The August meeting was held at Kirk of Kildaire in Cary. 16 people attended. Club president Henri Bohl presided.
Officer Ross recommended the use of pepper gas to deter attacking dogs. He explained that there are two types. The kind that squirts a stream can shoot up to 12 to 14 feet. The kind that sprays a fog has a range of 6 to 8 feet. However, the fogging type does not need to be aimed very carefully. In the unlikely event the pepper gas does not work, Officer Ross recommended that you get off your bike and keep the bike between you and the dog. It is unlikely that most dogs will actually chase you very far, Ross said. Dogs are very territorial and once they've chased you away from their yard they will leave you alone. Officer Ross noted that outside of the Cary town limits dog attacks are outside of the Cary police's jurisdiction. Within the town limits, call the animal control officer.
Ross said the best way to keep road rage down is to always do the right thing. Notably, cyclists should keep to the right, stay in single file, and obey all laws. However, if a motorist becomes angry, it is possible to charge them. Both Cary ordinance and N.C. state law forbid making any hand gestures that incite a fight, for example. If a motorist makes such a hand gesture, Ross said you should:
If you are in the Cary town limits, call the Cary police department. Outside of Cary, the Wake County Sheriff's office and the Highway Patrol are responsible. Ross noted that it is against the law to curse in public. Saying, for example, "I'll kick your butt," is considered to be communicating a threat, which is also against the law. Throwing a bottle at a cyclist is considered an assault, or an attempted assault if the thrower misses. If you decide to charge somebody with one of these offenses, you will have to go to court. Ross admitted that it is very difficult to make a charge. Probably it is only worth pursuing if you are being harassed routinely. "Don't threaten," he reminded the attendees, "and do get their tag number and description."
When riding alone, Ross advised carrying pepper gas and a cell phone. You should also stay aware of where you are. If you have to call for assistance on your phone, you will need to be able to tell the police where you are so they can find you. Officer Ross noted that pepper gas can be purchased at Lawman's Safely Supply on Durham Street, off Tryon Road near Garner. He recommended against buying Mace. "Pepper gas is more effective," he explained. "It only has a 2% failure rate."
One of the attendees asked about riding in a double pace line. Ross said that it is never appropriate to ride two or more abreast. However, if you use common sense and share the road - that is, allow room for motorists to pass - most police will not stop you. What to do at a traffic light? Ross advised that if you are going to move to the front of a line of cars stopped at a traffic light, go all the way to the front of the first car in line and make eye contact with the driver. If you do stay in the line of cars, take up a whole space while stopped, then move to the right when traffic starts moving. What is the risk for a woman riding by herself? Officer Ross said that he personally did not recall any woman being assaulted while she was on a bike during his 10 years of service. He pointed out that statistics are not kept on assaults specifically on cyclists. However, the highest incidence of assaults and rapes is in the victim's own home, by someone the victim knows.
Club webmaster David Cole reported on the Summer Rally. He said that there were about 140 riders and no incidents or accidents. The only problem was that the Spa Health Club failed to open up as they had promised.
Club newsletter editor Tim Hunter spoke about how the NC Bicycle News is created and distributed each month. He said that each copy costs between $0.79 and $1.21 for copying and postage, therefore most of the $15.00 annual membership dues goes toward the cost of the newsletter. Tim asked for more participation from club members, and asked for articles on topics such as bike maintenance, nutrition, and fitness, ride announcements and summaries. Tim pointed out that he prints all submissions without a lot of gratuitous editing.
Club president Henri Bohl noted that she has had some requests to start the fall rally on the north side of Raleigh. She said that we need to have a rally director who is familiar with that side of town. She also noted that the September meeting will be held on the second Monday, so as not to conflict with Labor Day. The fall rally is scheduled for October 11.
Club treasurer Katherine O'Malley reported that the club has $3500 in the treasury. The summer rally brought in about $1800.