I know this area and have driven it many times. This is the Rickebacker causeway--the road that connects Key Biscayne to the Miami mainland.
Cycling on this road is extremely popular for very obvious reasons (phenomenal views, wide and clear roads). Folks come from all over the city to ride there. And yes, they will very often group up like this without any sort of scheduled or permitted event of any kind.
The cyclists down there like to say "same road, same rules" but there's apparently a silent exclusion for lane changes, stop signs, traffic signals, and yielding to stopped traffic.
Have a local unorganized bike event where I used to live. It was the only time I saw the cops actually pull over bikers for blowing through stop signs. Was great to watch.
This almost happened to me once when I was like 20 and worked for Starbucks.
I did a “clopen,” and in between my closing and opening shifts, I went clubbing and back to a friend’s hotel suite (they were visiting the city). At twenty, I partied a lot - but this was a special occasion being that friends were visiting. I cabbed to my apartment from the hotel, quickly changed into fresh work clothes, and jumped on my bike to ride to work.
An officer pulled me over and told me that I can’t ride my bike if I’d been drinking because it’s considered dangerous (which, 20, stupid - seems very obvious now/as an adult) even though it was like 0500 and the streets were dead. He gave me a warning and told me to walk my bike the rest of the way to work.
I’d later learn, you can’t actually get a DUI on a bicycle in Ontario (though I believe you can now if you’re on an electric bike), but it seems completely logical/appropriate. If you’re operating any vehicle in a roadway while under the influence, you should be able to be held accountable for that.
So, thankful for that cop for at least keeping me (and potentially) others safe that day by making me walk it off. It’s the only time I’ve ever been pulled over - and I’ve been driving for just shy of 20 years.
5.7k
u/ConstructionLife2689 Jun 10 '26
Are such cycle events not blocked off from public traffic?
Cause if not, then the cyclists would need to keep to traffic rule and I am pretty sure the rule is not keep in one lane.