Regularly, someone decides the evils of the world could be solved by licensing cyclists. An idea tried many times and dispelled for being costly and not effective. Yes, some cyclists violate the Motor Vehicle Act, but so do automobile drivers.
The capital offence of a cyclist not stopping at a stop sign. Stand at any stop sign and watch how few cars come to a full stop if the driver deems no other car is at the intersection – cyclists don’t count, they can be bullied into yielding.
In part, I agree with the recent letter (E-bike riders should have to be licensed), a big part of the problem is the lack of enforcement of the MVA by the police, often intentionally not enforcing the provision to protect vulnerable road users. Often it takes hours to roust the police to have them look at and take action when a vehicle is parked in a designated 'cycling lane', a violation of the Motor Vehicle Act.
Pedestrians walking in a cycling lane with their backs to the traffic, oblivious to their surroundings, despite it being a violation of the MVA, yet I have had a Central Saanich police officer tell me he would not tell people what side of the road to walk on. When I was young in Central Saanich, I found that if I did not want to walk three miles home then I would walk on the right and a police officer pick me up and give me a ride home to tell my parents I was walking on the wrong side of the road – the punishment from them while strict was better than a three-mile walk in the rain.
Instead of calling for cyclists to be licensed, it would be better if the police enforced the MVA with all road users.
Norm Ryder
Central Saanich
