Meeting Time: November 16, 2021 at 9:00am HST
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Agenda Item

GREAT-44 CC 21-453 BICYCLE-TOUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND RELATED LITIGATION CONCERNS (GREAT-44)

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    GREAT-44 - Bicycle Tours

    Aloha Councilmember Molina,

    I read about your proposed bill to amend Maui County Code Chapter 5.22 regarding bicycle tours operating in the Makawao-Pukalani-Kula and Paia-Haiku areas. I understand that safety of the community and the bike riders are of utmost importance and commend you on trying to seek options to keep everyone safe.

    That being said, I worry about the consequences of your amendment. Bike tour companies are already regulated and held to a high standard with the insurance and permitting requirements. I know many of these companies show safety videos and brief their guests on best practices on the road. To limit the number of tours that can operate to six per day and limit the groups to ten riders will severely impact the companies. Also, to regulate the operations to just four hours a day seems excessive. Are there other industries that are restricted to just four hours a day?

    These guests who take these bike tours – whether guided or not – contribute to the economy of the area. These guests not only impact the bike tour companies, but also the small businesses that rely on visitors to survive. I fear that many jobs may be lost due to the impact of your amendment and that in turn will affect the livelihoods of those living in your district.

    The Hawaii Tourism Authority has rolled out their Destination Management Action Plans and I believe those community meetings may be a better place to discuss bike tours. Perhaps there are ways to slow down the drivers (locals and tourists) to follow the posted speed limits. Perhaps there are also ways for small businesses to opt in or opt out of being on a map that the bike companies distribute to their guests. There just should be a better way for all sides to come together and exist instead of trying to shut down companies that are serving the visitor industry. There should have been a conversation with all parties involved before this escalated all the way to an amendment being introduced.

    Again, I appreciate you looking out for your constituents, but I worry about the economic impact to your constituents as well. Your reconsideration in this matter is greatly appreciated.

    Mahalo,
    Janice A. Kamemoto
    jkamemoto@gmail.com

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    Upcountry bicycle tours

    Dear Mr. Molina,
    Please let this letter serve as my full support in limiting or foing away with all together the commercial down hill bicycle tours. Accompanied or not by guides.
    I live in upper Kula and I am forced to take alternate routes to avoid these riders on roads that i and fellow residents pay for. It is like Russian roulette to drive on Haleakala Hwy and Baldwin Ave. It is beyond dangerous and we have had enough. Riders and operators are entitled, use no common sense and 99% of the riders have no business being on a bike, let alone ridding it in the middle of a busy road. I should have quiet enjoyment of my community with out risking my life.
    To be clear, I take no issue with road bikes residents riding bikes. They are Akamai and I take no issue with them.
    This is a big problem that has plagued and Negatively impacted our community long enough. I hear emergency responders sirens multiple times a day. These are resources that become unavailable if a resident needs emergency services. How many emergency calls a day are “bike “ related? Too many!
    Please forward my email to the appropriate contact.
    Thank you all do.

    Malia Vandervoort
    PEARL BUTIK
    71 Baldwin Ave
    PO BOX 790397
    Paia,Hawaii
    96779

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    Aloha, thanks for the opportunity to share my opinion. I am a tour guide for the bike tour for 10 years now & I strongly oppose these regulations. Since these tours have gone on for near 40 years with millions of visitors from around the world enjoying the beauty of Maui on these tours without incident. Why now, when there are far fewer companies operating tours, would you seek to restrict our industry? Doing this will only further set back the islands already struggling small local businesses & not truly deal with the real problem: reckless drivers who are impatient & already speeding down a road that is supposed to be driven 35-40 mph or slower. In the 1st study done on this industry MPD found that drivers were driving too fast. These regulations will not serve the public or protect visitors. Simply put restrictions of this nature are unnecessary due to already imposed regulations from the National Park that have cut the number of tours to about a quarter of the volume from when I started supporting my family working in this industry. I pray these actions are set aside & that instead of blaming & bashing how a lot of people make a living ( including local businesses in Kula, Makawao and Pa’ia ) you come up with ways to help educate & make people aware of the rules of the road for safe driving around cyclists & use some of the tax revenue generated by this industry ( for the last 40 years) to improve the road conditions making more pull outs & bike lanes. Thank for the opportunity to share my views in opposition to these regulations.
    Aloha, Dru Anderson

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    Aloha to everyone involved in this discussion,

    I have been a bike tour guide on Haleakala for a total of 15 years. I have been an advocate for change and regulation concerning most aspects of the industry as a whole since day 1. It is blatantly obvious that change and regulation is needed on downhill bike tours, so where I do 100% oppose the GREAT-44 as a whole I am positive that at least some of it is on point. I commend the authors of the GREAT-44 for their time, effort and commitment to addressing what they believe to be valid concerns.

    The two single problems with the GREAT-44, in my professional opinion, are the following:
    1. This proposal is clearly “us against them”. The people proposing these changes have no knowledge or experience working in this industry. They did not consult with the bike tour community and invite us into the discussion. There are many of us who have led thousands of tours down Haleakala over the years, the lack of working together to come up with a solution should leave the GREAT-44 dead on arrival.
    2. In my many years of being a bike tour guide on Haleakala I have written many letters to the county with my concerns and suggestions on how the bike tours can be safer for the participants, and how they can be less of a nuisance to the complaining residents who travel and live on the roadways where these tours operate. Every single letter I have written along with my oral testimony to the county council fell on deaf ears. Not one time did anyone from the county ever respond to any of my letters, nor did they have any feedback of my oral testimony at the county council meeting I attended.

    I can definitely say with absolute certainty that the amount of bikers coming down Haleakala in 2021 compared to the amount coming down Haleakala in 2004 has been reduced by well over 75%, and that is a modest estimate. Now would be an ideal time for the complainers and the bike tour industry to come together and start a discussion on how to meet in the middle for the greater good of everyone involved.

    Seems legit that customer feedback about their experiences while on bike tours should be taken into consideration on this matter. Also seems legit to assume that the people proposing these changes don’t care about the opinions of anyone other than their own. There are thousands of reviews posted online for the world to see. For the authors of the GREAT-44 to not include the feedback of real people with real experiences in their evaluation clearly shows the bias of their proposal.

    The GREAT-44 clearly have not taken into consideration the economic toll this will have on the lives of the people who rely on their jobs to support their families, nor have they considered the toll this will have on the experience of those who travel to “our” island. On a daily basis I get flipped off and yelled at, it would not surprise me if these are some of the same people involved with the GREAT-44. The harassment and reckless driving by residents should be addressed in this matter too. The GREAT-44 and the county council should know and be aware that the amount of shakas thrown, smiles, waves and support for bike tours far outweigh the disdain. We have the ability to make this right for everyone, but that wont happen when people get together and propose lopsided legislation. People sitting at their computers and making phone calls complaining about bike tours should not be writing legislation on how to conduct bike tours.

    There is a way to evaluate the bike tour companies and see who’s practices are the safest, that is the way, anything else is just spitballing.

    I am going to stop here, mostly because I have learned from experience that sharing my thoughts and professional opinions on this matter carry zero weight with the county.

    Sincerely,
    Doesn’t Really Matter

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    Aloha Chair Molina and members,
    Elle Cochran, testifying on my own behalf. I Support the Resolution- Urging The Mayor To Address Bicycle Tour Public Safety and Related Litigation Matters. My past Infrastructure & Environmental Management (IEM) Committee tried to solve this long standing issue years ago. The main challenges were lack of enforcement, creating a Specialized Enforcement resource like Park Rangers would help tremendously with this. It doesn't work to create rules, laws and regulations then have Bike Companies police themselves hasn't worked all these years. Real Time comments from Residents affected by these Bike Companies daily and for years are that they are Out of Control, snarl/hold-up traffic, are disrespectful (one resident got flipped off by a biker), a resident jogger on the shoulder of the road got clipped by a biker, a School Bus letting students off with Stop Signs out got passed by a Bike Tour (illegal/endangering students), unguided riders act as if they own the road riding down the middle, basically there is a sense of entitlement and flat out rudeness by bikers and Tour Operators. Don't get me wrong my personal experience @ 15 years ago, during three Bike Tours (Mountain Riders/Maui Mountain Cruisers) down the Mountain from the Summit, I observed the operators being very professional, they paid strict attention to safety and the well being of riders and the general public on the roadways at all times. So, this may be a situation today where a few bad apples ruin the whole bunch.
    Overall today, the infrastructure cannot safely accommodate the combination of the local residents' morning traffic flow of going to work and taking kids to school along with the Bike Tours coming down the Mountain one after another. Banning Bike Tours on Baldwin Ave.,Olinda Rd.,Hanamu Rd. And Hwy 377 will have an effect but may drive the tours to other more substandard dangerous roads like Pulehu & Omaopio roads? If only they could build their own private biking road with their own money from the crater straight down to Wailea/Kihei area! What kind of benefit does the community get from these Private businesses banking off of taxpayers Public Roads? The IEM committee discussed the Suggestions in The Bike Study about Pull Outs but who would pay for them (land puchase/infrastructure) and how to guarantee tours would actually use them since they pull over for scenic views and hopefully always when cars pile up behind them. MPD's comment about Reckless driving, road rage and speeding by residents are caused and exacerbated by the Bike Tour companies lack of good judgement that cause traffic to build up behind their tours. MPD are doing SpeedJams, what about traffic that is too slow? My Gigi got a ticket for driving too slow which can be a danger too. What about the Vans/bikes that travel too slow to keep to keep up the lawful travel speeds for easy and safe traffic flow. Capping the amount of Permitted Bike Companies to the current 3 active companies would help with the potential total amount of riders on the road. There will be a HUGE outcry by Bike Companies if limit hours of operation the hours between 9am to 1pm. The biggest draw to do this tour is to go up for the Sunrise. So, watching the sunrise then having to wait until 9am to ride down will be way too long of a wait to head down the mountain. I have never been a fan of the Unguided Tour and as a Concierges I wouldn't bring it up unless the guest did. I've been stopped by totally lost unguided bikers asking for directions upcountry and I'm rarely there. So how often does this happen? I feel there's a high probability for unsafe and potentially dangerous situations to occur with unguided tours. Although, the question is asked of the guest, how long has it been since you have ridden a bike? not everyone have been completely honest in answering for fear of not being able to do ride. One lady I rode with had her handle bars backwards and wondered why she couldn't brake properly. Then when she stopped she fell over because she didn't put her feet down for balance! Signing a Pono Pledge can't hurt but how effective will it really be? This type of Pledge should really be for all visitors coming into our Islands. (See The Giant-a Compulsory Inflight Movie- Palau Pledge). If anything add to 5.22.025 (G) Bike Pono Pledge, add pedestrians after Myself and cars to share the roads." Cars, Bikes and pedestrians need to be able to safely and respectfully share the road at All times.

    Mahalo for your time and consideration on this long standing issue,
    Elle Cochran

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    I support time and rider limitations 100%. I oppose restricting tours so much so that they cannot profit or benefit from their local business.

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    Aloha, as a part of a small local business I oppose this very much. Small local businesses have already taken a toll after last year and are barely bouncing back from the hit we took. Putting more and more restrictions is just the start to more and more businesses let alone local businesses to close down and have more people go unemployed and even homeless. Would you really want to slow business for these biking tour companies that promotes other businesses along all of these routes and also continues to give back to the community? I'm sure there's a way to make things safer for both motorists and bikers, afterall isn't it a law to share the road with pedestrians and bikers? Since when has it been against the law to ride a bike down crater road. Is the road only for motor vehicles? What next? Are cops going to ticket and fine every biker that bikes down these routes on their own? These bicycle tour companies have all of the paperwork, why are you trying to make it harder for people to earn money here on Maui? Imagine if you're a shop owner and you can only sell 2 of your products and you're only allowed 10 people in your store. That is what you are doing if this bill passes.

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    brett lickle about 3 years ago

    Stop the bike tours now
    How many more innocent people need to be critically injured or killed before the state gets involved.The bike tours are a disaster waiting to happen, half the riders haven’t been on a bike in years some never. Put them in a full face helmet that takes away their peripheral view and there ability to look behind them.Then throw them onto some of the narrowest roads with no bike lanes (kula and Haiku) and its a miracle people don’t die every day. In 2015 there were 3 people killed in one month and the bike tours were shut down for evaluation. Who in the world would then decide to open up the tours again.Let alone decide that now they will start the tour at the midway ranger station and send them down the narrow winding roads in Kula And Haiku. It’s crazy the bike tour should start at the summit and end at the tree line just above the last house on the crater road. The roads up there have less traffic and everyone is there for the same reason to enjoy Haleakala crater. Lets stop this nonsense before another innocent tourist is killed or critically injured. If the bike tours had to show each customer the statistics of injury’s and deaths the industries would fizzle out quickly. The tourist have no idea of the dangers that await them. It’s time to take control and re evaluate the industry before the state is sued and yes you have been forewarned it’s going to happen just like it did year after year in the past. Its time to look at the statistics and stop turning your back to the facts people are being seriously injured and killed on these bike tours. If the bike tours want to continue keep it above the public roads in Kula and haiku. And if the state were smart they would spend the money and put a bike road in from top to bottom just for bikers and the tours and charge the bike tours to use it.Stop this nonsense now before it’s to late before someone you know or care about is either injured of killed because of this reckless behavior. Bike tours are not Pono and never will be.

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    The bike Tours are dangerous I’m surprised they still exist.

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    Aloha,

    I am a long-time resident of Maui, and I am also a friend to the biking community. In discussing the contents included in this new bill, it is clear that it is not well written. It needs to be clarified. It is good to have guidelines for the businesses, but not to the detriment of being able to make the business profitable or deter people from using bikes as a healthy and clean form of transportation. I would also encourage the county to look at the possibilities of widening the roads and adding bike lanes. This is the long term solution.

    We need to accommodate the pedestrians that commute on two feet as well as two wheels. This seems like a long overdue addition to all the roads specially considering the bike popularity and the unfortunate bicycle fatalities that happen on our streets.

    So my vote is less control of the businesses, but more accommodation by the county in providing bike lanes for the travelers.

    Thank you,
    Amy Anderson

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    To whom this concerns,
    I’d like to submit a request for all bicycle companies using public roads to up grade safety issues for your riders. #1. Need bicyclists wear neon outfits. Rider are wearing the colors of nature which blends in with the environment. #2. No blinking lights in front or back of the bicycles. #3. How do the riders know what’s behind them? They have to turn their heads to see, a potential crash! #4. Need to have bike etiquette enforcement from bike companies. #5. Have you ever followed the tours? I was hoping that these companies would have made an impact on the road they use when improvements were being done, like increase pull over sites along the way.
    For the sake if communities harmony.

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    I am writing to oppose the proposed restrictions of the downhill bike industry on Maui. The Haleakala bike experience is unlike any other activity in Hawai’i, the most sought after activity by our visitors. This ordinance written is a virtual ban and clearly anti-tourism. These rules would result in hundreds of jobs loss + revenue for the county of Maui & state of Hawai’i. The proposed changes would have a negative impact on many locally owned companies + small businesses. Not only leading some to fully conclude with their operations but this decision will also impact many families financially, resulting in more unemployment.
    Let’s not be blind to the fact — many of these so called residents who are in support of this change, we’re once visitors here themselves.

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    I am a long time Kula resident. I do not support the overly restrictive changes that are proposed. The bike ride is really fun and can be done safely. Everyone on the island depends directly or indirectly on the tourism industry. Limiting the amount of riders and revenue to such minimal levels is not needed. Safer shoulder pull outs would help a lot, and better safety briefings for all riders. It is easy to pull over, stop, let cars pass, and start up again since it is nearly all downhill. But a few of the bikers seem to be oblivious of traffic piling up behind, and then vehicular drivers impatience is what leads to unsafe situations.
    One further thing I would say is to hold tour leaders to account. Sometimes I see tour leaders riding sidesaddle and other fancy stuff. This sends a message to the tour group that the ride is super easy and casual, instead of demanding full attention on safe practices. Tour operators need to model the safest possible behavior, even if it is boring to them, because riders will follow their lead.
    Step up the safety but dont strangle the industry!

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    I am in favor of some restrictions for the bicycle groups. I drive Haleakala highway every day and usually encounter groups of bicyclists. It is difficult to impossible to pass a long string of bicyclists. The safety problem seems to occur when long li es of traffic back up and some driver becomes impatient to pass. If the bicycle groups could be required to pull over and stop when a car is being held up, that would alleviate this problem. Thank you

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    Dear County of Maui Decision Makers,

    As somebody who worked at the Summit for over six years, I drove Crater Road 4-5 days a week as my commute. I have witnessed extremely reckless behavior and unsafe actions from both tour guides and tour patrons. I have seen many, many guides riding their bike sideways and riding with no hands on the handlebars. In the first four years of commuting Crater Road, I have witnessed three people fall completely off their bike onto the road in front of me. I always gave them a lot of space, but this could have been fatal for them if somebody was driving fast or not paying attention. I have also witnessed people riding down with the "speed wobbles" as if they may crash at any time each day that I drove up. or down the mountain. Many people are not in shape and have likely not ridden a bike since they were children, based on my observations. There is not enough space nor sight-distance to safely have tours on Crater Road. There are no bike lanes or wide shoulders for the hairpin turns. It is unsafe. Restrictions will save injuries and lives. Residents are faced with unsafe driving conditions due to these tours, and the tours should be restricted.

    We need to address long-term Maui bike safety by adding safe turnouts for cyclists or creating shoulders and more bike lanes. I support the restrictions.

    Thank you for taking comments.
    -A Makawao Resident

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    Yes I'm a visitor to Maui and I'm a big fan of Bike Maui. The ride down from the National Park was one of the greatest experiences I've had. The equipment was top of the line and the people running the Company were very informative and professional. There were other companies on the mountain with inferior equipment and I can definitely see that as a problem. The points that Monique made about turnouts and better signage are very valid. I'm looking forward to coming back to Maui and doing it again. I have recommended the same to many of my friends and family to take the Bike Maui Haleakala run. Please don't shut it down....Gary Coccaro Sarasota, Fl

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    Monique LeBlanc about 3 years ago

    I oppose further restrictions on Bike Tours. Haleakala Sunrise Bike Tours are one of the top requested activities by our visitors. They contribute to Kula, Makawao ,& Paia towns restaurant & small business locations. Also adding revenue & support for the State and the National Park system.
    There are options we can try.
    *Limit on the amount of companies permitted to operate.
    *More traffic turn-outs.
    *More "Share the road" signage.
    We should not penalize the ligtimate business. We need to find solutions for this popular visitor activity.

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    We love having the bike companies ! They help support all of us local businesses that are just trying to stay open during this COVID out break . They have brought us business and they are awesome people ! They are so important for us families trying to get by .

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    According to Maui Now: 440 speeding citations have been issued since the current enforcement program "Operation Speed Jam" began last week. Appears that we have some impatient drivers on Maui. Hmm?

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    Guest User about 3 years ago

    I oppose the proposed restriction of the downhill bike industry. I have been working in the the bike tour industry for 5 years and customer service for 20 plus years. These bike companies bring income for our upcountry businesses and it would be a shame for theses businesses to lose income or closure. As far as for safety on these roads, I have seen many of times where drivers would blast their horns at the bikers, driving very close to the bikers and flipping them off. We should share the road with respect and patience.