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National Parks.org
Tell the NPS not to allow more biking access in the Pt. Reyes Seashore
As a hiker, in my late 60's I find that the bike 'culture' is out of hand. Our open spaces have been marketed/targeted to the tourism industry- and out of town, out of state, out of country bikers head here in hordes. There is no ranger or police presence in the watershed. As my husband and I travel throughout the country, we are seeing this situation on the increase everywhere we go.
People don't follow even the basic common courtesies: not slowing down when approaching pedestrians, illegally riding after hours, riding on single track, pedestrian only trails all over our county.
Animals have very little area left to them- major wildlife corridors are disrupted by cars, bikes, people and increasingly, illegally ridden e-bikes and scooters.
People also run their dogs along with their bikes, and pedestrians do not obey leash laws.
We also face extreme fire danger- across the country -- the more people in back country, the more risk- both of fire and the further complication and/or impossibility of evacuation.
The National Parks Service is accepting comments about expanding access to bikers in the Pt. Reyes National Seashore. If you agree with the common sense ideas in this blog, please contact the NPS and let your thoughts be known.
CLICK HERE TO POST YOUR COMMENT TO THE NPS
Imagine what would happen on any weekend if there was a fire and mass evacuation?
There would be NO WAY bikes could exit- NO WAY fire trucks could maneuver on the roads. We are already in a super dangerous position.
No one claims that we have an emergency evacuation plan- there isn't one.
In our town of Fairfax, we are already maxed out in neighborhood parking, yet the cars with bikes keep coming in increasing numbers. The weekends are a gridlock- from San Anselmo, through Fairfax- up to Mount Tamalpais and out to west Marin.
There is absolute gridlock every weekend on the road to Stinson. The traffic is becoming increasingly perilous on our emergency evacuation routes- Sir Francis Drake Blvd. and the Bolinas Fairfax Road.
What is the emergency evacuation plan for any of our parklands?
Our local rangers have been decreased in number- cut in half. With no new rangers or any kind of enforcement, there is a push to increase the number of bikes.
This makes no sense.
Please follow common sense policy. More rangers now-fire safety measures-- that's where the money should be spent-- fewer bikes, enforce leash laws- allow the wild animals declining in numbers, to have some place where they are not totally inundated with people yelling, running, biking and off leash dogs.
Bikes degrade trails. There are no laws enforced for bike riders. Our lands must not buckle to demands of this new lobby.
We are losing what was our precious sense of place, sense of space, sense of quiet. And common sense.