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A new road sign in Kailua is warning drivers about disorderly bicyclists, but it’s not an official notice.
It’s unclear who put up the illegal sign that shows a woman cycling with her hair flowing gently in the breeze. But residents told KHON that Japanese tourists who are renting bikes to get to the beach don’t know the rules of the road.
"A lot of Japanese tourists come in from Waikiki wanting to experience Kailua," said Clayton Lilly, store manager at The Bike Shop. "They drop them by the busloads."
The rental bike business is booming in Kailua because it’s a scenic way to get to the beach without the hassle of parking.
Residents complain that tourists are creating unsafe conditions by riding on the wrong side of the road and going against traffic signals.
"Give them a little heads-up. Tell them which way is which," said Kailua resident Douglas Balles. "The beach is down this way; this way to get home. It would make life a lot more pleasant for people who actually live here."
Employees at The Bike Shop are handing out a "rules of the road" pamphlet, but it’s all in English. The manager says they’ll look into getting some printed in Japanese.
Rep. Chris Lee, who represents Kailua, said he hopes to get federal funding to build an additional 10-foot bike lane.
"This, I think, is a symptom of these big traffic congestion issues that have come up in recent years," Lee said.
