To the editor:

I’d like to address a couple of issues that, as a bicycle rider, are problematic

I ride the trails in Fort Dodge quite a bit. Several times, I have come to a stop at an intersection, waiting to cross the road, and have had vehicles stop to let me pass. I understand these people are just trying to be nice, but I’d like drivers to know that they should not stop for me. This may not be a law, but as a bike rider, I was taught that the rule is you do not ever put yourself in front of a vehicle’s headlights. I waved the cars to go ahead and get past me and some of them were clearly annoyed that I didn’t cross the street when they were considerate enough to stop for me.

So just an FYI, everyone, do not stop for bikes to cross the street in front of you. Bike riders need to wait for you to pass and then go across when it’s clear.

My second issue is the round-about at 10th Avenue North. Whoever constructed it built a major design flaw into the center of the round-about. You cannot see cars coming on the other side and I have had a couple of close calls there. I’ve been on the southeast side, trying to cross to the southwest side and out of nowhere, there was suddenly a car coming from the north. It cannot be seen until it’s almost on top of you. That center is an obstacle to a clear line-of-sight, and it’s an accident waiting to happen. Even in a vehicle, it can be hard to see smaller cars coming around. The round-about at Fareway is great — you can clearly see all the way through it and around it. The city needs to do that with the one at 10th Ave. North before someone is injured or killed.

Susan Wells

Fort Dodge