Greenwood, MO, set to pass bicyclist harassment ordinance May 24th

Mayor Marvin MeGee of Greenwood sent the following announcement and invitation.

Greenwood City Hall is at 709 W. Main and anyone interested in this ordinance--and would like to see it adopted by other cities in the area--is welcome to join us there May 24th, 2010, at 7pm:

An Open Invitation To MoBikeFed Members

As Mayor of Greenwood, Missouri, I am happy to announce than on May 24, 2010, I will present to my Board of Aldermen for vote an ordinance making the Harassment of Bicyclist a crime.

The ordinance, which is modeled after a similar ordinance in Columbia, Missouri, makes it a Misdemeanor to do the following:

(1) Throw an object at or in the direction of any person riding a bicycle; or

(2) Threaten any person riding a bicycle for the purpose of frightening or disturbing the person riding the bicycle; or

(3) Sound a horn, shouts or otherwise directs sound toward any person riding a bicycle for the purpose of frightening or disturbing the person riding the bicycle; or

(4) Knowingly engage in conduct that creates a risk of death or serious physical injury to the person riding a bicycle.

It is my hope that the Harassment of Bicyclist ordinance will not only serve to keep bicyclist safe in Greenwood, but will also act as a catalyst for similar ordinances to be approved by other municipalities across the Kansas City Metro Area.

For this reason, I would like to invite you to be my guest at City Hall in Greenwood, Missouri, on May 24, 2010, at 7 pm, as our City takes this historic step to bring a new level of respect for bicyclist to Jackson County Missouri.

For more information, please feel free to contact me at:

Mayor Marvin Megee
709 W. Main
Greenwood, Missouri 64034

Phone: 816-456-8080
Email: mlmegee@greenwoodmo.com