There is an article from Fredricton NB today talking about installing a new digital radar detection system to detect bicycles at intersections. Now while I am glad this city is doing that because it means motorcycles will no longer have to wait for a car to come along and trip the in ground sensors at a traffic light, I am pissed at the same time.
Bicycle riders have become a pet peeve with me.
You see I live on a street where millions of dollars were spent to revamp our road after the city of Grande Prairie, in their great wisdom punched a dead end street out to the bypass which has made our street a race track. They installed these really stupid planters in the middle of the road so snow clearing is a challenge where it used to be a breeze, getting out of your drive way is harder than ever and because the new bike paths they made are on the outside of the vehicle parking - yeah you have to be doubly fearful you might hit some one who is actually using the bike path.
The goal - to slow traffic down (Traffic that never existed before they opened our street up to the bypass) - has it worked - NO.
Our street is still a race track.
I am SOOOO tired of people on bicycles that have zero regard for the rules of the road, who are catered to with these wonderful paths and gadgets at the expense of the rest of us - why?
They do NOT pay to use the roads the way we who drive trucks, cars, vans, SUV's and motorcycles do, they do not know the rules of the road and few exhibit any kind of common sense out there.
I think it is high time to start licensing bicycle riders, insuring and registering them so that they help to pay for these special lanes, and if they injure a pedestrian by riding on the side walk that there is recourse for the person who is injured.
Every day I see bicyclists who ride on the side walk in front of my home. Why when there is a bike path for them to use is beyond me. It cost me as a tax payer a ton and yet they do not use it and when I kindly point out that there is a path for them to use they look at me like I am a freak and go about their business of wreaking havoc and mayhem on the side walk user.
Side WALKS are for walking on, not riding a bicycle.
You should NOT be riding your bike through a cross WALK - hence the term cross WALK.
Bicycle riders should have to have a license - a plate to identify the offenders by- we did when we were kids so why not now?
Bicycle riders should have to carry insurance so that they understand it is NOT their right to ride on the side walk and mow a little old lady in her walker over and so that when they strike a vehicle and scratch the hell out of the paint that it gets repaired without costing the vehicle driver on his/her insurance.
I can not talk as effectively about bicycle riders in other cities, but here in Grande Prairie the majority that I come across are rude, act entitled and have not got a clue when it comes to what their behaviours on the side walks and roads of this country are causing. I have witnessed so many stupid, selfish behaviours by people who ride on my street's side walks and I am angry.
Then there are those who ride on the highway - I saw a ton of bicyclists on my trip this summer and the majority were riding side by side instead of single file. Slowing traffic up and why? Because in many regions there are not large enough paved shoulders for them to ride on. If we motorists, motorcycle riders and commercial drivers are to treat them like any other road user then, they - the bicyclist, should have to follow the rules of the road. Single file on the highway. Ride on the shoulder NOT the road. Shoulder is gravel? Tough - that's where you belong.
If we are going to invest millions across this country to accommodate those on bicycles - which I think is a great idea for the environment and could ease congestion on the road ways - I think we need to do so in a smarter fashion.
We need to require helmets, proper safety gear, licenses, registrations and insurance.
We need to teach these people the rules of the road and how to get along with others in traffic.
And when they break the law, like every other road user, they need to be fined, given demerits and have their PL/PD insurance go up.
Until we do that, they are just another scourge on those who pay licensing fees that go towards road maintenance and upgrades. They scoot in and out of traffic in a way that is unsafe, they use side WALKS for riding on, they use cross WALKS to get around a light instead of walking their bike through the intersection - they seldom signal, they seldom look back to see who they might be holding up and why?
BECAUSE NO ONE HAS TAUGHT them the right way to behave out there.
I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on this topic - am I the only one who has experienced these behaviours? I bet not....
In Other News:
An electric motorcycle sets a new land speed record
In BC the RCMP are saying that even with stiff new laws for cell phone, speeding and drinking and driving - MOTORISTS are NOT getting it.
Under the Rider Down section on our site there are four more crashes reported...
There are a ton of events gearing up for this last bit of the summer - if you have the chance check out our events calendars and the news feeds to see what's on in your region!
If you are riding today, PLEASE, please, please, please ride like EVERYONE around you is BLIND and can not see you and use respect with that right hand...
Belt Drive Betty
Editor of Canada's ONLY weekly Newspaper for Motorcyclists - The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
Bicycle riders have become a pet peeve with me.
You see I live on a street where millions of dollars were spent to revamp our road after the city of Grande Prairie, in their great wisdom punched a dead end street out to the bypass which has made our street a race track. They installed these really stupid planters in the middle of the road so snow clearing is a challenge where it used to be a breeze, getting out of your drive way is harder than ever and because the new bike paths they made are on the outside of the vehicle parking - yeah you have to be doubly fearful you might hit some one who is actually using the bike path.
The goal - to slow traffic down (Traffic that never existed before they opened our street up to the bypass) - has it worked - NO.
Our street is still a race track.
I am SOOOO tired of people on bicycles that have zero regard for the rules of the road, who are catered to with these wonderful paths and gadgets at the expense of the rest of us - why?
They do NOT pay to use the roads the way we who drive trucks, cars, vans, SUV's and motorcycles do, they do not know the rules of the road and few exhibit any kind of common sense out there.
I think it is high time to start licensing bicycle riders, insuring and registering them so that they help to pay for these special lanes, and if they injure a pedestrian by riding on the side walk that there is recourse for the person who is injured.
Every day I see bicyclists who ride on the side walk in front of my home. Why when there is a bike path for them to use is beyond me. It cost me as a tax payer a ton and yet they do not use it and when I kindly point out that there is a path for them to use they look at me like I am a freak and go about their business of wreaking havoc and mayhem on the side walk user.
Side WALKS are for walking on, not riding a bicycle.
You should NOT be riding your bike through a cross WALK - hence the term cross WALK.
Bicycle riders should have to have a license - a plate to identify the offenders by- we did when we were kids so why not now?
Bicycle riders should have to carry insurance so that they understand it is NOT their right to ride on the side walk and mow a little old lady in her walker over and so that when they strike a vehicle and scratch the hell out of the paint that it gets repaired without costing the vehicle driver on his/her insurance.
I can not talk as effectively about bicycle riders in other cities, but here in Grande Prairie the majority that I come across are rude, act entitled and have not got a clue when it comes to what their behaviours on the side walks and roads of this country are causing. I have witnessed so many stupid, selfish behaviours by people who ride on my street's side walks and I am angry.
Then there are those who ride on the highway - I saw a ton of bicyclists on my trip this summer and the majority were riding side by side instead of single file. Slowing traffic up and why? Because in many regions there are not large enough paved shoulders for them to ride on. If we motorists, motorcycle riders and commercial drivers are to treat them like any other road user then, they - the bicyclist, should have to follow the rules of the road. Single file on the highway. Ride on the shoulder NOT the road. Shoulder is gravel? Tough - that's where you belong.
If we are going to invest millions across this country to accommodate those on bicycles - which I think is a great idea for the environment and could ease congestion on the road ways - I think we need to do so in a smarter fashion.
We need to require helmets, proper safety gear, licenses, registrations and insurance.
We need to teach these people the rules of the road and how to get along with others in traffic.
And when they break the law, like every other road user, they need to be fined, given demerits and have their PL/PD insurance go up.
Until we do that, they are just another scourge on those who pay licensing fees that go towards road maintenance and upgrades. They scoot in and out of traffic in a way that is unsafe, they use side WALKS for riding on, they use cross WALKS to get around a light instead of walking their bike through the intersection - they seldom signal, they seldom look back to see who they might be holding up and why?
BECAUSE NO ONE HAS TAUGHT them the right way to behave out there.
I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on this topic - am I the only one who has experienced these behaviours? I bet not....
In Other News:
An electric motorcycle sets a new land speed record
In BC the RCMP are saying that even with stiff new laws for cell phone, speeding and drinking and driving - MOTORISTS are NOT getting it.
Under the Rider Down section on our site there are four more crashes reported...
There are a ton of events gearing up for this last bit of the summer - if you have the chance check out our events calendars and the news feeds to see what's on in your region!
If you are riding today, PLEASE, please, please, please ride like EVERYONE around you is BLIND and can not see you and use respect with that right hand...
Belt Drive Betty
Editor of Canada's ONLY weekly Newspaper for Motorcyclists - The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
Is it dangerous for a cyclist to ride on a sidewalk?
ReplyDeleteRead this and form your own opinion.
http://www.thestar.com/article/678179
I appreciate the link. It is about high time we make clear and specific laws about bicycles where should they ride? How should they conduct themselves and a licensing system with plates, registration and insurance - JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE who uses the roads.
ReplyDeleteI wished though you would have signed your name - I dislike anonymous comments but understand that not everyone wants a million accounts everywhere.
They should have to carry liability insurance also.
ReplyDeleteBernie C
Exactly as I state in the editorial - PL/PD Insurance, license, registration and plates. They have to take a road course and a written test - we did as kids - where was I when that changed?
ReplyDelete