COMMENTS
From Paul Mason
From Paul Mason:
The AEG bike race's "road closure" proposed for Feb. 20 would be an intolerableburden on the community, disrupting everyone's schedules and causing great economic impact, and appears to be an unconstitutional "taking" of our property rights.
I live on the north side of Del Puerto, and my water company is on the south side of Del Puerto, and I'm constantly running back and forth, handling my Real Estate business, construction business, and the water business. Further, on Feb. 20, a Wednesday, there will normally be 4 or 5 "big truck/trailers rigs" hauling 50,000lb. of water each to bottlers, who depend on timely deliveries of water to keep their bottling plants running. If the bicyclists succeed in getting the road closed to me, and to the 5 big truck/trailer rigs hauling my water, there will be significant financial impact on me.
There are several things we can do to dissuade these invading bikers:
a. Inform these bikers at INFO@MEDALISTSPORTS.COM and jegreene@aegworldwide.com that each resident impacted by them will be taking them to small claims court, which has a $5000 limit per case. Small Claims Court doesn't cost us anything but time and a nominal filing fee, and judgements from Stanislaus Small Claims Court and Santa Clara Small Claims Court would put the Amgen tour out of business. Co-Defendants should be not only the Amgen tour, but each of the individuals organizing it, and any commercial sponsors, and especially the" winners." If just 10 people separately file small claims actions, the total
judgements could be $50,000. This is the same technique that has been successfully used to run drug dealers out of neighborhoods, where numerous neighbors simultaneously file small claims actions against the dealers, so it becomes
untenable for them. The deterrent is not just the judgements, but having to show up in court for each and every "small claim". If they don't show up, they automatically lose. The "winners" will be "losers" --- which may deter a lot of
bikers, if they know about it.
b. Community action anti-biking banners, and anti-bike recordings played on boomboxes, and truck air-horns and sirens may be unpleasant to racers. They want to have fun, not strife and lawsuits.
c. For deterrents to work, AEG, CHP, and the media need to know about these deterrents soon.
Sincerely,
Paul Mason
Del Puerto Canyon Road
Paul Mason - Received 12/18 8:45PM
I got a call today from Eric Smith, who is in charge of P. R. for the Amgen Race. His number is (626) 571-0152. You may have already talked with him.
I made it clear the residents up here are opposed to their race taking up all lanes and closing traffic to everyone else --- but if they would stick to just one traffic lane, like the rest of us, we would be considerate and courteous drivers. He declined my offer, and counter-offered that CHP could be informed to let certain vehicles through ---- sort of a "divide and conquer" strategy. I vehemently declined his counter-offer, stating that it is a matter of civil rights, property rights, and constitutional rights. He claimed he has support from Gov. Schwarzenegger and the CHP, and everything is "in the bag".
I suggest that Gov. Schwarzenegger's office and the CHP be contacted, to confirm if the violation of our rights is "in the bag".
I suggest you ask Mr. Smith to fax you a copy of his "in the bag" authorizations. Then contact the Patterson Irrigator and the S. J.
Mercury News, and maybe the Livermore papers.
According to Smith, these are "world class racers" ---- and I pointed out to him that the Toure De France racers are probably the same bunch, and are famous for taking steroids, which makes people aggressive and rude, and that we have all met aggressive and rude bicyclists up here --- and that I found one in Spandex taking a leak in the middle of the road. I understand that racers save time and hope to win by NOT taking the time to go behind a bush.......
I pointed out to Smith that the community up here is experienced with trespassing hunters and pot growers, and that invading bicyclists interfering with our access to our property and our roads would be treated the same.
Paul
P. S. Feel free to forward or post this email.
