Official Northwest Cycling Club comment on the Bluebonnet Express:
Waller County residents have been understandably frustrated due to the large number of organized rides, training rides, and individual cyclists that are training for the MS150 in their area. The unfortunate situation on Sunday at the Bluebonnet Express was the culmination of that frustration. Northwest Cycling Club was not specifically targeted, but cyclists were.
One of Northwest Cycling Club’s top priorities… is cycling safety, as evidenced by our many League of American Bicyclists Traffic Skills classes which are available to all cyclists.
For any major ride held by Northwest Cycling Club, the Texas Department of Transportation and local law enforcement are informed and given copies of the routes. We hire abundant law enforcement officers to direct traffic (both cycling and motor vehicle) at busy intersections.
These officers are working second jobs, not as officials for their agency.
Northwest Cycling Club advocates following the traffic laws at all times, and does not condone cyclists who do not follow traffic laws.
All law enforcement agencies are told this. We recommend that all cyclists learn and follow the laws that pertain to cycling, whether you are on an organized ride or simply a Saturday morning ride.
It is unfortunate that there was confusion on Sunday between our hired traffic control and on-duty officers. There is nothing we can do about that after the fact, and we did not know about it in advance. We want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable ride. As such, please be considerate of local residents who must deal with many cyclists and many rides.