Same Rules
Dear Editor: Same road, same rules. A bumper sticker you see and what we hear from the bicycle community regards to cars sharing the road with bikes. I’m all for that.
Lately for me it has become keenly obvious that the majority of cyclists in Sitka only adhere to the first part of this slogan. In the past couple of months I have observed over multiple incidences of bikes blowing through stop signs as if they were merely a suggestion. Matter of fact I don’t really recall seeing any in this time period actually stopping at a stop sign.
Whether it is gaining momentum coming down Jeff Davis Street and turning onto Lincoln Street with nary a glance at the stop sign, I mean hey, gotta keep that momentum right? Or not stopping at a stop sign when going uphill because stopping and starting is such a hassle on a hill, right? How about the dad with the baby trailer last summer, going against the red light on the SMC Road construction project, hey why wait?
Or my favorite, sitting at the stoplight at Lake and Lincoln a week ago and watching a cyclist pull to the front of the line of traffic, look both ways, and take a left on a red, because, no cars were coming, cool right?
I’m sure the bike community wants to say that these are the minority of the cyclists in town, but I would hardily disagree. I’m asking the bike community to do their part to make Sitka a bike friendly community. Same road, same rules.
Brian Massey, Sitka
