A Port Alberni cyclist received minor injuries after colliding with a passing car.
On Friday, Sept. 21 at 1 p.m., Port Alberni RCMP and first responders attended to a collision involving a bicycle and motor vehicle on 11th Avenue and China Creek Road.
The cyclist, a 44-year-old Port Alberni resident, was riding his bicycle northbound along on 11th Avenue and peddled into the intersection at China Creek Road without stopping at the stop sign. The cyclist collided with a Toyota Yaris travelling on China Creek Road.
The driver of the Toyota was uninjured, but the cyclist did receive some minor injuries from the crash as he hit the vehicle. He was assessed by paramedics and released. The cyclist was issued a ticket for disobeying a stop sign and cycling without a helmet
“This could have been so much worse for the cyclist,” warned Port Alberni RCMP Cpl. Amelia Hayden. “Not only are cyclists required to obey the rules of the road, just like motorists, but they are required to wear a helmet at all times. This cyclist’s injuries could have been quite significant should he have struck his head.
“You just never know when something can go terribly wrong. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of wearing a helmet while riding a bike, skateboard or scooter.”