FORT MYERS, Fla-- A video of two cyclists darting through a busy intersection in Sarasota is going viral. Police in Southwest Florida are now warning residents to remember simple bike safety measures, especially heading into the summer months.
"I mean they are just running red lights, left, right, every which way, that was really something," said Cape Coral PD Cpl. Philip Mullen.
Both Police and avid cyclists in the area said the behavior is inexcusable.
"It's a struggle to give cyclists a good reputation for a few different reasons but that certainly doesn't help," said Paradise Bicycles service manager Greg Sharp.
Paradise Bicycles, like dozens of other stores throughout the area offers group rides and safety seminars. The point is to prevent exactly what you witness in the video.
After watching the video, Cape PD said it's important to know cyclists have the right to the road, but they don't automatically have the right of way.
"They can get traffic citations just like a car would so they can get a ticket for running a red light or a stop sign or failure to yield right of way," said Cpl. Mullen.
Police admit it's uncommon for officers to hand out tickets to cyclists but that doesn't mean they won't, especially if you are doing something as dangerous as riding through a red light.
"I think anyone who is a rider would recoil in horror at that," said Sharp.
For more information on group rides and safety: CLICK HERE
