Bid to give Toronto cyclists more road space

[GameBoy27]

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

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.

 

[onthebottom]

A group in Ohio is trying to do the same thing with a Bill (they tried to get it amended to the budget).

I ride my road bike on busy and empty roads around Sothern Ohio, 95% of drivers are very courteous - most give me the entire lane (even though I'm on the first 2' of the right lane) if they can, some are complete dicks, cutting very close. It's the idiots texting that worries me.

 

[groggy]

I've had my handlebars nicked by a passing mirror on a car and fortunately didn't wipe out.
Otherwise I might not be writing this.

 

[Rockslinger]

I've had my handlebars nicked by a passing mirror on a car and fortunately didn't wipe out.

Some of those damn mirrors stick out 3 feet. Isn't there any kind of rules on how far damn mirrors can stick out?

 

[realthing69]

Sometimes Its just better to take the entire lane. Eliminates how far a car should be... When I ride, if there is more than one lane, I take the entire right lane.

 

[larry]

Sometimes Its just better to take the entire lane. Eliminates how far a car should be... When I ride, if there is more than one lane, I take the entire right lane.

well, i don't but i'm well aware that by law, a cyclist can use as much of a lane as required for them to feel safe. the big gap is in enforcement.

 

[wigglee]

I have a car, a bike and an ebike....you won't find me hogging a lane unless I can go at the posted speed limit.

Let's face it....we live in Canada.....the bike lanes lay largely dormant and underused most of the year so how can you make bikes a vital part of the GTA transportation strategy? That would be like reserving large portions of Rome for natural ice rinks....duh.

 

[Richard.TO]

I've had my handlebars nicked by a passing mirror on a car and fortunately didn't wipe out.
Otherwise I might not be writing this.

+1... Me too. A wing mirror actually brushed against my wrist on Danforth Ave at 4pm one clear sunny day. Another time I felt something grab my elbow and pull me along....it was the wheel of a bicycle that was on the bike rack of an SUV, you would think they would know better. In my view, one meter is not enough and doesn't allow much room for error by the cyclist or the motorist. Skill levels vary considerably amongst both of these road users.

 

[spraggamuffin]

As a pedestrian I know many drivers don't respect pedestrian walk signals and are quick to rush by pedestrians while making right turns.

Some don't even see pedestrians crossing to the right of them as they make right turns, as they just look for oncoming traffic from the left and then proceed.

I won't take any chances on the roadways of Toronto on a bike.

 

[exploration]

i dont mind this ... only if they dont take away from car space. but i dont that is possible

 

[Butchers Dog]

What about when a bike passes me as I sit at a red light? No doubt they will be violating that 3 foot distance they want from vehicles as they weave between the cars. I bothers me that I have to gently pass by a bike as it basically impedes the flow of traffic but then as I approach a red light that bike passes me again. I end up leap frogging that same bike many, many times during a trip. How about the bikes wait their turn in the traffic queue and keep their distance from my car.

BD

 

[Imperius]

+1 BD

I have no problem giving cyclists plenty of space when passing them. What bugs me is changing lanes repeatedly to pass the SAME cyclist multiple times.

 

[MattRoxx]

+1 BD

I have no problem giving cyclists plenty of space when passing them. What bugs me is changing lanes repeatedly to pass the SAME cyclist multiple times.

Yes that is quite a hardship and takes huge painstaking effort, turning the steering wheel 1/2" to the left and then 1/2" to the right.


One time I happened to be out with a helmet camera on, was riding behind some police on bikes and watched as a car drifted to the right, pinching one of the cops against the curb until he had to stop because there was no room left.
This was happening to a guy carrying a gun at his side! So IMO any HTA or city bylaw that improves the safety of cyclists is a good thing.

I just don't see how Wong-Tam has a hope in hell of getting this passed with the current mayor and his ongoing War On Cyclists.

 

[peter4025]

I had my Rigth mirror broken twice by cyclist passing me while I was waiting at a red light. I'm constantly being given the finger because I stop to close to the curb while waiting for the green light .

 

[JohnLarue]

They took one downtown avenue and changed one lane into a bike lane.
In the 5+ years since I have seen maybe 50 cyclists on this road & I take it every day. Absolutely no cyclists in the winter
Traffic which use to flow smoothly on this route is now bumper to bumper with dozens (maybe hundreds) of vehicles idling and polluting for an extra 10-15 mins every day at rush hour

While it was implemented with good intentions, this change was a big mistake

 

[bigshot]

What about when a bike passes me as I sit at a red light? No doubt they will be violating that 3 foot distance they want from vehicles as they weave between the cars. I bothers me that I have to gently pass by a bike as it basically impedes the flow of traffic but then as I approach a red light that bike passes me again. I end up leap frogging that same bike many, many times during a trip. How about the bikes wait their turn in the traffic queue and keep their distance from my car.
BD

I agree completley. If I am required to leave a defined gap between myself and a cyclist, will they be charged when they pull up beside me and take away my margin of safety? I am tired of the dickhead cyclist who splits the 2 lanes on a major road, flys up between the two lanes of cars, and then wonders why a car making a lane change almost turns him into an organ donor. If the cyclist wants to demand this forced separation, I want to see the cop who will charge the cyclist for violating my space.

 

[t.o.leafs.fan]

Sounds like the perfect opportunity to take advantage, avoid the bumper to bumper and ride your bike.

They took one downtown avenue and changed one lane into a bike lane.
In the 5+ years since I have seen maybe 50 cyclists on this road & I take it every day. Absolutely no cyclists in the winter
Traffic which use to flow smoothly on this route is now bumper to bumper with dozens (maybe hundreds) of vehicles idling and polluting for an extra 10-15 mins every day at rush hour

While it was implemented with good intentions, this change was a big mistake

 

[Imperius]

Yes that is quite a hardship and takes huge painstaking effort, turning the steering wheel 1/2" to the left and then 1/2" to the right.

This was happening to a guy carrying a gun at his side! So IMO any HTA or city bylaw that improves the safety of cyclists is a good thing.

I just don't see how Wong-Tam has a hope in hell of getting this passed with the current mayor and his ongoing War On Cyclists.

Attitudes like this are exactly the problem... ignoring the concerns/complaints of one side (whether motorists or cyclists) while asserting the rights of the other (whether motorists or cyclists). Is this really your view MattRoxx? And you're dismayed that there's a perceived war between cyclists and cars that prevents us from making progress?

Yes, for dozens or hundreds of cars on a given stretch of road - especially in a busy urban centre - to change lanes to pass the same cyclist REPEATEDLY, is a huge painstaking effort and has a detrimental impact on traffic flow: it increases congestion and reduces overall safety for everyone when cars constantly have to change lanes. I've said I'm happy to give cyclists plenty of room when passing them, but that it's unreasonable for cyclists not to offer the same courtesy to motorists. Do you disagree?

I'm glad you support "any HTA or city bylaw that improves the safety of cyclists". Perhaps cyclists who currently "filter" past motor vehicles at red lights could get in line like motor vehicles do to improve traffic flow and reduce frustration and impatience that ultimately impacts their safety, and those that don't will be ticketed appropriately.

 

[onthebottom]

Yes that is quite a hardship and takes huge painstaking effort, turning the steering wheel 1/2" to the left and then 1/2" to the right.


.

Exactly.....

 

[Richard.TO]

This thread is going nowhere

Attitudes like this are exactly the problem... ignoring the concerns/complaints of one side (whether motorists or cyclists) while asserting the rights of the other (whether motorists or cyclists). Is this really your view MattRoxx? And you're dismayed that there's a perceived war between cyclists and cars that prevents us from making progress?

Yes, for dozens or hundreds of cars on a given stretch of road - especially in a busy urban centre - to change lanes to pass the same cyclist REPEATEDLY, is a huge painstaking effort and has a detrimental impact on traffic flow: it increases congestion and reduces overall safety for everyone when cars constantly have to change lanes. I've said I'm happy to give cyclists plenty of room when passing them, but that it's unreasonable for cyclists not to offer the same courtesy to motorists. Do you disagree?

I'm glad you support "any HTA or city bylaw that improves the safety of cyclists". Perhaps cyclists who currently "filter" past motor vehicles at red lights could get in line like motor vehicles do to improve traffic flow and reduce frustration and impatience that ultimately impacts their safety, and those that don't will be ticketed appropriately.

There have been at least two threads on the topic of cyclists and motorists. Both have gone nowhere. There's just a lot of bitching from both sides with no constructive suggestions. Yes, I'm an avid downtown cyclist (drive a car whenever I need to) and I'll be the first to admit many cyclists break the rules and cycle recklessly. I have also seen cars roll through stop signs, speed up through amber lights, open doors without looking, using side streets as a race track, and so on. So what's the sensible solution? I think education for both motorists and cyclists would be a key component. Perhaps licensing for cyclists? Perhaps limiting the number of cars entering downtown? Reducing overall speed limits down town? If enforcement is a remedy then it needs to be applied to both sides fairly, I have absolutely no problem with that. One has to bear in mind though that in the end, during a collision, the car or truck always wins.