Dear editor:
The only surprising sad news of the recent hit and run accident of a cyclist who was seriously injured is that it doesn’t happen more often.
Eastside Road, of course, is a popular cycling and running route for local and visiting athletes training for fitness and competitive events such as triathlons.
It is also heavily used by commuters travelling between Okanagan Falls and points south to Penticton and vice versa.
This is part of the problem, too many cars on that road using it as a supposed shortcut when actually time wise (especially if speed limits are being observed) there is very little time difference between using the Highway 97 and Eastside Road.
If someone were to take licence plate number of cars going on to Eastside Road at Okanagan Falls and again at Skaha Lake Marina, I am willing to bet over half are straight through commuters.
Why? There is a perfectly good highway to use. Could Eastside not be posted as a local route only?
The cynical side of me says it might make things worse.
If traffic was actually reduced you might have the remaining traffic moving even faster, making up time on the now clearer road.
Suggestion. Perhaps the provincial ministry could look at making popular recreation routes (i.e. in our area, Eastside Road, Naramata Road and Green Mountain Road) designated official recreational corridors, where fines for speeding are doubled, similar to construction zones.
I am sure there are many other roads in B.C. that have similar circumstances that would benefit from lower traffic speeds by being designated official corridors with heavier fines.
At the very least it would raise the awareness of the problem.
Sadly something as simple as this proposal would likely take one’s lifetime to work its way through provincial legislature and courts.
Just a little rant before I head out for a bike ride.
Tim Daechsel
Penticton