Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Stay off sidewalks, police tell cyclists

CBC News - Saskatchewan - Stay off sidewalks, police tell cyclists

This should go without saying, but then again, I learned the hard way when I was 14 years old.

Bicycles are vehicles, and as such, they must follow the rules of the road like any other vehicle.

"Cyclists are considered vehicles and are expected to follow the same rules of the road as motorists," Saskatoon police said in a news release.

I got a valuable lesson at the time - it cost me $60. It also gave me a really interesting perspective on the bicycle lane. Whenever I listen to Murray Wood ranting and raving about how bikes don't belong on the road in traffic (they do - they're supposed to keep to the right hand lane and NOT obstruct traffic unless they are turning left) I remember back to that Remembrance Day when I got ticketed on my bike.

Long story short, not a day goes by that I don't see someone doing something stupid on a bike. Be it driving on the sidewalk, driving down the wrong side of the street (today), blowing signs or breaking every other rule of the road, the point is that there should be better education as to the status of bikes on the road, and how to properly obey the rules of the road.

1 comment:

  1. It drives me insane to watch someone on a bike switch between the road and the sidewalk depending on what he perceives as the path of least resistance.

    Sidewalks are for pedestrians. Anyone on a bike should be on the road and following all traffic laws including stopping at red lights instead of blowing through in the crosswalk.

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