Cyclists, be more careful before you get hurt!

[davis123]

Cyclists...I think it is awesome that you are motivated to get out there and keep fit and save on traffic congestion around town, however, if a vehicle creams you because you think rules of the road do not apply to you then none of that really matters does it?

Yesterday, not one..but two morons on bikes almost went under my tire - one guy in the bike lane on Springfield...his bike went all willy nilly and he came flying out into my lane of traffic, the other guy decided to cross 4 lanes of traffic in the middle of the block, just as I was changing lanes...soooooo close! These were grown men, not kids.

If you want to ride on the road, then the rules of the road do apply to you! You cannot pick and choose which rules to follow, if there is a stop sign...STOP. When there is a right turn, and no bike lane, guess what..you do not get to go flying up to the start of the line..get in the bloody back of the line like the rest of us! I see so many just fly up there and then they almost get creamed by the person who does have the right of way to turn right.

You're zippy and small and in blind spots all the time, so watch your surroundings and what you are doing, and for gawds sake wear reflective clothes if riding in the dark, so many black ninja cyclists who have a death wish out there.

I will do my best not to hit you, so long as you do your best to be seen and follow the same rules I am following, and if you decide to be a renegade and not follow rules...well I think you know who will be hurt when it comes to a vehicle versus a spindly little bicycle.

Be careful please..and drivers make sure you ALWAYS shoulder check before turning :)

[WhenWhatWho]

Cyclists...I think it is awesome that you are motivated to get out there and keep fit and save on traffic congestion around town, however, if a vehicle creams you because you think rules of the road do not apply to you then none of that really matters does it?

Yesterday, not one..but two morons on bikes almost went under my tire - one guy in the bike lane on Springfield...his bike went all willy nilly and he came flying out into my lane of traffic, the other guy decided to cross 4 lanes of traffic in the middle of the block, just as I was changing lanes...soooooo close! These were grown men, not kids.

If you want to ride on the road, then the rules of the road do apply to you! You cannot pick and choose which rules to follow, if there is a stop sign...STOP. When there is a right turn, and no bike lane, guess what..you do not get to go flying up to the start of the line..get in the bloody back of the line like the rest of us! I see so many just fly up there and then they almost get creamed by the person who does have the right of way to turn right.

You're zippy and small and in blind spots all the time, so watch your surroundings and what you are doing, and for gawds sake wear reflective clothes if riding in the dark, so many black ninja cyclists who have a death wish out there.

I will do my best not to hit you, so long as you do your best to be seen and follow the same rules I am following, and if you decide to be a renegade and not follow rules...well I think you know who will be hurt when it comes to a vehicle versus a spindly little bicycle.

Be careful please..and drivers make sure you ALWAYS shoulder check before turning :)

License, registration(with plates), insurance, rear view mirrors and lighting should be mandatory for all mechanical modes of travel on public roads.

[Steve-O]

I started commuting on my road bike this year and have been pleasantly surprised how courteous vast majority of motorists are. Unfortunately, you can't get away from stupid people driving or riding.

[Steve-O]

Biking home on Springfield today in the bike lane and had two separate incidents where a car did not signal to turn right. Both times, I had the sense what the driver was intending and was covering the brakes and there was no issue. On holidays now so the road bike is getting put away and pulling the mtn bike out and back to worrying about bears, cougars and rattlers around Rose Valley and Smith Creek. Actually prefer them, experts say they are more afraid of me than I am of them. LOL.

[neroas]

I watch and see a cyclist riding properly then see one riding improperly heading the wrong direction towards the proper cyclist. They don't recognize the danger in what they are doing. And the same can be said for the idiots that park their cars in bike lanes. It endangers everyone even themselves. If people would follow the rules the road would be much safer.

[Captain Awesome]

I started commuting on my road bike this year and have been pleasantly surprised how courteous vast majority of motorists are. Unfortunately, you can't get away from stupid people driving or riding.

I agree, motorists are quite courteous. I try not to share busy roads with them and minimize time spent on them, but I've noticed a lot of positive in Kelowna drivers.

[Puddlejumper40]

I'm amazed at the amount of people who don't wear a helmet! I'm guessing it's never enforced and that's why the majority of people on bikes don't wear them?

I see serious riders using them but it appears the rest who just putt around town don't wear them.... What's up with that?

[Bsuds]

I saw on the News that in Vancouver over 90% of the tickets written for no helmet remain unpaid.
Maybe their bikes should be impounded until they show up with a helmet and payment! (yes I know that's not practical)

[davis123]

I'm amazed at the amount of people who don't wear a helmet! I'm guessing it's never enforced and that's why the majority of people on bikes don't wear them?

I see serious riders using them but it appears the rest who just putt around town don't wear them.... What's up with that?

With so many cyclists around Kelowna you would think someone would be out there enforcing the rules, I've never seen a cyclist 'pulled over', which really makes no sense because we are all supposed to share the road, yet vehicles have to have insurance, a licensed driver, etc. but cyclists can just jump on their bike and go cruising all over the place, maybe it is time to start insuring bicycles and licensing cyclists if they are going to ride on main roads and highways.

Police should be ticketing them the same way vehicles/driver would be ticketed, if we decided mid-block to zip across 4 lanes of traffic in our vehicle guaranteed we would be ticketed with reckless driving or something along those lines, but these cyclists can put everyone at risk and have no consequences. And drivers have no way to report them because there is nothing to identify them by.

[Puddlejumper40]

I saw on the News that in Vancouver over 90% of the tickets written for no helmet remain unpaid.
Maybe their bikes should be impounded until they show up with a helmet and payment! (yes I know that's not practical)

Wow! No wonder people don't wear them!

Bicycles are considered to be a vehicle when riding on the road? Drivers of vehicles certainly have to respect them as vehicles when travelling on the roadway and give them the same rights as other vehicles. Maybe when it's time to renew their drivers licence or renew their yearly insurance that it's mandatory to pay any unpaid fines?

[Bsuds]

And drivers have no way to report them because there is nothing to identify them by.

They are usually the one either lying under a car or complaining about being cut off!

[Captain Awesome]

I'm amazed at the amount of people who don't wear a helmet! I'm guessing it's never enforced and that's why the majority of people on bikes don't wear them?

I don't wear a helmet. I consider it my business, not someone else's.

[Bsuds]

I don't wear a helmet. I consider it my business, not someone else's.

So for the same reasoning do you not wear your seat belt?

[jimmy4321]

Even if you don't believe a helmet is any match for a collision with a vehicle. I'm willing to bet most injuries happen at very low speed , maneuvering in tight locations, just reaching for a crosswalk switch etc. and wacking your head on a light posts or something. The stupid things.

[Captain Awesome]

I'm willing to bet most injuries happen at very low speed , maneuvering in tight locations, just reaching for a crosswalk switch etc. and wacking your head on a light posts or something.

I try not to reach the crosswalk switch with my head.