Ticket offending cyclists

I had the opportunity to wait for my spouse while she had her hair cut on Martin Street in Penticton last week.

As I waited and watched the activity on the bike lanes, this is what I saw happening. There were bikes riding the wrong way down Martin Street and not using the bike lanes and there were bikes riding on the sidewalk, forcing people to get out of their way.

Can I drive my car the wrong way on a one-way street or drive it on the sidewalk?

Drivers have to obey the rules of the road, so why not people who ride bikes? They seem to think they can do whatever they want. Maybe it is time to issue tickets to those behaving badly.

I am tired of the people defending these unused and abused (bike) lanes. I also noticed a person riding a bike who did not think they had to stop at a crosswalk and give the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the road.

Get these (cyclists) off the road or make them pay fines, as drivers do for not (obeying) the rules of the road. Just because one rides a bike, that does not make them special. They are accountable to obey rules as well.

I challenge bylaw officers and city counsellors to spend one hour on Martin Street so they can see for themselves what is going on.

Brian Kettle