Dear editor,
I am cyclist and driver.
I understand why motorists get angry at cyclists who flaunt the rules of the road, ignore lights, ride on sidewalks, etc. It is extremely dangerous to ride listening to music.
I need “all” my senses to keep me safe. Please obey the rules of the road, pay attention to your surroundings. Don’t assume a driver sees you just because they are looking towards you. Eventually your luck will run out and that encounter with an automobile will be inevitable.
Maybe it is time the RCMP start ticketing these riders, so they get the message.
Drivers: I observe you waiting at traffic lights using your smartphones, passing in designated bike lanes, and dangerously cutting off cyclists. A bicycle is considered a vehicle under the Motor Vehicle Act. They are obligated to obey all the same rules that vehicles have to abide.
Be aware of the cyclist near you. Give them their space. Realize that your actions have life altering consequences.
These are moms, dads, sons and daughters that are sharing the roads with you. It is always the cyclist who pays the price. In a battle between a 200-pound rider and bicycle vs. a three-ton automobile, the automobile always wins. The point I am trying to make is that we all need to respect each other’s right to the road.
I was pleased to see the creation of designated bike lanes in the Valley. However the addition of road lines does not replace the need for proper bicycling infrastructure like off-street bike paths or barriers like the concrete barriers being used in Vancouver. City planners need to make this a priority.
To the family of Paul Bally, my heart goes out to you and hope this will be a catalyst to changes in attitudes between drivers and cyclists. Respectfully,
Craig F.
Comox