Can cars and bicycles successfully interact along our roads? Road rage vs. citizen responsibility

BY STEVEN KASZAB

Another cyclist has died on Toronto’s roads. I do not know who was responsible for this terrible accident, cyclist or truck driver. Toronto’s media are on this story with many questions but hardly any answers, yet fingers are already pointing to either the victim or accused.

Can cars and bicycles successfully interact along our roads?

There is a strong biking lobby in Toronto and southern Ontario. They look out for their constituents, lobbying both the City of Toronto and the Provincial Government for many things, such as more bicycle pathways to be established: both independent and also along the active roadway. There are regulations that protect the bike rider, ensuring their safety and promoting bicycling as an environmentally friendly transportation method in all our cities and neighbourhoods.

Many members of Toronto’s City Council have championed the dream of an automobile free neighbourhood. They know that the cost of implementing a separate bike lane is at $180,000.00 per km, and to make a newly constructed curb with a separate bicycle track can cost $1,000,000.00 per km. Costly, yes?

The City of Toronto finds no difficulty in placing millions of dollars into its budget to placate the bicycle lobby.

Cyclists, both professional (couriers) and pleasure bikers have not been challenged or regulated as those who drive cars have. Walk on our sidewalks and experience many different ways of getting around: walking, running, using scooters and electric bikes.

Cops mostly look away. Bikes, scooters and electric bikes can hit those who use our sidewalks, causing legal issues for all concerned. Bikes of all types travel freely upon our roads for pleasure or business. They do not carry the costs of those in vehicles. You can go to a retailer and buy a bike, go home and onto the bike you go. Does this seem fair to you?  A person riding a bike on our roadway can go many miles an hour, and if they hit a pedestrian, car or any other object will not suffer legalities other then possible civil suits.

Before a citizen of our province can enter the arena of our roadways, they should be required by law to carry out the following:

• All cyclists must go through a practical and education course
• All cyclists must be licensed
• All cyclists must have insurance (which is applied when they buy their license)
• Those who ride for employment should be fully insured for their own and others protection
• Separately protected exclusive tracks both limited and long distance should be developed away from roads. Possible joint public parkways can be developed

Insurance for pleasure biking should be minimal yet effectively protective of everyone.

Our population will increase, and roadways will become over congested and difficult to travel on. Take a good portion of biking away from this situation of chaos. Biking trails must become neighbourhood friendly and safe for all.