Lock your bike, don’t drink and ride, and make way for the procession.
Those are among the recommendations coming from the Austin Police Department in preparation for the annual Republic of Texas Biker Rally, coming to town this weekend.
Festivities start on Thursday night, with the partying getting up to speed on Friday. Notably, that’s also when the no refusal weekend begins: that means getting popped for drinking and driving will likely end in a needle prick.
Police also note that bikers should be mindful of where and how they park their hogs, to ward against theft. In 2011, 11 motorcycles were stolen during the ROT rally; seven were thieved in 2010 and 11 were boosted in 2009 (out of a total of 151 bikes stolen in 2011, 110 in 2010, and 167 in 2009.) APD safety tips can be found here.
Also, the annual motorcycle procession from the Travis County Expo Center will begin at 8pm Friday, June 8, which means motorists should be on the lookout not only for a horde of bikers, but also for street closures and traffic delays along the route, including the closure of Congress Avenue between Cesar Chavez and East 11th Street. Click here for the full list of street closures.
This article appears in June 1 • 2012.