It’s a beautiful summer morning in Richmond. On River Road, a large group of cyclists is headed out on their regular Sunday ride along this scenic stretch of the Fraser. A few blocks away, Arline Trividic climbs into her car, ready to head to work. Inevitably, their paths will cross, and Trividic expects it won’t be a pleasant encounter.
“Very frustrating,” Trividic says as she comes up behind the group, who has taken up the entire lane on the two lane road.
While numerous signs along the roadway read, ‘Share the Road,’ Trividic says this particular group, decked out from head-to-toe in their colorful cycling attire, choses to ignore them.
Trividic wishes they’d take the rules of the road as seriously as they seem to take their riding.
The BC Motor Vehicle Act states that cyclists are subject to the same rules of the road as motorists, are supposed to ride as near as possible to the right, and must not ride abreast.
“As a driver I have a right to complain about a cyclist. There should be respect both ways,” Trividic says.
It happens almost every weekend.
Not once, Trividic says, have the cyclists moved to the right. That forces motorists like her to trail behind, turning what should be a quick commute to work, into an ordeal.
She’s also witnessed them go through stop signs without slowing down, and has watched as they have taken up two full lanes as they ride into the city.
Trividic invited CTV to join her one Sunday morning to see what she deals with firsthand.
“Just go single file, and let the vehicles just please pass, and then do your group again,” she says as we approach the cyclists.
But they don’t.
When we reach a point where there is a broken line and no oncoming traffic, we pull alongside the pack to ask why they aren’t sharing the road.
“This is our lane buddy,” says one cyclist.
Another shouts: “We are sharing the road.”
It’s a group of about 30 men. Many appear to be middle aged and we later learn they are a group of guys who have been getting together for a weekend ride for years. We watch as they continue to take up the entire lane on a winding road that is often marked with a double solid line, leaving nowhere to pass.
We see other cyclists along the road riding single file. So we stop to ask them how it’s supposed to work.
“Usually, the guy in the back, it’s his responsibility to yell up, “car back!” says Gino, out cycling with his buddies. “And people will tighten up or go single file to let them pass.”
When we catch up to the large group of cyclists again, the road has widened out to two lanes in our direction. We pass them slowly.
“You’re an idiot,” one cyclist calls out.
“You know this car has been reported,” another shouts. “And you’re going to be reported next.”
Over the summer, the situation between Trividic and the cyclists has gotten heated. Trividic says Richmond RCMP officers have called to talk to her about harassing the cyclists. She admits she’s honked at the group a few times to try to convince them to stop their bad behavior. And words have been exchanged.
When CTV contacted Richmond RCMP, Corporal Dennis Hwang told us that they are monitoring the situation.
“We have received complaints from time-to-time along River Road,” Hwang says, adding that both cyclists and drivers must abide by the rules and regulations of the roadways.
We also showed our video to the Executive Director of Cycling BC.
“It’s disappointing to see that sort of behavior, whether it’s on the part of a motorist, a motorcycle, a cyclist, anyone,” says Jim Richards. “I mean what we’re really preaching – it’s respect and courtesy.”
CTV received emails from two members of the cycling group, including Todd Hansen, who explained that it’s safer riding in a group because it makes them more visible.
While that may be true, the laws in BC are clear, and Trividic says all she wants is for the cyclists to show some courtesy and share the road.
Tune in to CTV News at Six tonight to watch the full investigation from Ross McLaughlin...
