The DriveSmartBC inbox has received a number of complaints about bike riders this summer. If the complaint is made by a pedestrian, they are worried about being hurt by errant cyclists. If they are motorists, they are worried about hurting the cyclists.
All of them wish that bike riders would realize that they must follow the rules of the road.
The Complaints
"What scares me is the amount of children who whiz by me, silently sometimes, riding their bicycles on the sidewalk."
"After turning a corner a teenager on a bicycle came through a STOP sign. She did not slow down at all, nor did she have a helmet. Thank GOD we were able to stop the car in time!"
"Some bike riders seem to believe that now that they’re on two wheels, they’re exempt from the rules of the road; others clearly have a death wish, and a few actually handle themselves really well."
The Inconsiderate Bike Rider
I can say from experience that some adult cyclists don't believe that they must follow rules. One middle aged male rode past me on the right one evening while I was waiting at a red light in an unmarked police car. He looked both ways for cross traffic and then ran the light.
I pulled him over and wrote him a ticket for disobeying the red light.
Traffic Court
We met again in traffic court over that ticket, where he argued that the Motor Vehicle Act did not apply to him and he should not be found guilty nor have to pay a fine.
The Justice had a different interpretation of the rules, finding him guilty and impressing the fine.
Set a Good Example
Children learn by watching their elders. If we don't teach them what is right and then reinforce it by providing a good example, is it any wonder that some of them ride like this man did?
Learn More
- Rights and Duties of Operator of Cycle - Section 183 MVA
- Teaching Bike Safety - ICBC Manual
- Bike Sense - BC Cycling Coalition
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As a regular cyclist (road bike), I am amazed that adults would actually ride on sidewalks. I find pedestrians a genuine hazard, because they move very slowly and are erratic - they will turn left or right without signalling.
I stay away from pedestrians by riding on the road with the cars; I feel much safer there!
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when riding my bike,stay off the roads and sidwalks as much as possable. I find motor vehicles a genuine hazard,because they move very quickly and erratic,and they make turns without signaling,,and did I mention they are way bigger than me and I would be barley more than an inconvienence to that motor vehicle,should I find my self getting caught underneath one,kinda like a speed bump. I guess at least then I would,nt be the one left doing all that paperwork.
Even more so nowadays with all the extra electronic devices put in those motor vehicales with the sole purpose to keep the Attention of the drivers OFF the Road and on that texting where it belongs....or did I just get that backwards??
Well it used to be driving was supposed to be the only thing you were doing at that time.
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This is a whole sock drawer of car centric pearl clutching, so my comment will be just as scattered.
- Helmets don't turn bad driving into safety
- Helmets are not designed to protect against conflict with vehicles
- Road infrastucture that combines cyclist and vehicle traffic is unsafe infrastructure by design, and the more vulnerable road user needs to be given more space and patience at all times, whether they have the right of way or not.
- Every road user can make a mistake. Mistakes or carelessness by vehicle drivers result in deadly force applied to other people.
Do better, DriveSmart
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We’re (HUB Cycling) taking the lead on education programs targeting grades 3-6. We have pilot programs throughout the province and established programs in Metro Van and the CRD. We’re also efforting to establish this as core curriculum throughout the province.
In my view training should be mandatory, if not through licensing then through some other mechanism. The problem is exacerbated by the advent of e-bikes (not in and of itself a bad thing) most of which are considerably heavier and difficult to manoeuvre and therefore a greater threat to pedestrians.
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Here is what I witnessed at a 4 way stop in Fairfield.
I was stopped and opposing me was a Victoria police car. A helmet-less cyclist, talking on a cell phone rode through the stop sign where I was stopped.
The constables in the VPD car did not/could not or did not want to pursue it!
The anger brewing between cyclists and motorists is increasing!
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pedestrians are hazardous to cyclists