My son’s Grade 11/12 gym class went biking recently for the first time. In two hours, there were three near misses with vehicles where drivers were not paying attention or sharing the road.
A driver ran a stop sign, almost hitting the teacher and a couple of students. Another driver was waiting at a four-way stop and decided to proceed while there were bikes crossing the intersection. The scariest was the driver speeding down Okanagan Avenue who moved into the bike lane while going around a corner forcing a youth to swerve into the curb, launching the youth off his bike and onto the grass, which thankfully prevented him from sliding down the hill.
The kids were all in the bike lane, on the right side of the road, riding single file and, thankfully, wearing helmets. The driver was not even courteous enough to stop and ensure the youth was okay or that there was no damage to the bike. Please remind drivers that there are cyclists out there and cars can kill. No one wants to have another tragedy.
Janice Richardson
Vernon
