BICYCLE ACTION in TORONTO Toronto cyclists standing together. legal defence, direct action, lobbying, education

PRESS RELEASE

May 18, 1998

For Immediate Release

HIGH SPEEDS KILL PEOPLE WHO AREN'T IN CARS
BIKE GROUP HOLDS MEMORIAL FOR EAST END CYCLIST

When: Tuesday, May 19 at 6:30 pm Where: Oak Park and Lumsden. From Woodbine subway go north on Woodbine to Lumsden. East on Lumsden to Oak Park.

A Mass ride from downtown to the memorial leaves Standby Cafe (Yonge and Temperance) at 5:45 pm (sharp).

Cycling is a safe and enjoyable activity. Speeding cars create hazardous conditions. The 73 year-old cyclist who was killed last week in East York habitually rode on the sidewalk because of cars. 75% OF PEOPLE KILLED IN TRAFFIC ARE NOT IN AUTOMOBILES AT THE TIME. Seniors, children, pedestrians and cyclists alike are being asked pay too high a price for car culture's obsession with speed.

ARC (Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists) is demanding that CAR ADVERTISMENTS PROMOTING SPEED BE BANNED by the Advertising Standards Council. High speeds are proven deadly, and yet speed is a top selling point for almost all cars. The Canadian Code of Advertising Standards clearly states:

"Advertisements must not display a disregard for public safety or depict situations which might encourage unsafe or dangerous practices, particularly when portraying products in normal use."

ARC also believes that IT SHOULD BE PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE AT HIGH SPEED ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. The reality of city driving includes children chasing balls, seniors crossing the road slowly, cyclists and pedestrians of all kinds going about their lives. An infrastructure that allows for high speeds places the city's citizens at risk. Many sophisticated traffic calming options have been developed in cities around the world, its time to take this issue seriously in Toronto.

ARC is holding this memorial because Toronto cyclists are a community. When one of us is hurt or killed, all of us are affected. The conditions that allowed for Clyde Barnaby's death are realities for each and every citizen of Toronto.

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