copied from the CRCA email list:

This letter has been making the rounds in some groups I subscribe to.
The gist is that the residents of the villages from Piermont to Nyack
are upset about cyclists on Piermont Ave / River Road up to the Runcible
Spoon, and are considering banning cyclists from this road. Now, while
I never ride this road, it is greatly in my interest that those who do,
continue to, in that if they're exiled, they might find the places I ride.
So please consider your behavior in this area, and also consider
applying a little peer pressure to any bad actors.

And remember that Rockland has a helmet law.

Ken Harris

A LETTER FROM DAVID SCHLOSS, PRESIDENT, ROCKLAND BICYCLE CLUB

I just wanted to give you some advanced heads-up so you can pass
some info along to your club. I've been in a series of meetings
with the mayoralty and police departments representing the river
villages up the route from Piermont to Nyack (and will be meeting
with more shortly). The primary goal of our meeting was to talk
about increased activity for jointly-funded bicycling programs
(which is going well, but slowly) but extended into a conversation
about bike safety and traffic issues.
While we both know that club-run rides in general are safer than
your average bike ride, and are more likely to have members obey
traffic regulations, the local towns are furious at the (mostly) non
resident non-club members who pass through the area breaking all
manner of laws. They're so upset that many of the towns are talking
about banning cyclists on the roads. They also know that it's not the
local clubs that are breaking the laws, but are asking us to help.
We've let the towns know that a lot of the responsibility for the
infractions comes from the fact that as long as cyclists have been
coming to the area, there has been a history of terribly poor
signage regarding things like the single-file laws in the river
villages, sporadically and incorrectly enforced. So we're going to be
working with the local police departments to try and help develop
a two-pronged education and enforcement approach. Beginning this
spring, cyclists in the area can expect to see stepped up programs to
let cyclists know the laws in the area and to enforce them.
In order for this to be effective, we really need everyone who can
disseminate this to do so. There's nothing less at stake than the
future assured rights to continue to use a major cycling corridor in
the region.
Here are the major issues that residents bring up over and over
with regard to cyclists who pass through the region, and the areas
that will see the most enforcement. Single-file riding: Piermont,
South Nyack and Grandview have single-file laws that are more
stringent than state motor vehicle code. The easy version is that
cyclists must ride single file. Even without this rule though, NY
motor vehicle code requires single file riding if riding two-abreast
would impede the flow of traffic, as is clearly the case on Piermont
Avenue. This is a huge issue as groups of four abreast, several deep,
cyclists often proceed down the corridor.
Stop signs and stoplights: Cyclists in the region regularly run the
stop signs and stop lights in the towns. Groups leaving Runcible
Spoon regularly run the light at the corner of Main and Broadway.
This is dangerous and illegal and it's a huge concern of the town
governments.
Helmets: New York State requires helmets for all minors but
Rockland requires all cyclists to wear helmets.
Courtesy: Obviously, this one is not a law of any kind, but is a
common-sense issue. We, and the towns, receive lots of complaints
about cyclists gathered outside local establis