Bikes’ Locks Cut, Taken from Promenade; Manager: Benches Aren’t Bike Racks

CAPE MAY – The image was one of a raid on the promenade. Social media last week briefly erupted with comments about Cape May city officials ordering the removal of bicycles parked and locked at various locations on the prominent city walkway. One noted, “Workers just cut the locks and removed several bikes.”
That post concluded with “What is happening to this town?” Another accused Mayor Edward Mahaney of having a “hissy fit over bikes” and ordering their removal. Not so, according to City Manager Bruce MacLeod.
MacLeod explained what he said happened Aug. 22.  MacLeod says that he and Joe Picard, head of the city’s public works, were walking from Convention Hall slightly ahead of Mahaney and City Engineer Thomas Thornton. The four had just left a meeting to walk to a spot the city might open as a new beach access point.
According to MacLeod, he was the first to see two bicycles locked to a park bench on the promenade. Even though other bicycles were later involved, MacLeod said that it was those two that annoyed him the most. 
“There was a bike rack just 20 feet away with space in it,” MacLeod noted. He said that many of the benches on the promenade are dedicated to deceased citizens and should not be used as a convenient place to store a bicycle for part of an afternoon.
MacLeod says that Mahaney continued to talk with Thornton and that it was a discussion between him and Picard that resulted in the bikes being removed. The police report quotes Picard as saying to arriving officers that city officials questioned why the bikes were locked to a bench. It is MacLeod’s recollection that the mayor played no role in the decision despite statements to the contrary on social media.
Employees of the Public Works Department were the ones who actually cut the locks and removed the bicycles. The police report states that officers at the scene first tried to locate the owners. 
Two bikes were retrieved by their owners prior to intervention of public works staff. Once the two bikes connected to the bench were removed others locked to a pole supporting a city sign and some locked to the railing of an ADA entrance ramp were also removed.
According to MacLeod, the bicycles connected to the railing had handlebars protruding into the walkway.
Eight bicycles were removed to the police substation in West Cape May and all were retrieved by their owners by day’s end.
Those over 18 were ticketed for having bicycles on the promenade with the cost of each ticket $100. At least one individual on social media promised to fight the ticket in court. Bike owners are also out the cost of locks that were cut.
Those expressing outrage over removal say that no signs prohibit them from securing bicycles in the way that they did. 
MacLeod said that people should not need a sign to know that a park bench is for use by individuals wishing a seat and not as an alternative bike rack. MacLeod indicated that this action was not part of a new program of enforcement but he did think it was appropriate.
The next move will be Sept. 17 when anyone fighting the tickets will have to make their case in Municipal Court.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.