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ton Regional Police. Most are used by drivers unaware they are not e only ones on the road. “Drivers are more at fault,” accord- g to Const. Kim Duncan of the egional Traffic Division of the Halton lice. “They have the ability to stop d give leeway to a cyclist in order to aid an accident.” She added many tivers are not observant enough and are ply looking out for other cars when iey should also be looking out for yclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians. The good news is that the number of f you ride a bike in Halton, you know this scenario all too well. Imagine yourself on a picture-perfect day with the sun shining brightly, birds ging, and a warm breeze as you hap- y pedal down the road. Suddenly, your tranquil little comer the world is abruptly turnedupside wn by the insufferable clamor of a rn bellowing about three millimeters hind your back wheel. A deranged maniac roars past you th a one-fingered salutation. You come infuriated â€" and wish you could yht back. But all you can do is return c with an obscenity of your own and to forget about it. This type of soap opera between clists and drivers is an on-going reali- in Halton. An increasing number of cyclists are ling oppressed by the seemingly end- s harassment from militant drivers d with good reason. In Ontario, tween 1988 and 1991, 82 cyclists re killed and 15,661 were reported 'ured from collisions with motor vehi- s, according to figures provided by Regional Traffic Department of the Store Hours: Mon-Fri. ......9:30-9:00 Sat. THOMAS HANSEN ecial to the Beaver OMPUTER TRAINING EMORD for WINDOWS Cycling gains popularity Oakvllla's Business School Dyno Slammer 569.95 Mongoose Solution 529.95 459.95 GT Interceptor 429.95 GT Mach One 529.95 469.95 66 338-6600 .......... 9:30-6:00 12:00-4200 ome 8663“?“ Bike Experts” $49.95 ADVENT© AIR HELMETS Reg. 2 95 49.95 with COUPON Expires Apr“ 30/94 469.95 379.95 .2. 535...... [fifwlth Rock Shox (one Reg. 1499.95 SALE PRICE 1 1 99.95 mm GT Karakoram LX Components. Chro Moly frame. Alloy wheels. Reg. 999.95 SALE PRICE 839.95 8%?) NiShiki Bushwacker wlth duo track suspenslon forlc Reg. 799.95 SALE PRICE 659.95 GT Tallenov . . 21-speed. Chro Moly frame. Alloy Wheels. Reg. 529.95 SALE PRICE 429.95 NIPI'CO Sigma S'séed C [‘0 MO me. 21's . Reg. 599.95 SALE PRICE 449.95 NOI‘CO BUShpilOt 21-speed. Chro Moly Frame. Alloy wheels. R99. 389.95 MOUNTAIN BIKES - .19920T Richter 8.0 GT R.T.S. 2 Full suspension frame and fork Reg. 2499.95 SALE PRICE 1999. 95on only? SALE PRICE 125 Cross Ave. Trafalgar Village 844-4394 ITHEOA] 529.95 KVILLE BEAVER Pick up your Free copy of the brand new treasury of PUD comic strips as seen in THE OAKVILLE BEAVER and have it signed b the ‘ author! Drop by Bruce TravelbetweenéandSpm Friday, April 8th! Daring this special event we will be accepting non-pen donations for THE FOOD BANK. Please help us help! W... 'WI 2359LN<ESHORERD.WESTianrIie 825-5555 - Meet PUD Creator Steve Nease Friday, 6-8 pm! r", :â€" ‘3‘ The way to gay i 'l rav”'e"l WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 1994 ‘ ' . Page 13 “There is an easy way for cyclists to fight back against bad drivers,” says Michalski. “There are still idiots out there, and we (the Halton Police) would like to know about them. You can take action by taking down their plate num- ber, getting a look at the driver’s face, note the time, call the police, and testify in court against them. The police will charge them.” Michalski agrees that there are many “road hog” drivers who will always be hostile towards cyclists. He recom- mends that cyclists become more visible when out on the road to avoid potential confrontations with drivers. Wearing light colored clothing and using com- mon sense while riding in traffic are ways to increase your safety. ”The environment that I work in makes a bicycle almost a necessity,” said Const. Mike Michalski of the Halton Police’s Bronte Village detachâ€" ment in Oakville. “I work in a very large area, and it’s physically difficult to cover on foot effectively. (My) bicycle is almost as fast as a car.” Many police departments â€" including the Halton Police â€" use bikes year-round as a part of their patrols. A bike can often provide a faster response time than a police cruiser because a bike can manoeuvre through tight areas where a cruiser cannot. ' Every year, more people are opting to commute by bike instead of by car or public transit. The reasoning is obvious, commuting by bike costs virtually noth- ing, causes no pollution, and in many cases, is the fastest means of urban transportation. cyclists being killed and injured in auto collisions during the statistical time frarne has declined every year. This can be attributed to increased awareness from drivers and the public in general. (See ‘Bicycle lanes. . . ‘ page 14) Sewing Oakville for Over 30 years, Monday to Friday 9:30 am. to 9:00 pm. Saturday 9:30 am. to 6:00 pm. *Sunday 12 Noon to 5:00 pm. (*Not all storm may be open) Incatedat3rdLincandRebeccain0akvillc - 827-0229- Hopedale Mall