Dear Editor,
Wherever you live in any part of the world cyclists say they are unfairly treated.
In Shepparton there are three types of cyclist, those that follow the rules, then there are others who are just ignorant of what’s around them and of course the group of younger cyclists who think it’s fun to not obey the rules and to scare anyone on the footpath or road.
I have seen many of the first lot and praise them for their efforts but today I also found twice as many of what can only be called idiots, in the latter two categories.
Daily I walk my dog and cyclists come from behind and fail to give any warning they are there. My dog (a rescue Dog) usually lets me know someone is coming as she has been hurt by many a cyclist in her past life. Today, no warning and wham my dog goes straight into the bike who carries on. I shout out where was the warning and got told I rang the bell. If that was so, my dog would have heard it but she didn’t. Then not two minutes later two teenagers on mountain bikes came up behind us on the footpath and tried to run us down. The male was actually wearing a helmet the female sadly not. They then shot out onto the road and drove in the middle of the lane facing oncoming cars.
There is a group of cyclists in Shepparton hell bent on doing the wrong thing and no point in talking to the Police about it they don’t want to know, they don’t have the resources or inclination to catch these hoons on two wheels. They also seem powerless to catch the 4-wheeled hoon car races who plague the Friday and Saturday nights.
From now on I will be wearing a body camera and if the sort of activity that is dangerous or directly against other footpath and river track users will be recorded and given to the Police.
So are they being treated unfairly, no way, they are just unfairly tagged and marginalised by the element of morons who don’t think and shouldn’t be allowed to ride.
Bring on bicycle registration and accountability.
Sincerely,
A concerned citizen.
Shepparton
