Limits

They caught me on Kellogg.
Phooey on the highly efficient speed traps of the Wichita police.

In my defense I was having a rather intense conversation in the car and that section of Kellogg between Rock Rd and Webb feels and looks like an interstate even though the whole silly project is more than a year away from being done. The officer was kind to remind me of that as he wrote my ticket for 54mph in a 35mh. Phooey. PHOOEY!

As I entered the grocery store later yesterday evening I saw a young woman—mid 20’s—calmly walking in handcuffs next to a police officer. Shoplifting? Public Disturbance? I missed whatever drama was to be had in Dillons. But it was a reminder I was not having the worst day in Wichita.
Ready to blow off some steam from my encounter with the law, I went for a bike ride. My first in 10 days thanks to the weirdness of the rainy weather. I’m not sure it was 70 degrees this afternoon. On the ride I passed another oddity.

In Sedgwick County Park there is a sign on the bike path posting a speed limit of 30mph. It is clearly for the bike path not the neighboring traffic on 13th street. No Chad, I am not confused. I wonder which county department I can call to ask, “who in the hell is going to go over 30mph on the bike path?”

I have a cyclometer on my bike. I enjoy seeing how fast I am going…or how much that Kansas headwind is slowing me down. Even descending the biggest hills I don’t think I’ve surpassed 28mph. Of course I am not super brave and I could find a bigger hill (say in Colorado) and go much faster. The Tour de France riders this month will top 50mph on their descents.

No matter. The 30mph sign is on a flat part of the bike path. Who are they trying to control with this sign? 30mph is professional rider paceline speed. And I haven’t seen any of them in Sedgwick County Park.

Unbreakable speed limits, just another reason to bike to work.