Bikers should ‘grab a brain’
Spandex + pedal bike = lack of brain activity.
There is overwhelming proof in ongoing studies about pedal bikers developing a common disease called I’velostmycommonsensesinceIboughtmybikealitis.
As we all know, it was very icy Tuesday morning. I have a 10-minute drive on the highway and in that short time I witnessed three pedal bikers riding in the middle of the highway, forcing vehicles into oncoming traffic and risking driving off the slippery highway.
I, as well as most Yukoners, do not understand you demented people. If we hit you, we have to live with that for the rest of our lives. That or having a head-on collision with traffic resulting in death.
Do you really want to be responsible for that? Because you are giving us no choice in the matter, I for one am not putting up with this anymore. If the law isn’t going to take care of this, I guess we will have to deal with it in the old-fashioned way.
The roads and highways are for vehicles and unless you are one, stay the hell off. You are supposed to be riding single file, and you do not obey that law either, and take up the whole side of the highway.
There is a cure for this disease. It’s called grab a brain.
Rita Smith
Whitehorse
9 Comments
I realize my letter was written in anger….so please excuse my use of language. I find, however, I have to resort to using this language to portray my frusteration about this subject. I have spoken with bylaw and RCMP and BOTH agree that riding on the left hand side of the white line on the highway, is illegal. This is a matter of the Motor Vehicles Act and the Senior Bylaw Constable, Scott Saborine, states in #2(b) Under Bicycle Operation…He shall ride as near as practicable to the right hand side of the highway…and #5 states…No person operating a bicycle chall ride it upon a highway if there is a usable path adjacent to the highway intended for the use of bicycles and designated as such….so grow a brain. QUIT PUTTING PEOPLES LIVES AT RISK!!!!!! I am SICK of having to drive AROUND pedal bikers on the highway…WHERE I PAY FOR INSURANCE AND REGISTRATION!!!! Its going to obviously take one of you thick headed cyclists to get run over, or have a head on collision on the highway…for you to realize you are causing a HUGE problem on the roads. I don’t care about in town…I care about the highway where the speed limit is 90km an hour. How can you POSSIBLY think vehicles can stop in time or react in time to avoid hitting you? I can`t believe there are people that think I am being unreasonable when all I want to do is prevent an accident. Tune in for my next letter that should be out any day.
Dear PFP: You’re wrong. The sign on the Riverdale bridge says the opposite. It says “Cyclists on bridge”. There’s another sign to any cyclists who may want to avoid the narrow roadway; it says to walk bicycles on the sidewalk. That’s because, as Mr. Rutherford pointed out, bikes are considered vehicles and are required to be ridden on the roadway, and prohibited from being ridden on the sidewalk. Maybe people like you should try riding a bicycle to work from Riverdale instead of clogging up the roadways and our lungs with your trucks and cars.
Maybe Cyclists should have to get Registered and Insurance just like “ALL” other motor vehicles? especially since we have to do it now with our “SNOWMOBILES + ATV’S”
Dearest Rita.
Thank you for helping me out..You see I’ve been looking for a short passage or paragraph that would be the bench mark of stupid, badly written, laughable crap. You nailed it !!!!
Rita, you are completely wrong in your assumptions here. First, the Motor Vehicle Act applies to bicyles. Part 13 specifically states: “a person operating a bicycle, motor cycle, moped, or snowmobile on a highway has all the rights and is subject to all the duties that the driver of a vehicle has…”
In short, they have equal rights to the road that any other vehicle has. Yes, cyclists are supposed to ride as close to the right hand side of the road as possible, but in winter or before the highway sides are cleaned, that is often difficult or impossible. Therefore, in such cases, YOU are the one required to accomodate the speed at which they are travelling and to pass them at a time and in a manner that is safe. Is it frustrating when you are stuck behind a slower vehicle? Yup. However, the law is quite clear here and your complaint indicates that you should become a bit more familiar with it.
As for “not putting up with it anymore,” I would recommend not making threats, veiled or otherwise, in a public forum. I would suggest a sending a nice apology letter as a followup.
Bikers in this town are idiots. nuff said. P.S. Bridge in riverdale says “WALK YOUR BIKE ACROSS BRIDGE” not Drive across bridge where you slow down morning traffic
Rita, I hope you have a big bumper. But I agree completely. If a bike is on the SIDE of the road, then whatever, I can move a bit out of my way to go around them. However if they were going down the MIDDLE of my lane I’d be pissed.
Go get ‘em, Rita. We’re with you. What do you mean by “I guess we will have to deal with it in the old-fashioned way.” What do you have in mind?
ve·hi·cle/ˈvēəkəl/
Noun: A thing used for transporting people or goods, esp. on land, such as a car, truck, or cart.
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