This is the announcement and press material for the ARC memorial held in September 1998.
One week ago a 32-year old cyclist died after being hit from behind by a motor vehicle. He was riding with his wife in broad daylight on a route they travelled regularly.
This is the fifth cycling fatality this year and the fourth in the past six weeks. These deaths underline the need for urgent action on the report just released by Regional Coroner Dr. William Lucas which makes recommendations for reducing cycling death and injury.
Experienced, safety-conscious cyclists are leaving home on their bikes and never returning. Cycling shouldn't be a deadly experience. Cycling isn't dangerous. Driving is. Cycling is an inherently safe activity, except when motor vehicles create dangerous conditions. Drivers of motor vehicles need to be aware that their efforts to shave minutes off a journey can result in a cyclist never completing theirs.
ARC has singled out three areas that it believes will save lives, overlapping with recommendations made in the coroner's report:
Motorists Need to Yield to All Other Road Users. The Ontario Highway Traffic Act is dangerously vague when it comes to rules governing the interaction between bicycles and cars on the road. In his recently released report, Dr. Lucas singled out many problem areas of the act which need to be addressed. ARC supports all of these changes, in particular the recommendation that we adopt a new, overiding rule of the road - that cyclists should have right of way over cars and pedestrians should have right of way over bikes. Thus the onus of responsibility would fall first to the driver of the motor vehicle in determining fault in car/bike collisions.
Cyclists Need Space. Cyclists are legally entitled to the entire lane when it isn't wide enough to safely share with a motor vehicle. If you are passing a cyclist in a motor vehicle, make sure to leave lots of room and if you are approaching a cyclist from behind, slow down and move into the left hand lane before passing.
Speed Kills. The motor vehicle involved in the death of this cyclist was described by police as travelling at a "normal" rate of speed. A rate of speed which results in the death of pedestrians and cyclists is not "normal." Cyclists are more likely to be killed while riding on high-speed arterial roads in the city despite the fact they use these major roads less frequently. In his report, Dr. Lucas recommends improving street design-including expanding the existing network of on-and off-roads bicycle lanes, especially outside of the former city of Toronto. ARC believes these recommendations would help re-balance the current "cars-first" approach to urban planning which costs cyclist's lives every year. The number of cyclists in Toronto is burgeoning. It's time that our city's road design reflected the fact that bicycles are a legitimate and beneficial transportation choice.
Toronto cyclists are a strong community. We are holding this memorial because what happened to these cyclists could have happened to any one of us. If you are a cyclist and you want to get involved contact ARC at (416) 604-5171, or by email.