Street Vibrations is underway, and officers want to remind people about road safety.
Police officers tell us they expect the roads to be a lot busier this weekend, and with the extra motorcycles on the road, they're encouraging people to stay as alert as possible because they can easily be in your blind spots.
Hunter Mercurio, the Public Information Officer for the Reno Police Department, said, "Ride within your means. Please don't exceed the speed limit. We see a lot of accidents happen when there's drunk driving or people riding outside of their means. Either driving too fast, losing control, and make sure that you're slowing down and looking out for pedestrians as well."
Officers want to remind people that lane splitting is illegal and can result in a citation if caught doing it.
They tell us riding with proper safety equipment is the law and can also be a reason for a citation if not done.
They say your safety gear can be the thing that keeps you alive if involved in an accident.
"Your safety gear can save your life at the end of the day, even if it's hot outside, make sure that you wear comfortable gear that's well ventilated. But if you have that extra padding and you have that rated helmet, that could definitely save your life in a in a high speed situation,” said Mercurio.
Officers tell us it’s common to see bikers riding in groups during this time of year, and although they're okay with it, they say it needs to be done properly.
They recommend that riders talk about the speed and distance they'll be riding at before getting on the road.
This can help ensure everyone stays alert, and changes can be made if needed to what works best for the group.
Mercurio also told us, "If you guys have that mutual agreement that you want to ride in the same lane at the same time right next to each other, that's fine, but just make sure that everybody's communicating before you ride while you're riding and maybe do a debrief after that."
We also spoke with a rider who says they recommend for beginners to take it slow before joining in on big cruises like this.
Saying it’s best to start on streets with low traffic to get comfortable with handling the bike.
Eric Verrinder, someone who has been riding for 20 years, said, "Ride on the roads that aren't so crowded. Highways, back roads, and stuff like that, and practice there and then start getting closer to riding around neighborhoods and stuff. I would say the freeway would come last, and then start riding on the freeway, but if you just keep away from other cars, you should be fine.”
Officers also encourage people to keep their distance from anyone they notice riding recklessly.
