Skip to content

The cycling menace

Biking is a great means of getting around and most cyclists are respectful and law-abiding.

Biking is a great means of getting around and most cyclists are respectful and law-abiding.

The glaring exception is the spandex-clad testosterone-fueled swarms of wannabe racers.

We live on a street which unfortunately happens to be on a couple of racing clubs’ route and thus have the dubious pleasure every Saturday and Sunday morning to watch them roar past — two and three abreast — at speeds which significantly exceed the posted limits.

Putting pedestrians in harm’s way and impeding traffic is of no concern to these people. Anyone brave enough to attempt to cross the street way ahead of the swarm, or honk their horn to encourage single file biking is subjected to vulgarity of both the verbal and non-verbal kind. Not exactly improving the public image of cycling.

One weekend in June, one biker pulled out of his swarm to pass the two riding abreast in front of him, lost control and came off his bike at full tilt, splat into the middle of the traffic lane, narrowly escaping being run over by a pickup truck. This self-inflicted injury was sufficiently serious enough to earn him an ambulance ride to the hospital but hasn’t encouraged his cohort to behave any less recklessly since.

In short, they’re a menace. Perhaps the police should start ticketing them to get their attention and start obeying the law.

Tom Body

North Saanich