[Newsbot]

Title: New Ontario law promises to make roads safer for cyclists
Category: Law & Order
Posted By: andyt
Date: 2015-06-05 17:37:21
Canadian

[andyt]

About time. For the dooring charges, there should be more than fines and points, but potential jail time. As in criminal negligence.

[Thanos]

Be nice if bicycles had to be licensed and registered just so their users could contribute their fair share to maintaining the roads and pathways they use.

[andyt]

they already do. Roads and pathways are paid out of city general revenue, mostly property taxes.

$1:

One mile on a bike is a $.42 economic gain to society, one mile driving is a $.20 loss

http://grist.org/list/one-mile-on-a-bik ... a-20-loss/

0:

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[OnTheIce]

More useless policy to capture some votes from the cyclists.

[PluggyRug]

So how much does it cost if I walk to the car and strap my bicycle to the roof?

[Caelon]

It would be nice if there was more enforcement of traffic violations by cyclists.

[andyt]

Caelon Caelon:

It would be nice if there was more enforcement of traffic violations by cyclists.

By all means. While police are enforcing the new laws relating to cyclists, they can look and see if the cyclist is breaking any rules. Two birds with one stone, and all. save some cyclist lives, maybe clam the frothing motorists at the same time.

[2Cdo]

andyt andyt:

Caelon Caelon:

It would be nice if there was more enforcement of traffic violations by cyclists.

By all means. While police are enforcing the new laws relating to cyclists, they can look and see if the cyclist is breaking any rules. Two birds with one stone, and all. save some cyclist lives, maybe clam the frothing motorists at the same time.

I've seen FAR more cyclists breaking laws than motor vehicles. The biggest ones being running stop signs/red lights and jumping from the road onto the sidewalk and back again to avoid traffic.

[OnTheIce]

We can keep them even safer by not allowing them on the road.

[andyt]

2Cdo 2Cdo:

andyt andyt:

Caelon Caelon:

It would be nice if there was more enforcement of traffic violations by cyclists.

By all means. While police are enforcing the new laws relating to cyclists, they can look and see if the cyclist is breaking any rules. Two birds with one stone, and all. save some cyclist lives, maybe clam the frothing motorists at the same time.

I've seen FAR more cyclists breaking laws than motor vehicles. The biggest ones being running stop signs/red lights and jumping from the road onto the sidewalk and back again to avoid traffic.

That's because of your observation bias. Any time traffic moves that's not congested, every one of those motorists is breaking the law, because traffic is moving above the speed limit. Running stop signs and red lights is not unknows in cars either - hence the presence of red light cameras, Hell, I chased down a bike cop for going thru a stop sign, and he told me that he'd never give me a ticket for it either - quiet road, no traffic. Those are the stop signs I run, not ones on busy roads - I have a will to live.

Bottom line is that if a cyclist does something stupid they pay for it, if a driver does something stupid, the cyclist still pays for it.

[2Cdo]

andyt andyt:

Any time traffic moves that's not congested, every one of those motorists is breaking the law, because traffic is moving above the speed limit.

That makes no sense. Traffic moving without congestion is speeding?

$1:

Running stop signs and red lights is not unknows in cars either - hence the presence of red light cameras, Hell, I chased down a bike cop for going thru a stop sign, and he told me that he'd never give me a ticket for it either - quiet road, no traffic. Those are the stop signs I run, not ones on busy roads - I have a will to live.

Never said it was unknown, just more prevalent with cyclists.

$1:

Bottom line is that if a cyclist does something stupid they pay for it, if a driver does something stupid, the cyclist still pays for it.

Not necessarily, but I do get your point. I remind motorcycle riders the same thing. It may be the car/trucks fault but YOU will still end up needing medical attention.

[DrCaleb]

andyt andyt:

2Cdo 2Cdo:

I've seen FAR more cyclists breaking laws than motor vehicles. The biggest ones being running stop signs/red lights and jumping from the road onto the sidewalk and back again to avoid traffic.

That's because of your observation bias. Any time traffic moves that's not congested, every one of those motorists is breaking the law, because traffic is moving above the speed limit. Running stop signs and red lights is not unknows in cars either - hence the presence of red light cameras, Hell, I chased down a bike cop for going thru a stop sign, and he told me that he'd never give me a ticket for it either - quiet road, no traffic. Those are the stop signs I run, not ones on busy roads - I have a will to live.

Bottom line is that if a cyclist does something stupid they pay for it, if a driver does something stupid, the cyclist still pays for it.

Oddly, I have to agree with both of you here. Pretty rarely does a cyclist try to kill me as a pedestrian on the sidewalk, but nearly every time I try to cross the street; a motorist will run red lights or stop signs or stop in the middle of the crosswalk - usually while I'm crossing the street. I can walk 3 blocks, and have my safety challenged at least twice by people not stopping at stop lines, or for red lights.

Pretty rarely does a cyclist run the crosswalk while I'm in it, but almost never does the cyclist stop for me as a pedestrian. But they are perfectly willing to use the crosswalk if it means that cars will stop for them! If they are still on their bikes - I don't. That seems to make them angry for some reason.

[andyt]

Lots of idiot cyclists on the road/sidewalks. Lots of idiot pedestrians on the sidewalks/roads, lots of idiot drivers on the roads/sidewalks. I'm a pedestrian/cyclist/driver - see lots of idiots in all modes of travel. All should be dealt with by stricter traffic enforcement. When I'm on my bike, I act like a car (unless not appropriate) because legally that's what I am. some drivers don't seem to understand this, scream at me when I'm in the left hand lane to turn left, or when they run a stop sign, nearly run me over and yell that "you don't have insurance" as an excuse. Or pass me with 6 inches to spare yelling "share the road". When I'm driving i notice all the idiots that don't signal, cut in front of me/cut me off, don't look ahead and are surprised by a change in traffic... I could go on and on.

So all groups are at fault here. What's strange is that a post about some very reasonable measures to make cycling safer only elicits complaints about insufficient cycling enforcement. Same deal about a radio program that was ostensibly about the new more severe fines for distracted driving in Ontario. Distracted driving has surpassed alcohol as a cause of traffic fatalities now (tho still far behind excessive speed). Right away the host started foaming about cyclists and pedestrians, as did most callers. People who identify only as drivers just can't handle the truth. When their kid is hit by a careless driver, of course, it's a different matter.

[stratos]

If cyclists would follow the rules of the road I would have no issue. Thing is cyclists run stop signs and red lights far more often then cars do. They ride between cars stopped at lights and intersections. They make right and left turns from wrong lanes and regularly will ride 3 or more abreast effectively shutting down one lane of a 2 lane road.