I like the fall, winter and spring weather in Fountain Hills. It gives us a chance to get some exercise by walking and biking around town. With many walkways and bicycle lanes, we can be reasonably safe while enjoying these outdoor pleasures.

Unfortunately, there are always those among us that can’t seem to follow the rules of the road. The Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) has this to say about cyclists; “As a cyclist, you have to know how to properly maneuver the roadways that have vehicles zipping by. It is important as drivers and bicycle riders to adhere to all traffic laws and to watch out for one another on the roadways. In Arizona, it is legal for bicycles to ride in the traffic lanes, as long as they adhere to the same street laws as motorists.”

That means stop signs apply to you. As far as I can tell, very few cyclists follow these rules. I have observed a cyclist riding merrily east on Palisades Blvd. on many occasions. They have yet to stop, or even slow down at the stop sign at La Montana Dr. and Palisades. Today, I witnessed an even more egregious violation of the law and of even common courtesy. An elderly lady was attempting to cross Saguaro Blvd. on the crosswalk at the Avenue of the Fountains. While I waited in my car, and she waited on the side of the road, no less than four cyclists ran the stop sign and forced her to wait until they had passed.

If you’re out for a nice relaxing ride, why not make someone else’s day a little safer? Where do you need to be that requires you to endanger other people, especially some of our older, most vulnerable residents?