This column is from “Byron the Bicyclist” to fellow cyclists in Williams Lake.
Dear fellow riders:
Since last July, I have been writing this column between Maddy the Motorist, Byron the Bicyclist and Patty the Pedestrian. The main purpose is to educate motorists.
Drivers need to know we cyclists have the right to the road. Drivers need to know how to maneuver safely around us.
Parallel parkers need to know the Dutch Reach, so we don’t get doored. Drivers need to pass us with a minimum of one metre by law but really further to be safe.
But we bicyclists have to follow rules too. In fact, the BC Motor Vehicle Act states clearly that, generally speaking, we have the same rights and responsibilities as vehicles.
Yet I see too many cyclists who ignore these rules. I see some cyclists go in the opposite direction to the lane they are in. They cross wherever the mood moves them. They don’t signal their turns or stops. When it gets dark, they have no lights or even a reflector.
The most dangerous action I saw was in January when it was quite dark. As pedestrian, I was waiting to cross the lane to the traffic island from the sidewalk near Chevron.
Seeing my reflective vest, a vehicle came to a sudden stop. I started to cross when I barely noticed an oncoming bicycle fly by me like a bat out of nowhere! The cyclist was not wearing anything bright nor had he any light.
A week or so later, my cousin in Quebec sent me this, but in French: “To all cyclists who drive through red lights without a bike light, please ensure you carry authorization to be an organ donor.” It seemed to fit the occasion.
To learn more about safer BC Cycling and the law, go to https://bccycling.ca/cycling-and-the-law. Or get the booklet Bike Sense – The How-to Guide for Cycling in British Columbia.
Signed; Bert Groenenberg
Bert Groenenberg has been
walking or cycling to work in
Williams Lakefor over 30 years.
And yes, he does drive too.
