There was a letter printed in the paper this week responding to my column last week.

Apparently the heading "Bikes have rights to the road too" made the writer "bristle".

Put brake on bad cyclists

Published: Wednesday, May 13, 2009

The Editor,

Re: "Bikes have rights to the road too," News, May 6.

I must take exception to some of the statements Brad Kilburn made in his column. The heading "Bikes have rights to the road too" made me bristle. As both a cyclist and a motorist, I believe I can see the issue from both sides.

If cyclists want to have equal rights with motorists, they must then abide by the same rules of the road. For those cyclists who are obviously uninformed, this includes STOPPING at stop signs and red traffic lights, and indicating when intending to turn. This is for their own safety as much as anyone else's, so why they persist in not doing it is beyond me.

Amazingly, it is the professional-looking cyclists from the bike clubs or groups who are the worst offenders. They descend en masse on Steveston and **** Road every weekend and make driving a nightmare for anyone brave enough to venture out.

To make their lack of observance of road etiquette even worse, they insist on riding two or three abreast, forcing cars to slow to a crawl and follow them until they deign to move over. If you should be bold enough to say anything to them, you get the one-fingered salute or verbal abuse -- as if YOU are the one at fault!

Please, all you cyclists out there, stop embarrassing us law-abiding bike-riders. Have some respect and consideration for other road users, and maybe you will be afforded the same.

Remember -- it IS a two-way street, in more ways than one!

Carlie Holland

Richmond