Video of teen riding bike wrong way in Cape Coral raises safety concerns

CAPE CORAL, Fla. —

A dangerous stunt caught on camera is renewing concerns about reckless behavior by teens on Cape Coral roads.

Video circulating earlier this month shows a teen riding a bicycle the wrong way along Santa Barbara Boulevard while popping a wheelie, narrowly avoiding a collision with oncoming traffic. In the footage, the cyclist appears to come close to hitting a passing Tesla as a driver honks in alarm.

“It’s a problem many of you are seeing in the Cape,” said Jay Anderson, executive director of Stay Alive Just Drive, a nonprofit that promotes roadway safety. “They don’t consider the consequences of their actions. They’re young. They’re infallible. Nothing’s going to happen to me. Unfortunately, someday it is going to happen to you.”

Anderson said the behavior poses a serious risk not only to the teens involved, but also to drivers who may not have time to react.

“We need to nip this in the bud now before it becomes serious enough that people begin losing their lives,” he said.

The video follows a similar incident reported last week, when teens were seen riding bikes on the wrong side of Southwest 20th Avenue near Trafalgar Elementary School.

Residents and visitors say the growing trend makes driving more stressful.

James Weber, who was visiting the city, said encountering a cyclist riding into traffic would be terrifying. “If I seen something coming like that, I wouldn’t even know what to do,” Weber said. “You’d be scared for that guy’s life — and wondering if it would be your fault if he got hurt.”

Anderson said the issue is preventable and urged parents to talk with their children about road safety and the potential consequences of risky behavior.

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