Dear Editor,
I write this letter to alert the police and motorists about the suicidal practice of pedal cyclists cutting off motorists on the East Coast Demerara highway. On Sunday I was driving towards Georgetown on the westbound side of the two-lane highway in the vicinity of Atlantic Gardens. I was in the right lane and there was minibus traffic in the left lane. Out of nowhere there was a white blur in front of my car and I was forced to apply brakes.
It was a pedal cyclist who was not content with entering the traffic in the left lane but chose to immediately go over into the right lane thereby crossing in front of me. He of course had to make a left turn to avoid hitting the concrete median barrier and he ended up zigzagging in front of me as he tried to regain control of the bike. Meanwhile I am on my brakes trying to avoid running over him. Thank God I managed to do that.
I am not sure what the traffic laws are as regards pedal cyclists entering that highway and going straight over into the right lane, but the practice is certainly suicidal for the cyclists and places innocent motorists at risk of a death by dangerous driving charge. With all the local village streets available to him, I am at a loss to know why he wanted to ride in the fast lane of the highway. Was he trying to commit suicide by traffic?
Yours faithfully,
Malcolm Harripaul
