HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0679.040 2022-2024 P/PcPLLU
BiII 125
GOMM.CFI
From: Chris Godzicki COUNTY CLERK
Sent: Wednesday,January 24, 2024 6:37 PM COUNTY OF HAWAI'I
To: Council Testimony Tien:LRECEIVED
Subject: Opposed to Bill 125 - After Jan 24 Meeting Discuses jJ�d 2 5 Byo
My name is Chris Godzicki and I am a regular local cyclist and not a tour operator. I have no horse in
this race other than that I fear this is a slippery slope to one day limit cycling on Hawai'i Island. I do
recognize that you have repeatedly said you are not targeting regular cyclists.
I just listened to the County Council Meeting on Jan. 24th regarding Bill 125 and I have the following
concerns:
Based on my cycling experience in the Kohala area, I am fairly confident that Ms. Evans' constituents'
desires are to pretty much get rid of cycling to Polulu and on Kohala Moutain Road. Can we please
be honest about this? Since it is extremely difficult to legally do that, the perceived only other option
is to go after tour operators.
So what will this Bill really accomplish? Will it end cycling on these roads? No. Will it reduce cycling
on these roads? Perhaps some. Do motorists still need to worry about cyclists? Yes. Will motorists
still be angry? Yes.
In fact, if this bill passes, it may have unintended consequences. The politically unaware may hear
rumors that cycling is banned on these roads and be even LESS attentive.
I was alarmed by the lack of data to support this bill based on a lot of perception and hearsay. Do
you know how many tour riders ride on these roads and how often? No. Can you tell which is a tour
rider and which is a visiting rider or local rider that is not on a tour? Is the rate of accidents on these
roads higher than other places on the other parts of the island? If there were accidents, what were the
nature of these accidents? What will be the projected reduction in accidents if this bill passes and
why?
How would you even enforce this? Someone calls the police on a cyclist riding on Kohala Mountain
Road that may or may not be part of a tour group. The police officer asks, "Are you part of a tour
group?". The cyclist says, "No". The police officer says, "OK, you are free to go." If the cyclist says
"Yes.", the police officer forces the cyclist back down the mountain and then goes to the tour operator
and fines them? This is not very practical. What if the cyclist is a part of a tourist group and lies about
it? How do you prove that?
I am pretty sure Pulolo and Kohala Mountain Road are not the only places in the world that have
windy roads and little shoulder that cyclists frequent. I have ridden many times in other parts of the
world that has a very good cycling culture with signs that help cyclists and motorists co-exist
well. Simply banning certain cyclists from a tour group will not make other cyclists safer. Have you
even looked at what other islands, states, or countries are doing? Are there no other ideas other than
banning tour operators? The lack of research on this bill and the bill itself seems to be a simplistic
way to temporarily appease motorists that have a lot of frustration towards cyclists which are actually
the more vulnerable group on the road. There is not much danger if cyclists do not have to worry
about the motorist running them over:The terrain is the least of the concern.
1 Comm. N. I I
Ref. To: ) RIP L
Ref. Date E'- - 7 2024
If the bill's intent is truly for the safety of the cyclists, here are some alternative ideas:
A bill to promote cycling and motorists to co-exist by adding more signs to notify motorists to share
the road with cyclists and caution signs to slow down for cyclists.
Requiring bike tour companies to educate customers to follow local cycling rules and have customers
sign off after their education from the tour operator.
Maybe we could have a bill to reduce cars to Polulu Valley instead of cyclists. On Kauai, the road to
Ke'e beach is very narrow and lacks parking. Kauai was able to reduce the cars by providing
shuttles. Bill 125 would actually increase car traffic to Polulu Valley now that they can no longer cycle
to it.
I was also alarmed how quickly most of the council was eager to regulate the industry without any
consideration for what is being done to small business and the tourism industry. Safety seemed to be
a secondary priority.
For these reasons, I am OPPOSED to Bill 125.
While I am opposed to the concept of Bill 125, I highly respect the work that you do and the long
hours you all put in. I just think that you may have lost focus on what you are really trying to do on
this one.
Mahalo,
Chris Godzicki
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