It has taken 20 years of living on this rock to be angry enough to write a letter to the editor. Why now? Because last Saturday morning, at 11:15 a.m., when I drove out onto Highway 20 near the Deception Pass Bridge, there were droves of bicyclists headed south towards Oak Harbor.
I have nothing against bicyclists as a whole, they have every right to ride. It’s their manner of riding that got me all riled up as I drove to town. Some were riding three abreast, putting the outside bike either in my lane of traffic, on the white line, or close enough to make me swerve towards oncoming traffic. Some were riding their tire right on the white line as if it were some sort of game. Some would swerve, or wobble over the line into my lane. Several times I had to make the choice of crossing the center line to make room for them. Yes they have the right to ride, but at what expense? My getting hit by oncoming traffic to avoid them?
When I got near Ault Field Road there were red lights flashing all over. At least five responding vehicles and I saw a couple of bicycles lying on the ground. Those are our tax dollars at work, the ones for Island County, the ones we islanders pay. I would guess that most of those riders don’t live here or pay local taxes. From what I had seen on the drive in I would have to think whatever happened could very well have been caused by the cyclist, not any cars. Of course we have to respond to an accident or injury, but these large groups should be banned because of their flagrant disregard for the rules of the road and lack of common sense.
If it’s tourism dollars that some would argue about to have all these cyclists, then tell me, how much money can you carry in a spandex suit? From what I observed they cycled into town and then right back out!
At 2 p.m. a friend stopped by on their way back from Mount Vernon and said there was a three-car accident near the bridge, because of the bicycles. I don’t know if that’s true, but again, it wouldn’t surprise me after what I saw with my own eyes. Are these riders arrogant or ignorant? The ones riding three abreast and intentionally on the white line seem to be just plain arrogant. I dare you to hit me. Others just seem ignorant or oblivious to the danger to all involved in riding in the traffic lane and not even looking back to see if there are cars behind them when they do so. I also saw them riding in the right-hand turn lanes at Northgate Terrace, never looking back for traffic, just buzzing along where the cars should be, not the bicycles. Why do the car drivers have to obey the laws and be on the defensive? If I wasn’t swerving and watching and slowing down I could easily have hit one of them. Who’s watching them? Why aren’t they obeying the laws?
Shouldn’t the supporters or the sponsors of this event be policing what’s going on out on the course? Shouldn’t they be doing something about their riders that are riding in an unsafe manner? Even though I saw more bad riders than good, I would like to at least say thank you to those who did stay in their own lane, in single file, without crossing the line or forcing me to swerve. You are welcome to ride whereever you wish, this is America after all. To the rest of you — stay home, or at least aggravate those in your own neighborhood, not ours!!
Ronnie Sitko
lives in Oak Harbor.
