Laura J. Davis

Last week as I was driving down Wonderland Rd., (for my American friends it is a very busy four lane road) something whizzed by to my right that startled me so much, I almost had an accident. What was it? A  man on a dirt bike, on the bike path. I wasn't sure what surprised me more - seeing a man on a dirt bike decked out with helmet, knee pads and elbow pads, or seeing him on the bike path! He shouldn't have been on the path, he should have been on the road. What he was doing was illegal.

Shortly after that, on the same road, I had to swerve to avoid two cyclists riding side by side. Again, they were adults decked out with helmets and full riding gear. Their spandex suits indicated they were serious cyclists. Serious or not, they should have been on the bike path provided for them, not blocking traffic by riding beside each other. Has the world gone crazy? If it has a motor you drive it on the road and bicycle paths are for bicycles - not motorized vehicles!

According to Statistics Canada, in 1993 more than 10,000 cyclists were injured in car collisions. On top of that, 4 in 10 children and the majority of teenagers and adults did not wear helmets. Hopefully, those numbers are lower now, but when I see cyclists that insist on using the road, but don't obey the rules of traffic, I have to wonder. Yesterday, a cyclist who was travelling on the road and did not want to wait for the red light, decided that she wanted to be a pedestrian and almost got herself killed. She crossed the street with the light, but it said don't walk. Another decided that the four-way stop in front of a local public school didn't apply to him. He kept going. He's lucky the other car saw him and slammed on her brakes.

Is it the attitude of most cyclists that cars should make room for them? Is it the attitude of most drivers that cyclists should get out of the way? Like it or not we have to share the road, however to my biking friends, I have some words of advice:

• Wear your helmets, especially if you insist on using the road where a bike path is provided. Your brain is the only one you've got - protect it!
  
• Use the bike path. If there is one available why in the world are you blocking traffic by driving on the road? There is no excuse. If the bike path is there use it.
• Don't ride side by side, especially if you are on the road. You are not as fast as a car, you never will be. What you are doing is rude and is holding up the traffic behind you.
  
• Obey the rules of the road. You can't be a vehicle one minute and a pedestrian the next. Drivers expect you to follow the rules and those rules are there to protect you.
• Don't weave in and out of traffic just because you can. It's dangerous and stupid.
• Use your hand signals, drivers aren't mind readers.
• Use reflective gear on your person and on your bike when driving at night.
  

I'm sure all cyclists are mad at me now, but it had to be said. Now, everyone go out and enjoy the day and watch out for each other, be respectful and most of all be safe!