Road cyclists a menace

It was almost my time. I was a millisecond from being plowed over by a guy on a road bike on Lakeshore Road. 

And I was in a flashing crosswalk just behind a woman who he had clearly seen just half a second in front of me.  He never said a word as he jammed on his brakes to swerve around me as I dove back onto the sidewalk.

Two months ago, a friend of mine, while out biking, got knocked to the ground by three road cyclists and got scratches and bruises and was left bleeding because of it. They turned back just long enough to make sure she wasn’t dead and then fled the scene without an apology or an offer to help.

These road cyclists have become a complete nuisance in Kelowna. I’m a recreational cyclist, have a bell on my bike to alert others of my presence and I am thoughtful and courteous to others. When walking up and down Knox Mountain on the road, I always thank cyclists for using their bell, but most don’t even open their mouth.

Road cyclists don’t have bells on their bikes because they add weight and aren't cool.

I have had enough. Yes, there are some road cyclists who are good people, but the ones I cross paths with most of the time are not. They ride faster than the vehicle traffic. They never abide by traffic lights or signage. They completely disregard others as if they own the roads. They never alert others they are going to pass, and they travel in packs of 10 or 15 or more and become bullies on the roads.

I refuse to become one of their victims.

Bill Ferguson