The “Keeping People Safe” Oppressive State

In Marin County, California, the police state is broadening to include zapping ‘speeding’ mountain bikers out on the trails.

Starting this month, Marin County rangers will be deploying radar guns in the open areas and on the shared trails of the Mount Tamalpais park to catch mountain bikers speeding around. There will be two deputies assigned to the role and they could be deployed in any of the 34 open spaces of the park – an area that encompasses 16,000 acres.

…The penalty for speeding on a bike is similar to a motor vehicle offence with riders paying a fine of several hundred dollars, having points put on their license and potentially facing higher insurance costs in the future.

Cyclists can’t exceed 15 mph. To any cyclist with a good level of fitness, let alone a performance level, 15 mph is slow and does not allow for performance improvement training. They’ve already done it in Colorado, and yes, bureaucrats did tell reporters they were “keeping people safe.” Riding faster than 15mph because one is healthy and fit is regarded as “reckless.”

Ultimately, an enforcement of this nature has to have a plan for those who aren’t compliant. So how will these cyclists be pursued if they don’t stop for the trail cop? Will they be pursued, wrestled down and arrested, or shot at? Will they then have a criminal record for engaging police in a pursuit and resisting arrest?

As a long-time cyclist and former mountain bike racer, I’ve come across cyclists who are rude and obnoxious, but then again they are that way off the bike, too. But I deal with far more obnoxious and reckless pedestrians or recreational bikers crossing or wandering into designated bike paths with their heads down, and oftentimes, while looking at their phones. How is the government going to keep me safe from them?