BIKE: Re: Permission to use the roadways

[Dan Connelly]

> "PARADE means any march or procession or similar display consisting of 50 or
> more persons, animals or vehicles, or combination thereof upon any public
> roadway which does not comply with normal and usual traffic regulation or
> controls."

Thanks -- as I suspected.  I currently live in CA, and here, it is not
uncommon for police to set up shop at stop signs along century routes,
issuing tickets.  These events, however, are often (depending on town)
considered parades, despite the fact the riders are required to "comply
with normal and usual traffic regulation and controls".

Such disorganized events as Critical Mass do not get parade permits.  They
claim to be traffic.   Traffic code seems to be generally unenforced,
although anti-mob tactics sometimes are.

WRT riding two abreast -- if traffic is sufficient, there is no restriction
on two abreast in CA, but police will still generally warn, physically
intimidate, and randomly ticket cyclists in packs which spread out too wide.
In TX, there is such a restriction, unfortunately:
http://bicycleaustin.info/laws-tx-bike.html .   So that does affect things
for some events.  Many centuries here are "free start",
so riders are spread out from the beginning. I claim in such a situation,
requiring a parade permit is absurd.

Anyway, to summarize -- the key is vehicle code needs to be violated for
a "parade" to apply.

Dan