Extreme cyclists are putting others at risk
Re A bike lane is usually a good thing for cyclists, but not in this case, June 27
A good article by Jack Lakey on the safety of bike lanes for cyclists. The story is about a converging spot at Bay and Harbor streets where the bike lane, for safety reasons, does not continue past Bay Street and ends at an angled curb.
Mike Ball emailed Lakey to say that, from his balcony, he has witnessed several cyclists who have been tossed from their bikes, some requiring an ambulance to hospital.
He describes the cyclists as “guys with $2,000 bikes … wearing spandex.” And, that if they catch a green light, they maintain high speed and crash at the angled curb.
It is suggested that better advanced notice via signage would alert these cyclists in time.
Certainly, better signage will help most cyclists. However, I suggest that the spandex boys are actually on great carbon frame bikes in the $3,000 to $10,000 range and they do not adhere to common road sense or signage.
They are skilled riders who put others at risk with their speed and proximity to others.
They go through red lights and stop signs if it looks safe to them, and use sidewalks as passing lanes as they weave through children, pedestrians and other less-skilled riders.
I see this every day and particularly on weekends from my condo on Queens
Quay West. Also, I ride in the middle of this chaos, on my cheap $2,000 Roubaix on the Goodman Trail.
This is a real safety issue for all. They refuse to slow down and they put their pleasure ahead of the safety of others.
In addition to signage, it is time to have police on bikes on weekends to monitor the situation.