To curb speeding, educate bikers and gather data in Marin County’s open space preserves, the Parks Department will let Sheriff’s deputies use laser devices and radar guns to gauge just how fast bicyclists are riding on trails and fire roads. Ari Golan, the acting parks and open space superintendent, said his department is hoping to gather more data as it continues to implement the Road and Trail Management Plan and open more trails to bicyclists. “This is a pilot program,” he said. “The goal is not to issue citations, but to get data and talk to people about speed.” The duration of the pilot program is not determined, but will last at least a month. The parks department started using both radar and LIDAR—or Light Detection and Ranging, which uses laser pulses to determine speed—last May on the Mill Valley-Sausalito Multiuse Pathway. That program, according to the department, reduced complaints and incidents with bikers. (The speed limit on trails and fire roads is typically 15 m.p.h., or 5 m.p.h. around blind corners and when passing.) The two LIDAR devices cost the department about $5,000; deputies will use radar guns from the Sheriff’s Office. The parks department has long contracted to have one deputy patrol open spaces and help with enforcement, and it added a second deputy last October. Tom Boss, a Forest Knolls resident and the off-road and events director for the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, said he is looking forward to expanded opportunities for bicyclists. “I think this [pilot program] is one of many efforts to make sure that new bike trails are successful. It’s designed to let people know what their speed is and adjust accordingly… It’s kind of difficult [to know how fast you’re going]. Some bikes have computers, but they’re hard to read, especially when you’re moving.”