Drivers vs. cyclists in Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs Police are searching for an aggressive driver. Officers say the man hit and injured a professional triathlon athlete on his bicycle.

The injured cyclist says, drivers need to be more aware of the laws on the road, but some drivers say it’s the other way around.

“It’s a lot of mental struggles. Being taken out of the game for weeks is rough on the season. The driver swerved and hit me, then I went into the curb and flew over my handlebars. I broke my wrist, and he kept driving,” Max Bennett.

Bennett says now his big debut as a professional athlete is off.

“I’m angry it escalated to that point and that he caused my season to be basically over,” said Bennett.

Bennett says cyclists have the same rights as drivers.

State law says drivers must allow at least three feet between their vehicle and the bicyclist.

“I’ve had cyclists cut me off, I’ve had cyclists stop for no apparent reason whatsoever,” said Randy Adkins, a driver who’s had run-ins with bicyclists in the past.

Adkins says many cyclists think the rules of the road don’t apply to them.

“Cyclists don’t pay attention. They go in the middle of the road. They feel that the rules don’t apply,” said Adkins.

Even Bennett admits, in some cases, that’s true.

“It’s cyclists like that, that make drivers so aggressive. We need to stop at stop lights, we can’t go over speed limits, we need to stop at stop signs,” Bennett said.

At the end of the road, both drivers and cyclists agree that a mutual respect needs to be found.

Investigators say the aggressive driver was in a maroon Jeep Grand Cherokee.The incident happened on Tuesday 6/10/15 on West Colorado Avenue.