HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0679.086 2022-2024 P/Council
bill 125
COMM.�79
From: Michael Lum o
Sent: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 10:13 AM CD
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Opposition to Bill 125 ""_ "-17
Dear Chair Kimball, and Members of the Hawaii County Council, :x
I am writing in opposition to Bill 125 regarding restrictions of commercial bicycle tours along certain- -
sections of Hawaii Island roads.
While the intention of decreasing cyclist injuries and fatalities is a meritorious goal, doing so by banning
the use of bicycles is not the right way to address the problem. Commercial bicycle tours, and cycling
groups in general, provide a safer environment for cyclists to travel(1), and to experience our island.
Furthermore, group cycling increases visibility and awareness, and provides a friendly and safer
environment for new cyclists to gain confidence and experience on the road.
Having cycled Kohala Mountain Road (once -that climb from Hawi to Kamuela is HARD!), I can attest to
the serene beauty of that ride, and also state that the much lighter traffic on that road compared to
Kawaihae-Mahukona Rd, makes it a much safer option for those who are brave enough to make the
climb.
Finally, please consider that well over 80%of all cyclist fatalities on roads like Kohala Mountain Rd.
occur from unsafe(car) driver behavior(2), and that if The Hawaii County Council is truly interested in
cyclist safety, the answer is not to ban cyclists, but to raise awareness of safe driver behavior around
cyclists, and to implement better cycling infrastructure, such as wider shoulders, and dedicated bike
lanes.
Michael Lum,
Kamuela
1 -"Group cycling safety behaviours:A systematic review"; Heeremans, Rubie, King, and Oviedo-
Trespalacios;Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour;Volume 91, November
2022, Pages 26-44;
2 -"Driver Behavior When Overtaking Cyclists Riding in Different Group Configurations on Two-Lane
Rural Roads"; Perez-Zuriaga, Moll, Lopez, and Garcia; IntJ Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Dec; 18(23):
12797.
3-"How Safe is Walking and Cycling in Europe?2020.";European Transport Safety Council; PIN Flash
Report 38.Available online: https://etsc.eu/wp-content/uploads/PIN-Flash-38 FINAL.pdf
Comm. o
I . gifi
Ref. To: NMI
v 5 2024
Ref. note
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