Editor:
Who has the right of way – the runners or the cars?
Imagine if three to four times a week you were driving in your car, and suddenly you had a long line of five to six gang members walking towards you, unyielding to your right of way as a moving vehicle.
They stare you down, daring you to be the first to move, as they are going to lay claim to the entire roadway; it is theirs and you must drive on to the other side of the road in order to make way for them.
They travel in packs and take over the streets of South Surrey/White Rock most Monday and Wednesday nights, plus Saturday mornings.
This would be unacceptable. People would be up in arms, the police would be called in and we would quickly have our streets back.
Well, we do have this problem, and I encounter it regularly. However, these “gang” members are dressed as marathon trainers, and they are not on the RCMP wanted posters but are instead respected members of our community – our doctors, teachers, business owners and parents.
Yet, for some reason, they feel that because they are “getting fit,” they have the right to take over the road ways – 18 Avenue being of particular concern for me – and to hold priority over the cars.
There have been too many times when I have had to come to a complete stop because these runners, heading towards me, have refused to separate form and instead play a game of chicken. They know I will not hit them, so instead they keep running, and I must move to the opposite side of the road so that they can continue to keep pace with each other.
I support staying fit, but I do not support ignorance and the blatant display of arrogance that these runners seem to have when it comes to who has the right of way.
The roads are dangerous as it is. Please don’t make them any more deadly in your desire to show the world who is superior. Eventually the cars will win – by accident and with tragic consequences.
Carolyn Barone, Surrey
