Imagine the horror of being publicly shamed by a concerned citizen after blowing through an intersection on your bike along the Wiggle. Well, you won't have to imagine it much longer.
Next Thursday afternoon at the corner of Waller and Steiner — a particularly dangerous part of the bike route which runs through the Lower Haight and Panhandle — one man is holding a "Referee The Wiggle" event. Hosting the slightly fanciful stunt, which San Francisco Citizen and Hoodline have highlighted, is Morgan Fitzgibbons. With a one-time demonstration, he hopes to calls attention to unsafe biking behavior year-round.
If a cyclist fails to signal or stop, or cuts in front of pedestrians instead of maneuvering behind them, Fitzgibbons and any volunteers who share his vision will toss down yellow flags, you know, like at a football game. In an event listing on the site Neighborhland, Fitzgibbons writes that "While 95% of cyclists using the Wiggle are really incredibly respectful of other road users, there is that small minority who give us all a bad name. I've always wanted to dress as a referee and hand out yellow and red cards to bad cyclists (and maybe some cars and peds too) and I'm using NOW! as my excuse!"
NOW! is a series of events seeking to improve the Panhandle held from April 19th through the 25th and includes everything from free outdoor dance classes to 4/20 clean up efforts. In the 'hood he seems to love so well, Fitzgibbons has also founded a community group cleverly named The Wigg Party. That organization has made its mission is to "make the community that uses the Wiggle a leader in the transformation to sustainability and resilience."
So, if it's not a ticket or a collision you truly fear, but instead public humiliation, then bike carefully from 3 to 3:30 p.m. next Thursday. Or hey, come out — in stripes, too? — and referee with Fitzgibbons. As he writes, "Come join me in shaming the few bad cyclists out there and making the Wiggle just a little bit safer and more courteous!"
Related: Video: Driver Cuts Off Cyclist, Responds With Profanity And Threats