Layton's statement “Most of the accidents that involve cyclists involve a vehicle passing them” means nothing without a breakdown of the accidents. I'd like a little more information such as: Were cyclists wearing a helmet? Was it light or dark at the time? If it was dark, did the cyclist have a tail light? Etc.
I also find it hard to believe most of the 26,000 cyclists who went to a hospital emergency department in 2009 were injured by a motorist trying to pass them.
I both ride a bike and drive a car and think it's just another stupid law. Now we're going to have cops judging the distance between the handlebar and a passing car's mirror? If it's tickets they want to write, they don't have to go far to catch cyclists running red lights, stop signs, wrong way on one-way streets and riding without lights at night to name a few.
Wong-Tam said.“The image of young Jenna Morrison’s bloody bike and the loss of her life and the life of her unborn child is still very vivid in many people’s memory. It was so senseless.”
She was the one riding the bike pulling a trailer turning the same direction at the truck. Toronto police said they will not lay charges against the truck driver involved in a collision that killed Toronto cyclist Jenna Morrison last week.
Police say after an extensive investigation, they found the 55-year-old driver did not break the law.
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/05/02/bid-to-give-toronto-cyclists-more-road-space
I also find it hard to believe most of the 26,000 cyclists who went to a hospital emergency department in 2009 were injured by a motorist trying to pass them.
I both ride a bike and drive a car and think it's just another stupid law. Now we're going to have cops judging the distance between the handlebar and a passing car's mirror? If it's tickets they want to write, they don't have to go far to catch cyclists running red lights, stop signs, wrong way on one-way streets and riding without lights at night to name a few.
Wong-Tam said.“The image of young Jenna Morrison’s bloody bike and the loss of her life and the life of her unborn child is still very vivid in many people’s memory. It was so senseless.”
She was the one riding the bike pulling a trailer turning the same direction at the truck. Toronto police said they will not lay charges against the truck driver involved in a collision that killed Toronto cyclist Jenna Morrison last week.
Police say after an extensive investigation, they found the 55-year-old driver did not break the law.
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/05/02/bid-to-give-toronto-cyclists-more-road-space
TORONTO - Two Toronto councillors want to make it the law for drivers to give cyclists a metre-wide berth.
Councillors Kristyn Wong-Tam and Mike Layton will ask city council next week to request the province implement a one metre (three foot) passing rule for vehicles when passing cyclists.
The member’s motion released Thursday also asks city staff to come back in June with a municipal bylaw to put the rule in place in Toronto until the province takes action.
To make their case, Wong-Tam and Layton point to the Ontario's Chief Coroner's 2012 Cycling Death Review which found more than 26,000 people went to a hospital emergency department in 2009 after being injured while cycling.
The coroner found motorists trying to pass cyclists with “insufficient passing room” was the cause of a majority of cycling deaths reviewed between Jan. 1, 2006 and Dec. 31, 2010.
Right now, the Ontario Highway Traffic Act doesn’t specify a minimum distance when passing cyclists. The review recommended the one metre safe passing guideline be put in place to ensure “safe passing.”
Wong-Tam said 21 U.S. cities have put a “three-foot rule” in place.
“What you’re seeing now is jurisdictions across North America taking a more proactive approach of trying to make sure that people can share the roads in a responsible way and get everyone home,” Wong-Tam said.“The image of young Jenna Morrison’s bloody bike and the loss of her life and the life of her unborn child is still very vivid in many people’s memory. It was so senseless.”
The Toronto Centre-Rosedale (Ward 27) councillor said most Toronto drivers already know how to share the road “for the most part.”
She said she was optimistic the rule would be enforceable.
“Having the rules there will certainly mean people have to be mindful of it,” Wong-Tam said.
Layton called the recommendation “valid.”
“Most of the accidents that involve cyclists involve a vehicle passing them,” Layton said.