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Cycling in Waterloo Region
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Cycling in Waterloo Region
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10-25-2016, 10:21 AM
(10-25-2016, 08:36 AM)danbrotherston Wrote: There needs to be a connection from Hickory to Phillip/UW and the LRT/Bus Terminal at the Davis Centre, and pedestrian improvements are desperately needed on both Columbia and University. Yeah. At least, they're going to be putting one in to connect Philip and Lester down around 285 Lester. Not exactly where it should be, but I guess it's better than nothing. 
10-25-2016, 11:09 PM
Guelph driver fined for not making room for cyclist
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/kitch...-1.3820276 
10-26-2016, 12:06 AM
(10-25-2016, 11:09 PM)Elmira Guy Wrote: Guelph driver fined for not making room for cyclist The headline here should be driver hits cyclist, fined for "not leaving 1 meter"....I'm not sure what laws would apply to hitting a cyclist before that law was passed, but they should probably have been charged with that. I'm fairly certain hitting a cyclist was illegal before right?
10-26-2016, 12:25 AM
Hey. I just posted it because I thought it pertinent.
10-26-2016, 07:39 AM
Sure is pertinent, and thanks! Until I saw danbrotherston's post, I was elated that police might actually be enforcing the law requiring drivers to make space.
I found this quote from the police interesting: "It is an offence that – without contact – is a hard one to lay..." I take that to mean that there will be no enforcement, but that police will avail themselves of the opportunity to issue an $85 fine when a cyclist is struck by a motorist. Why not dangerous driving? Surely a motorist is doing something more than passing a cyclist too closely if he or she strikes the cyclist, potentially causing serious injury?
10-26-2016, 08:16 AM
A rare event that the police officer would have been there to see the infraction.
10-26-2016, 08:19 AM
This specific infraction, yes. But it sounds as though they won't be watching for this even when they are there to observe it. "...it will generally only be laid when contact is made."
So, passing a cyclist with insufficient space won't result in being charged with an offence; and "making contact" with a cyclist will result in a charge of passing too close.
10-26-2016, 08:32 AM
@Elmira Guy Didn't mean to imply it wasn't, I actually came here to post it too
 .@MidTowner You're absolutely right. I find this very frustrating, police seem unwilling to lay any charges when they can't measure it directly. Even Ottawa which seems incredibly progressive about this to the point of having bicycle mounted police officers issue these charges seemed to feel that a measuring device was necessary to do so. I do find it frustrating that hitting a cyclist doesn't illicit a charge of dangerous or careless driving though.
10-26-2016, 09:47 AM
"Going to court and being able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that one metre of distance was not left is difficult. So an officer really has to see it and be sure. We can't lay charges on the thought that 'we think we saw something,' we have to be sure."
10-26-2016, 09:49 AM
(10-26-2016, 12:06 AM)danbrotherston Wrote: The headline here should be driver hits cyclist, fined for "not leaving 1 meter"....I'm not sure what laws would apply to hitting a cyclist before that law was passed, but they should probably have been charged with that. I'm fairly certain hitting a cyclist was illegal before right? It really seems like careless driving, but I don't think the charge would stick because it requires more than a momentary lapse of judgement. But really, striking another vehicle is a bit more severe than failing to leave enough space. It should at least get some demerit points. 
10-26-2016, 10:08 AM
I was driving on Charles yesterday by Cameron and it's very narrow now. I stopped at the red light at Cameron and saw a cyclist coming up in my right-side rear view mirror. Another car was behind me, waiting to turn right and was right against the right curb. There was not enough room for the cyclist to pass, and he should have waited behind the car behind me, but instead he awkwardly fuddled his way next to the car, potentially draging his bike along the paint, and then rammed right up next to me too. The light at that moment turned green and I was very reluctant to proceed because he was so tight against me, too.
This is why when I bike in a narrow place like this and come to a row of stopped cars, I always merge in and then wait as if I'm a car in the line. When the light turns green,we all accelerate and then when I can no longer keep up with the traffic in front of me, I move back over to the right side. Safe, and I'm not holding anyone up.
10-26-2016, 10:38 AM
(10-26-2016, 09:49 AM)timc Wrote:(10-26-2016, 12:06 AM)danbrotherston Wrote: The headline here should be driver hits cyclist, fined for "not leaving 1 meter"....I'm not sure what laws would apply to hitting a cyclist before that law was passed, but they should probably have been charged with that. I'm fairly certain hitting a cyclist was illegal before right? from the cbc article "The man has been fined $85 under the Highway Traffic Act with failing to leave one metre when passing a bicycle. There is a set fine of $85, or $150 if the ticket is issued within a community safety zone. Drivers can also lose two demerit points." Looks like demerits are an option, dunno if the crown or the cops get the choice or any of it works with that kind of thing.
10-26-2016, 10:57 AM
(10-26-2016, 10:38 AM)clasher Wrote: from the cbc article "The man has been fined $85 under the Highway Traffic Act with failing to leave one metre when passing a bicycle. There is a set fine of $85, or $150 if the ticket is issued within a community safety zone. Drivers can also lose two demerit points." I am under the impression that it is largely at the police officer's discretion.
How was he fined if it's just the cyclists' word vs. his?
(Edit: Sorry, I see she had injuries and contact was made. I was more questioning that in the case where there was not contact, how could someone be fined, unless observed by the police?) |
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