Behind the Wheel - August 29, 2007 - Inconsiderate Bicyclists

[skidmark]

Inconsiderate Bicyclists

"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."

These are just a few of the comments on bicycle riders that I have received from readers recently. If they are pedestrians, they are worried about being hurt by errant cyclists. If they are motorists, they are worried about hurting those same cyclists. All of them wish that bicycle riders would realize that they must follow the rules of the road.

I can say from experience that even adult cyclists don't believe this. 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.

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.

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?

Reference Links (http://www.drivesmartbc.ca/back_issues/2007_08_29.htm)

[3g4u]

In my opinion i think that cyclists should choose either the street or the sidewalk, but NOT both. I love how they want the same privlages as a motorvehicle but break the rules any chance they can because they are more mobile then a car. If i cant skip through traffic on my motorcycle then why should they be able to? IMO

[spikerS]

Originally posted by skidmark
Inconsiderate Bicyclists

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.

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.

good to hear, alot of cyclists scare me when having to drive near them and most are so erratic, esp downtown with bike couriers.

but now to my question, this man that received the ticket. is he charged under the highway traffic act, and if so, in this situation, will he receive demerits?

[malbadon]

The article seems odd, if its written by an officer why isn't he handing out tickets left and right to all these lawbreaking cyclists instead of just commenting on them (well, ok, he gave out that one, but the first paragraph notes him musing about kids whizzing by on the sidewalk).

I've said it before, the fact that we expect cyclists to "share the road" with 5ton trucks (and in this city, with no dedicated bike lane lines) kills cyclists. I'm talking about roads like centre street, 14th street (hey I see its getting a bike path in the northerly parts now), Macleod, etc, not the downtown core. The places where the vehicles are doing 50-80 and yet 250 pounds of person+bicycle are supposed to happily peddle along in the righthand lane and hope like hell they don't get smeared for 500 metres underneath a semi or a bus. Cause a helmet will save them...sure.

This doesn't excuse cyclists to ignore the rules (and laws of the road). Just like pedestrians should get a ticket for jaywalking (something even I do downtown), cyclists should get a ticket for blowing through stop signs, etc.

I just happen to feel there is a hell of a lot less chance of death occurring if that bicycle is up on the sidewalk with the walkers, instead if 6-12 inches away from a cement truck. The whiny mamby pamby pedestrians whine and complain, for some bizarre reason old farts moderized scooters are ok up there, but I'll take a bike vs. person collision anyday over a bike vs. car, cause I know which one has the better chance of survivability for both parties.

[Hakkola]

Originally posted by malbadon
The article seems odd, if its written by an officer why isn't he handing out tickets left and right to all these lawbreaking cyclists instead of just commenting on them.

Probably because he is retired.

[malbadon]

that'd do it :)

[skidmark]

Actually, the musings are from 3 people who wrote to me asking me to write the column on that topic...

The retired part works too, although there are times when I wish I brought a few books of tickets home with me on the last day! (Two years ago at midnight tonight, but who's counting?)

[kaput]

.

[skidmark]

I don't know about Alberta, but here in BC a ticket given to a cyclist does not result in penalty points, even if they present their driver's licence as ID when the ticket is written.

[Proboscis]

http://www.infratrans.gov.ab.ca/INFTRA_Content/docType45/Production/small_vehicle_booklet_final.pdf