This past weekend reports were brought to our attention regarding a series of warning stops in Carlisle by the Carlisle Police Department regarding two-by-two versus single-file riding. We understand and support the concerns of the cycling community on this matter and have reached out to the Carlisle Chief of Police with the following e-mail:

Chief Fisher,

I hope this finds you well. As the executive director of MassBike, I would like to request a meeting with you in the near future to discuss the numerous reports I received over the weekend about cyclists being stopped by your offices while riding through Carlisle.

From all reports I received your officers were professional and courteous during these stops. They reported the town would heretofore require bicyclists to ride single file. We would like to work with the town to understand the concerns of the townspeople of Carlisle. As a resident of Lexington, I routinely ride through your beautiful town, often times leading groups of beginners and novices who are preparing for such charity rides as the Best Buddies Challenge and the Pan Mass Challenge.  I diligently preach the importance of courtesy for all on the roadways.

But a strict single-file policy is problematic for several reasons.

We believe the conflicts in Carlisle could be best handled through some minor adjustments to engineering, education for all users, and enforcement of existing state laws for both motorists and cyclists. We would like to serve as a resource for all in this matter.

Could we find time to talk? We are happy to meet with you in the coming weeks.

Please advise.

Regards,

Richard Fries