The expression " where is a policeman when you really need one?" is a cliche which seems, more often than not, to be true. Well, today proved the exception to both the cliche and the rule.
Today, Phil and I did a middle distance of 45 miles charity ride for the Lion's Club of Humble, Texas. We have done previous rides with other Lion's clubs in other cities before today. These rides have been universally well supported, and well planned rides. The ride today was no exception.
The ride itself started out in cloudy and grey early morning temperatures in the mid 40's, perhaps not too frigid to some, but cold enough for us "southern hot house flowers" to be shivering, even through many layers. Even the support policemen, stopping traffic for the 400 or riders at the corners and major road crossings were bundled in gloves, thick jackets, hats and cold weather boots. By the end of the ride, near noon, the sun had come out and it was starting to warm up a bit although I was perfectly happy to keep my arm warmers, mittens, skull cap and hoodie on. However, I had started to feel warm enough to unzip the hoodie a bit by the time we finished the ride.
As is standard, at the beginning of the ride, the riders were tightly bunched in groups of 50 or so that the ride marshalls sent off at spaced intervals. The resulting groups went through the intersections en masse. After a couple of initial crossings of major roads and highways, the route wended its way out through housing developments to the farm roads , rice fields and grazing lands north east of Houston. As riders warmed up and found their paces, they spread out into individuals, smaller groups and pace lines. Each group settled into a riding rhythm, doing long straight miles on long straight roads with an occasional stop at rest stops/support posts offering among other things, cheer leading Girl Scouts, porta- potties, and refreshments ranging from fried egg sandwiches to peanut butter crackers, fresh fruit, gum, candy bars, Gatorade and everything in between. Riders had room to pass each other, and what traffic there was was light and clearly visible, allowing the riders to pull over onto the shoulders or take the lane as the situation allowed. The police escort was left behind.
The last 10 miles of the ride were once again through suburban traffic, and required the crossing of several major highways as well as some riding along a freeway access road. At each intersection, the police were once again present, still stopping traffic, and waving the bikers through the intersections. Because of the spacing out of riders over the three hour ride however, this time the police were dealing with individuals, and widely spaced smaller groups, all trying the maneuver through the nearly noon day Saturday errand running traffic. Thanks to the able assistance of the police however, this normally tense situation of biker/ traffic confrontation went politely and smoothly, for the most part.
The exception was that a group riders, Phil and myself included pulled up at a major crossing while a police car pulled into the intersection to stop cross traffic, and two officers stepped out and waved the bikers through the red light. As we started out, a car pulled out of the Shell station on the right,, pulled into the left lane and drove slowly through the bikers and the red light. Bikers peeled back right and left until the car had passed and then proceeded through the intersection. As we were sorting ourselves back out into our various riding groups, on the other side of the intersection, it was very satisfying to see a police car roll out, lights flashing, in hot pursuit of the careless driver. A few miles later we were waved past the pulled over car by the back up police car driver while the first officer gave the driver a ticket.
After the number of times and close calls we have had with Texas drivers on Texas roads, it was a very good feeling to have a policeman around when we needed him.
This is a big Texas Yee Haw thanks to the policemen of Humble and the surrounding areas from one set of grateful bike riders who got home safely.
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