Road Rats in South OK and Similk.

[Steve-O]

I don't live in the south Okanagan but have driven down that way a number of times and for the life of me, can't think of any area where there is not an adequate shoulder for a cyclist to ride safely. I do know on weekends there are quite a number of cyclists on the road, but seriously, what is the inconvenience? A few moments at best until you can go safely around? Maybe you have to slide a few inches over to the left to leave a safe gap as you pass.

How about an example or two without the drama and exaggeration? Where are there are no shoulders? How often does this happen on a trip? Every time? Once a week? I'm thinking a mountain is being built out of a molehill here.

[Smurf]

How come I can get fined for driving a bit too slow in the left lane.

How come I can get pulled over and fined or even taken off the road for driving too slow and impeding traffic.

How come I am expected to pull over as soon as reasonably possible and let a line of traffic past if I am holding them up for some reason.

But a bike or bikers can line up traffic behind them with no consequences or expectations at least from the biking crowd.
Should they not be required to get off the road and let traffic by the same as a motor vehicle.

[Smurf]

There could be some making of a mountain out of a molehill but I think part of the problem is the ever increasing amount of both vehicle and bike traffic and the two are fitting less and less well together. Something is going to have to be done and soon.

[driveangry]

How about an example or two without the drama and exaggeration? Where are there are no shoulders? How often does this happen on a trip? Every time? Once a week? I'm thinking a mountain is being built out of a molehill here.

On the connector from Keremeos to Penticton, when Penticton still had the "Iron Man", cyclists were out almost 300 days of the year, lack of snow made that possible, not just a couple but several packs at a time, 2,3, and as much as 6 wide in a pack. Using the entire lane threw the "S" curves as well as the right lane on the four lane part.

Now that it's not the Ironman anymore the cyclist traffic is less but still there.

[Pookybear]

Most of these riders in their goofy spandex costumes are not commuting on their bikes so the argument that they are helping the environment is a wash. They drive every where they need to go and then exercise on their bike and the mind set goes to I can do whatever I want on the road. People get angry with them because they hardly ever ride single file and have zero common sense as soon as they put on the silly spandex. I hate hearing that I should slow down and it will only take a few moments of my time to wait for them when they are not following the rules. I live where the spandex goofs come out in droves and take up half the road although there is bike lanes so I get sick of having to take a few seconds here and there for them.

[jusme3]

Since you cyclists are screaming for equality how about we play on an equal field. Perhaps cyclists should be required to license/ register their bikes and have plates on them so violators can be identified and ticketed . Even off road vehicles are required to do that. I drive from Kaleden to Naramata daily and at least once a day I encounter a road rat violating the rules of the road. Everything from no helmets, riding across crosswalks, cutting me (and others) off turning in front of us without signaling, riding over the white line, not riding single file, and the list goes on. It seems to me that road rats don't want equal rights, they want superior rights and that ticks me off, that and their blatant inconsideration.

[XT225]

Since cyclists must abide by the same rules of the road as motorists, then why are so many of them breaking the rules continually? ie: no helmets...a law that is BC wide and most often ignored), lights at night required, no riding on sidewalks unless unsafe to ride on the roadway. Most of the triathalon types obey most of the rules (you never see them without a helmet) but there are many of the POS types who could care less about the rules. You've seen them..older kids/young adults riding BMX bikes downtown on sidewalks (where signs against this are posted), no helmets, no shirts. Real nice folk (not). These are the ones that I would like to see clean up their act.

[Jo]

Since cyclists must abide by the same rules of the road as motorists, then why are so many of them breaking the rules continually?

Probably for the same reason so many motorists break the rules.

[jamapple]

Thinking the exact same thing, Jo.

Also, I have been held up, (if you want to call it that), by a cyclist on Old Vernon Rd, and know that I could go past if I move over slightly, can see an oncoming vehicle, and that vehicle won't be courteous enough to move over 1/2 a foot for a safe pass. If I see oncoming traffic, and there is a cyclist, I immediately move over to the right slightly, as to let the oncoming driver know I'm giving room for them to pass, and they do. A little bit of common sense and patience goes a long way, even though I have been given the finger by cyclists for passing them while they are 2-3 abreast, etc

[XT225]

Probably for the same reason so many motorists break the rules.

Simple solution - enforce the freakin rules of the road on ALL users!

[Jo]

Yes, of course.

However, you can enforce til the cows come home and people are still going to break those laws.

It's just the pot calling the kettle black, really. Motorists complaining that cyclists don't follow the rules. Cyclists complaining that motorists don't follow the rules.

There are only two truths:

BOTH are entitled to use of the road and damn few of either will ever abide by the rules.

One thing is certain, the motorist breaking the rules can kill a whole lot more people than the cyclist breaking the rules. So, there's that.

[antelee]

Never happen, but a mandatory Defensive Driving course for ALL users of our roads and highways?

[ToddT]

Just today, driving down Eastside Rd. line of slow traffic heading South just past Smythe, probably 5-6 cars/trucks. On the other side about half a kilometre down the road, 3-4 commercial vehicles moving quite quick heading North.
Each driver heading South has to pull into the Northbound lane to avoid the 3 wide cyclists not even attempting to move, having a conversation while in the road way. Not even going at speed lol, just non-chalantly going for a little cruise. Nice looking spandex, by the way.
On the opposite side of the road were probably 3-4 more cyclists, but these ones were in single file. Not on the shoulder, but at least in single file.

So when the Northbound lane has to veer into the Southbound lane, and the Southbound lane has to veer into the Northbound lane, what direction do you think I'm going to veer when I see the headlights of a big 'ol dump truck? Needless to say these cyclists got a nice little honk.

Cycling like you own the road is dangerous. Simple as that. Cyclists that *bleep* about "sharing the road" need to heed their own advice.

[ToddT]

*removed*

[driveangry]

One thing is certain, the motorist breaking the rules can kill a whole lot more people than the cyclist breaking the rules. So, there's that.

The cyclist breaking the rules can get himself killed and the driver will have to live with that forever even if it isn't the driver's fault.

Every type of sport requires some sort of area not on public hwy's or roadways, golf course, soccer fields, stadiums, go kart tracks, stock car racing tracks, drag strips, etc. Time for recreational cyclists to find a place for their activity , excluding those that use it as a form of transportation.