Some angsty comments were flying around online after a report from Cochrane RCMP described an incident of three cyclists riding side-by-side in a driving lane. The report describes a motorist approaching the bicyclists with her vehicle and honking once, hoping to get the cyclists to line up in single file on the shoulder. The bicyclists reportedly did not move over and spit in the direction of the vehicle driver. While riding side-by-side is illegal for cyclists, the comments online toward the cyclists took a dark turn, some commenters even threatening to drive cyclists off the road. Dan Richter, the owner of a local bike shop Café Roubaix, described the comments as “violent” and said he took screenshots of what appeared to be threats toward cyclists. “I was quite upset because it seems like cyclists are getting lumped in as you know horrible people,” Richter said. “I’m like that’s someone’s mom, that’s someone’s dad, brother, sister, daughter, son. People get upset when they see cyclists side-by-side. Yep, it’s against the rules but you know what, you can see them and it makes it quicker for them to get around.” Richter said he’s an advocate for changing the law toward allowing cyclists to ride side-by-side since in some circumstances he said it makes cyclists more visible and easier to pass. “It’s not a cyclist it’s somebody, it’s a person. That’s the part that upsets me,” Richter said. “I’m out on the road. I’m someone’s dad, someone’s son, I’m a husband, I’m a brother. And someone's upset because they actually have to pass me. It’s ridiculous.” Richter said cyclists should remember to follow traffic laws as well as special cycling laws. “It's important to be a little more visible, follow rules of the road, and be very aware of your surroundings. One thing I’m not very keen on and I discourage are people that listen to headphones while they ride,” he said. Instead, Richter said to listen with just one earbud in your right ear if you are going to listen to music. Cst. Kary Moore with Cochrane RCMP echoed these sentiments. “On top of the motor vehicle laws the bikes have to obey, they also have to obey special bike laws, which means single file, right-hand side of the road,” Moore said. Richter said when it comes down to it, the dispute between cyclists and drivers is about people respecting one another. Most cyclists are also drivers, he added. “People are jerks, cyclists are jerks, drivers are jerks, people are jerks. There’s always going to be some dope on the road whether it’s a cyclist or a driver — that’s society,” Richter said.
