In this day and age a ban on bicycles seems like a rather backwards and outmoded move. Perhaps the type of legal step that only a tiny, backwoods casino town would make. And in this case, that's exactly what happened.
The city of Black Hawk, Colorado (pop. 100) just outside of Central City recently implemented a ban on all in-town cycling. When passing through, cyclists are expected to dismount and walk their bikes through town or face a $68 fine.
What makes this ordinance worse is that cyclists ride through Black Hawk to connect with the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway, a road recognized as a national scenic byway. CO-119 connects Black Hawk to Rocky Mountain National Park and is a beautiful route for cycling. Some might even call it the "showcase of the Front Range." So now they'll have to jump off their bikes just in time to take in a bunch of casinos--not the most scenic part of the ride by any stretch.
The ordinance was inspired by conflict between motor vehicles and bicycles for the narrow town roads, a conflict you'd anticipate would be sided in favor of bicycles. But in a town that counts "casinos and their patrons" as its "citizens," I guess it's all about where the money is. And it's certainly not coming from cyclists pedaling on by.
I've been through Black Hawk before and, to be honest, I thought it was just a casino resort. I had no idea they had luxuries like a municipal government and town council. After this action, I'm not so sure that they should.
Not surprisingly, bicycle groups and activists plan to fight the ban arguing that such a ban is illegal and unprecedented.
Denver Post via The Goat
Photo: TheBoyFromFindlay
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It's like Footloose, but with bicycles instead of dancing. Where's Kevin Bacon when you need him?
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