QCOSTARICA BLOGS -I read in two periodicals including the narrative in the Tico Times regarding the plight and plea of cyclists or bicyclists, as they hate to be called.
These, are mostly weekend athletes, who believe they are not given the appropriate road respect resulting in 69 deaths in 2015.
Of course, it is too much trouble to break out these tragic experiences in categories such as: bad roads and potholes the size of a 4 person Jacuzzi, weather can be a factor since is our months of wind and eight months of rain a percentage of riders, however small are incompetent despite the $2,000 bike and the $300 glow in the dark shirts.
“Mi Familia me Espera” (My family waits for me) is the theme and I could not agree more.
However, this is a two way street (A pun).
While I admire all those cyclists pumping up and along our challenging roads, they need to follow some basic rules which are also common courtesy.
Our national cyclist hero, Andry Amador asks that when we pass cyclists in our cars we give them 1.5m of space. That would be fine and most drivers have no problem with that. But when the weekend riders cycle two, three abreast or like a pleoton chatting away to discuss breakfast, my choice is to pass and hit the possible on coming car or straggle behind the slower moving three abreast as in Tour de France?
Toot the horn lightly to let the riders know that I am on the left, you are amazed at how many middle fingers I get.
The Autopista del Sol (Ruta 27) is the beloved runway for cyclists who on a Sunday morning cruise along in any direction with or against the joggers and each dodging the toll booths.
They cannot ride on the highways where signs clearly prohibit them. But then again, where can they ride on a smooth service?
We do not have bike lanes. But then again this is a two way street and we drivers of cars ask you cyclists to respect the laws, ride carefully and understand that on the next curve can be two cars headed in different directions.
We also want you to come home to your families, and so do the drivers.
Ride with pride and be careful.
