Letter to the Editor - December 3: Use the bike paths

Letter to the Editor - December 3: Use the bike paths

IT was a Friday and I was on my way to and from work and again I encountered some cyclists riding on Hogbin Dr adjacent to St John Paul College.

There's a dedicated cyclist path and by choosing not to use it, these riders are frequently putting their lives and the reputations of motorists at risk.

It seems ever since the amended cyclist regulations came in, including carrying ID and having a warning device fitted, it's obvious to me these cyclists display disregard for motorists and an arrogant nature.

Sometimes they will ride very close or on the fog line and even two abreast.

Another example I witnessed was a group of several riders heading south on Solitary Islands Way between Bucca Rd and Old Bucca Rd.

They were all riding on the road abreast, holding up traffic behind them in a double white line zone when across from them was a perfectly usable bike lane.

I raised this general topic in a letter to the Advocate early this year and a reply to my letter was that the pathway was of a poor standard.

If this is true then licensing, registration and insurance should be mandatory.

This money could then be used as insurance to cover any deaths/accidents and an improved pathway to get these cyclists off the road and out of harm's way.

MARK LINNEY