Not Everyone Wants Bicyclists on Wildwood Roads

Although bicyclists love the challenging, scenic roads that Wildwood offers — especially for training purposes — not all of the city's residents welcome bicyclists on its hilly, winding roads due to safety concerns.

According to an online petition offered by a group referenced as the Wildwood Safety Association, originators of the petition would like to steer bicyclists away from two-lane roads on which it is difficult, if not impossible, to see oncoming traffic in both lanes.

Some of Wildwood's busy and more rural roads also are frequented by joggers, dog walkers, drivers with horse trailers, large hauling truck drivers as well as motorists stopping suddenly or swerving to miss squirrels and deer, which all leaves little room for error when maneuvering naturally tight roadways.

Gary Crews, Wildwood's superintendent of parks, said he was aware of this petition but that the safety association is not associated with the city.

"We all use public roads, and state laws say bicyclists can use the highways," said Crews. "Cyclists are a minor percentage of traffic issues when you look at the whole picture."

The online petition reads as follows:

This Petition is requesting the City of Wildwood, Missouri to stop promoting bicycling (or cycling events) on any two-lane Wildwood roads. We petition that no City funds be budgeted for, or City employees' time used for, promotion of bicycling or cycling events on two-lane Wildwood roads.

It is time to recognize that citizens forced to drive the winding, two-lane roads of Wildwood are vulnerable to harm (many times a day) from other vehicles passing bicyclists on blind curves. We believe the City is inappropriately promoting an increase of bike traffic on two-lane roads, increasing the risk for serious harm to Wildwood residents.

IF YOU FEEL STRONGLY THAT WILDWOOD SHOULD STOP, PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION.

WILDWOOD SAFETY ASSOCIATION

Editor's Note:  No direct sponsor information is available from the online petition, although Eureka-Wildwood Patch did send an email through the automated software.