders this spring (600+) than there were in the fall (1200+).
ReplyDeleteClearly some people support having the Tour in the neighborhood. I am not convinced it is a good thing. I am concerned that people who object to the Tour are afraid to speak up, so I am signing my name to this post to encourage more discussion and dialogue.
If it were just a matter of watching people ride through on their bicycles (and not littering), it may well be that people would not have a problem with the Tour. My concerns are as follows, and I hope that we can have a productive discussion on these points:
1. the emphasis by some participants on excessive consumption of alcohol while the Tour is underway
Why not save the drinking for AFTER the Tour?
2. the ten house stops
There is no way to get 600+ people into a single house yard. They will have to spread over into the streets, and probably into neighbor yards. Residents of houses are not asked if they mind having the tour next door, across the street, or even a few houses down the street; it just shows up. While it is true that there is a freedom to assemble, there is also a freedom not to have a large number of screaming people right next to one's house.
Some additional questions:
1. Is the Tour going to continue to be a twice a year event as it has been for the past couple of years?
2. Will there be any efforts made to limit the number of people who participate? The 1200+ last fall was more than the neighborhood can handle.
These concerns are why I do not think that the Tour belongs in a residential neighborhood. Have the organizers thought about spreading it out over a wider area, perhaps taking it onto the TTU campus, and putting more emphasis on the benefits of bike riding and bike safety?
Please give these concerns some thought.
Marliss, please join any of the 8+ committees functioning under TT UNIT Neighborhood Association if you are not on one or more already. Your help will be appreciated! Safety, certainly, would benefit from your personal experiences, interest in our village and willingness to put yourself forward. We'd love to have you! You would be of great help next month when we partner with LPD to provide a cycle seminar to children on summer bike safety (May 27th at Wagner) before neighborhood children embark on a ride through Tech Terrrace.
ReplyDeleteBrandy Davis