These (LAB I think) route marking protocols have working very well in moving about 3,000 cyclists a year, an average of 350 mile for the week for the past 20 years with great success on GOBA. These protocols also keep the local city and county governments happy.

Overzealous route marking in our region has created two areas that we now have to ride around, due to unhappy city government. They want their region painted in chalk only, with approval. Not going to happen. I tried and it rained…

We use Fox Valley Systems “Power Paint Cartridge” and the “Spray Chalk” which fits their “Easy Marker Pistol” making the job fairly easy from the driver’s seat of most cars and vans, half the time I do not exit the vechile, just pull to the right and drop an arrow.

I find this paint last longer per can and has a nice consistent spray pattern to work with. If you order it a month or two before the event, it will be fresh and if shaken properly will most never clog. It will store well over a year or two but must be shaken very well!

I find the paint lasts 2 weeks – 2 years on the road, according to traffic volume. I will not paint the city streets until a day or two before the ride so the markings are bright and fresh. On rural roads I paint 2-3 weeks in advance, re-checking them the day before the event, refreshing the worn arrows where needed, just in case.

The chalk will last through a rainstorm if put down on dry pavement and allowed to dry for a day. The chalk will last a couple/few weeks with no rain on rural roads. On city roads it will last less than a week, sometimes less than a day…

We use the chalk for rest stops, attractions and bike trails where marking is normally not permitted and put it down the night before the event. If rain is forecast, we use signs or paint.

We also use a variety of warning signs for drivers and riders, at hills, bad intersections, gravel (we sweep most gravel in corners), Rail Road tracks with arrows directing best path in red, dogs and attractions.

For maps on the road, I convert the paper and electronic maps I receive into Microsoft Streets & Trips. I take my laptop, plug in a USB GPS receiver, fire up Streets & Trips, tell the program to follow my direction of travel, drive to the start of the ride and follow the route on the computer. Doing this alone cut 10 hours off of painting the GOBA route with less mistakes to fix. And will make a century route with cut-offs, a one day painting job.

Always take a case of black paint to cover up mistakes and old route markings that may confuse your riders.

If the intersection confuses you the painter, take extra time and on the wrong roads about 200 yards up from the intersection, in red paint, tell the riders to turn back, “NO” wrong road. This one thing will really pay off.

PROTOCOLS

Mark every road intersection.

If no turn, mark once, before intersection (about 20 foot) no
confirmation arrow. Yes this makes then slow a bit, which is good
for intersections.

If right turn mark twice before turn (pre lane) and one confirmation
arrow after the turn.
If left turn at least 3 arrows per lane and one confirmation arrow
after the turn.

Where routes diverge, clearly mark (mileage or maybe Loop “Number”)

Use these same protocols to direct in and out of rest stops and attractions.

If the route moves from street to trail warn the riders on the road at each turn arrow.

Have fun! Don’t inhale the paint fumes!!

Consistency is KING!

What are your Route Marking Guidelines and what does your city county government want from you?

Also, I would like to thank all of the riders for throwing down your plastic water and sport drink bottles on the side of the road.It is a beautiful sight to see, you really are endearing yourself to our community.

If you read further, I say, “Sharing is an equal opportunity action. It means coexisting not dominating.” I also say, “I’m talking about acknowledging that others also have equal rights to the road and exercising some common courtesy.”

The whole point of the article is in the last paragraph where I suggest that we should all work harder to practice the “art of civility.”

But you and I both know that neither of us can change the behavior of others. All we can do is try to find constructive ways to let our opinions be known and continue to function together in community.

try tightening up your interpretations and just maybe you would have less opposition from the people who live in the area.