Dear editor,
On my bike ride to Courtenay and back yesterday morning I experienced not one, but two very scary near misses with vehicles driven by individuals who ignored stop signs. I was riding correctly, wearing a bright yellow jacket and had flashing lights both front and rear. In each case the drivers gave a cursory glance along the through road they were entering and rolled through the stop line into my lane.
While these experiences were unnerving the more disturbing aspect was that when I stopped and spoke to the drivers (calmly and politely) they both became very defensive and stated aggressively “no need to get bent out of shape (the language was not that polite) nothing happened to you.” I too am a car driver and have, of course, made mistakes but I am willing to acknowledge my error and offer a sincere apology.
At this time of year there are more people out and about using all modes of transportation. Please slow down, be very attentive, obey the rules of the road and keep your fellow human beings safe. Take responsibility for your own actions and treat others with courtesy and respect.
There will be some vulnerable road users who do not always follow the rules or pay attention and therefore rely on the responsible attitude of drivers to help keep them safe. Yes – I am my brother’s keeper!
Margaret Harris
Courtenay