Daniel Dole--Race Promoter
Berkeley Bicycle Club
February 18, 2003

Commander John C. Miner, Field Operations
Pinole Police Department
880 Tennent Avenue
Pinole, CA 94564-1724

Re.: Pinole Team Time Trial, Sunday March 2nd, 2003

Dear Commander Miner,

Thank you for your letter of February 12th stating your concerns regarding our permit application. I shall endeavor to address the issues you have raised:

Failure to stop is, unfortunately, the classic bicycle infraction. Our ad clearly states that riders must stop at all stop signs and we will do all we can to ensure that they do. We will have course monitors at all the stop signs near the venue on Pinole Valley Road: at Wright Avenue, at Simas Avenue and at Shea Drive/Granada Court. Participants that fail to stop and that we are able to identify will be disqualified.

We also state in the ad that riders must obey traffic laws which includes speed limits. However a few of the very best teams may come close to exceeding the limit along the finish stretch, less than a third of a mile in length. This is a bike race after all. Riders will otherwise be disqualified for speeding.

Public urination is an issue that we are very concerned about. Our contract for Ellerhorst includes use of the bathrooms and we will insist that they be maintained for the duration of the event. We are hiring two portable toilets for the start location where riders will have the most urgent need. We will also make it known that public restrooms are available at Adobe Park and possibly the ball park. Any rider who relieves themselves in public shall be disqualified.

Note: twice in the past when we have contracted with the school district for use of the restrooms for the “Berkeley Hills” Road Race (held in May) we have not had access to them on race day: Two years ago the janitor forgot and overslept so the restrooms were opened an hour and a half late. Then last year we arrived at the high school to find the whole water system shut off and trenching everywhere for maintenance on the plumbing. We had been in contact with the janitor prior to the event to prevent a recurrence like the year before and he had not even been informed. The school system had expressly stated that we could not hire portable toilets and that they would provide access to their facilities. Apparently there was no communication between the school and the maintenance and facilities use departments. These were clearly situations beyond our control that I know resulted in very unfortunate repercussions which we apologize for and which reflected very poorly on our event and organization.

Cyclists riding two or more abreast is common and we will urge participants not to do so. We will do everything we can to insure that participants do not obstruct the normal flow of traffic and that they are polite and considerate to other road users.

We have tried in the past to “police” rider conduct. Last year we disqualified several riders for some ot the above bad conduct including unsafe riding. We will do all we can to enforce good rider conduct and to minimize the impact of our event on your community, to the normal flow of traffic and on the already taxed resources of the Police Department. In addition to the traffic monitors at stop signs we will have two to four at Ellerhorst School entrance to police riders as they go in and out of the parking lot. We will have three at the start and two at the finish, both problem areas. In addition to the monitors we will have plenty of signage and cones to mark the course and venue and to alert drivers of our event.

If it would help we would be happy to hire one or more police officers for the duration of our event. I realize this is probably not feasible due to lack of personnel. We are also willing to hire Sheriffs Deputies if you think it would help. Of course we have no objection to police ticketing or arresting any of our event participants who are in violation of the law. We understand that you would prefer not to be bothered if possible so we will do our utmost to inform the riders and police ourselves. Blatant violators will be subject to immediate suspension of their racing license.

We are not the only cycling group that impacts your community. Unlike some, we always hold our events under permit and sanction. There will be some riders on event day who are not event participants and over whom we have no control or responsibility. We will do our utmost to ensure good conduct by all event participants. The Berkeley Bicycle Club will post your letter and my reply on the internet and provide copies to all participants to inform everyone what is expected of them.

Contra Costa County Public Works has granted our Bicycle Race Encroachment Permit No. 17303-1481. I can forward a copy if you would like.

I hope that this reply satisfactorily addresses your concerns and that you will be able to grant our permit. If not please let me know immediately what we need to do to improve our event to meet your requirements. Please feel free to call me anytime to discuss these issues.

If we are unable to meet your terms and a permit is not forthcoming please let us know right away. There are a lot of concerned parties who will need to know without delay that the event is canceled.

The Berkeley Bicycle Club has been holding the Pinole Team Time Trial at this location every year about this time since the late ‘70s, about twenty-five years. We trust that you will give us the opportunity to implement these changes. I assure you that our Board of Directors, Race Committee and regional organization(NCNCA) will take all necessary steps to meet your requirements.

Sincerely Yours,

Daniel Dole, for the Berkeley Bicycle Club