You don’t have to look very hard to find bad behaviour on the streets of Metro Vancouver.  Nearly everyone who shares the road has a story to tell.

“There’s no shortage of finger pointing when it comes to drivers, cyclists and pedestrians,” says Const. Brian Montague with the Vancouver Police Department.

And it’s not uncommon to see arguments break out between drivers and cyclists as everyone scrambles to get around. You could be in the right but no one wants to be "dead" right. While that may be putting it strongly, when a collision occurs between a motorist and a cyclist, the cyclist will be on the losing end. 

Vancouver cyclist Jason Corville had a horrific experience this summer when a driver "doored" him.

“I went for a little Superman ride!” Corville said. 

The driver should have been looking but opened their door as Corville was riding by. Corville paid the price, and broke his collarbone.

According to statistics from ICBC, there are an average of 1,400 collisions a year between motorists and cyclists. Sometimes they are fatal.

| Sharing the Road with Cyclists - ICBC |

To draw attention to the dangers, some cyclists have taken to posting video on YouTube of their encounters with drivers. 

CTV reviewed some of the video and saw a motorist driving in a bike lane and then cutting off a cyclist. Another driver failed to yield to a cyclist already in a roundabout - in case you didn’t know, traffic already inside the roundabout has the right away. In one video, a van fails to stop at a stop sign and pulls out in front of a man on his bike. The rider tumbles off his bike. Fortunately, he isn’t seriously hurt. The videos were all recorded on the streets of Metro Vancouver.

“Drivers complain, 'Well I just didn’t see them!'” explained Erin O’Melinn, executive director of Hub Cycling.

She says drivers need to shoulder check more closely. When turning right into a bike lane, look to the right behind you. Cyclists have the right of way. 

When opening your door, use your opposite hand. It forces you to look back for people on bikes. And O’Melinn says to monitor your speed because speed is usually the biggest problem when a collision occurs.

“Everyone needs to exercise patience. They need to understand we’re all trying to get around.”

And it’s not just drivers. CTV rode along with a motorist in Richmond to show us how cyclists create problems on the road too. 

| Related: Cyclists behaving badly |

And Const. Brian Montague says no matter whether your hand is on the wheel or a bike handle, a little respect and courtesy go a long way.

“We wouldn’t have these problems and we’d have a lot fewer collisions and a lot fewer fatalities,” he said.

Remember the rules of the road apply to everyone who uses it. That includes, drivers, cyclists, skateboarders and pedestrians.  The Vancouver Police Department has a special division to make sure those who are not behind the wheel are also following the law. Tickets for cyclists and pedestrians who break the rules are $109. Cyclists who don’t wear helmets are subject to a $29 fine.