Cyclists and pedestrians

[Even Steven]

[quote="lesliepaul" I rode for many, many years and my #1 goal was to make it home with out incident........NOT to make a statement about MY cycling rights to the road.[/quote]

Nobody rides on the road with traffic to make any kind of statements. People bike on a road because they need to go from point A to point B. If there's a dedicated bike lane - they'll be happy to use it. If lane is full of debris, they'll use the road out of necessity.

[lesliepaul]

Nobody rides on the road with traffic to make any kind of statements. People bike on a road because they need to go from point A to point B. If there's a dedicated bike lane - they'll be happy to use it. If lane is full of debris, they'll use the road out of necessity.

[/quote]


"but by law, cyclist's have as much right to a FULL lane of traffic as ANY vehicle.......no matter the speed"..........this is a comment by "spooker". Sounds like a statement to me or is it a warning to every other vehicle that cyclist's are entitled over all others and whatever happens, vehicles have to live with it.

Hope those words do not end up on a cyclist's headstone.

We have ALL witnessed cyclist's arrogance around here........its only a miracle that there are not more cycling fatalities.

[lightspeed]

Nobody rides on the road with traffic to make any kind of statements. People bike on a road because they need to go from point A to point B. If there's a dedicated bike lane - they'll be happy to use it. If lane is full of debris, they'll use the road out of necessity.

I must remember that when I see helmetless cyclists blow through red lights, ride directly through an intersection on red with vehicles crossing at 40-50kmh, and as they ride directly towards me IN MY LANE - all scenarios are where designated bike lanes exist, in both directions. And I'm talking spring to fall with clean dry clearly identified bike lanes, dry weather, normal conditions.

[Even Steven]

Sounds like a statement to me

Well may be you should get your hearing checked cause you hear things.

[Even Steven]

I must remember that when I see helmetless cyclists blow through red lights, ride directly through an intersection on red with vehicles crossing at 40-50kmh, and as they ride directly towards me IN MY LANE - all scenarios are where designated bike lanes exist, in both directions.

Sure, and I'll remember drivers who cut off each other, road rage on each other, run stop signs, speed, and drive drunk. What exactly does it prove though I'm not sure.

[60-YEARS-in-Ktown]

Just visit the three way stop at Valley and Kane rds, if you want to see cars and trucks breaking the rules at the rate of one every minute or more... so there is a lot of that going on daily in this town, not just bicycles..

[GordonH]

Just visit the three way stop at Valley and Kane rds, if you want to see cars and trucks breaking the rules at the rate of one every minute or more... so there is a lot of that going on daily in this town, not just bicycles..

In the 40+/- years of driving I've seen many times police pulling drivers over to give them a ticket. In that time I have not seen even 1 cyclist ever being ticketed.

[spooker]

In the 40+/- years of driving I've seen many times police pulling drivers over to give them a ticket. In that time I have not seen even 1 cyclist ever being ticketed.

I was directed to the parking lot behind the building the officer stopped me at to issue me a warning for my behaviour on a bicycle, I'm guessing because it was the nearest spot out of the way, I doubt any drivers saw it ... I do see cars pulled over, but not often, and comparing that to the number of tickets that are issued to cyclists (< 200 / year, need to reverify this stat) you'd have to be in the perfect spot on the exact day to see it happen ... a bicycle pulled over is pretty invisible since people would really notice the flashing lights of the cop car but not the bicycle laid on the ground

While everyone sees a cyclist without a helmet or behaving badly, the same can be said for drivers ignoring some rule ... but traffic officers being there to see and then deem it unsafe enough to issue a ticket ... perceptions aren't reality when compared to the data

And in your 40+ years ... only the last 10 years had a significant number of cyclists on the road ... (this is my assumption based on the cycling culture in North America)

[GordonH]

In the 40+/- years of driving I've seen many times police pulling drivers over to give them a ticket. In that time I have not seen even 1 cyclist ever being ticketed.

I was directed to the parking lot behind the building the officer stopped me at to issue me a warning for my behaviour on a bicycle, I'm guessing because it was the nearest spot out of the way, I doubt any drivers saw it ... I do see cars pulled over, but not often, and comparing that to the number of tickets that are issued to cyclists (< 200 / year, need to reverify this stat) you'd have to be in the perfect spot on the exact day to see it happen ... a bicycle pulled over is pretty invisible since people would really notice the flashing lights of the cop car but not the bicycle laid on the ground

While everyone sees a cyclist without a helmet or behaving badly, the same can be said for drivers ignoring some rule ... but traffic officers being there to see and then deem it unsafe enough to issue a ticket ... perceptions aren't reality when compared to the data

And in your 40+ years ... only the last 10 years had a significant number of cyclists on the road ... (this is my assumption based on the cycling culture in North America)

It absolutely no secret there are bad drivers on the roads/highways, just as there are cyclist breaking traffic laws as well.
They both deserved to be ticketed, to do so there would need to be police on pretty well every street corner (not going to happen).

1 huge different between drivers & cyclist, only 1 need to be licensed (before you answer this, I'm well aware they still drive breaking traffic laws) the other just need to be able to peddle.

[spooker]

1 huge different between drivers & cyclist, only 1 need to be licensed (before you answer this, I'm well aware they still drive breaking traffic laws) the other just need to be able to peddle.

And yes, society has treated cycling as a "fringe" activity for decades since the automobile took over ... sayings like "as easy as riding a bike" don't do it justice in the traffic environment we have now ... but in essence when you pass the driving test you're getting "a license to kill" ... whereas walking down the sidewalk or pedalling a bike is more "a license to be killed" ...

People do need to take things seriously ... there are plenty of classes available for people to learn how to bike safely for all concerned ... but the attitude of most is that if you can stay upright and apply the brakes you know everything you need to know

I'll argue to my dying breathe against licensing cyclists ... it just gets too complicated when you have kids at the age of 3 and 4 out there on two-wheels ... and then you start meddling with the affairs of parents ... not to mention that we need to lower the barriers to cycling so that more people can do it safely to get away from our unsustainable reliance on the automobile ...

Kelowna is growing at a fantastic rate ... would you rather see more cars or more bicycles? (before you answer this, I am alluding to the good type of cyclist who knows how to use the road safely for all)

[GordonH]

1 huge different between drivers & cyclist, only 1 need to be licensed (before you answer this, I'm well aware they still drive breaking traffic laws) the other just need to be able to peddle.

And yes, society has treated cycling as a "fringe" activity for decades since the automobile took over ... sayings like "as easy as riding a bike" don't do it justice in the traffic environment we have now ... but in essence when you pass the driving test you're getting "a license to kill" ... whereas walking down the sidewalk or pedalling a bike is more "a license to be killed" ...

People do need to take things seriously ... there are plenty of classes available for people to learn how to bike safely for all concerned ... but the attitude of most is that if you can stay upright and apply the brakes you know everything you need to know

I'll argue to my dying breathe against licensing cyclists ... it just gets too complicated when you have kids at the age of 3 and 4 out there on two-wheels ... and then you start meddling with the affairs of parents ... not to mention that we need to lower the barriers to cycling so that more people can do it safely to get away from our unsustainable reliance on the automobile ...

Kelowna is growing at a fantastic rate ... would you rather see more cars or more bicycles? (before you answer this, I am alluding to the good type of cyclist who knows how to use the road safely for all)

Everyone should be welcomed to use the road system, unfortunately on those roads are a number of dumb es either on/or in their mode of transportation. Just as there are those who follow rules/laws of the road, they are not the problem, its other group (now part of that other group only happens to be out at night with no lights/reflectors & wearing dark clothing).

I've had my fare share of close calls (I have never hit anyone vehicle or cyclist in 40+/- years of driving, watch this I just jinxed myself) with both other vehicles & cyclist (vast majority of cycle ones are those using wrong side of the road, yes I do look both direction before pulling out spooker. Cyclist can come up rather quickly).

[60-YEARS-in-Ktown]

There was a time cyclists were more plentiful, because at first cars were not affordable.. like 105 years ago.
I have been pulled over on a bicycle at least 3 times in the last 10 years...

[dirtybiker]

I have been pulled over on a bicycle at least 3 times in the last 10 years...

That I do not doubt, I've seen you ride !