City
Why safety blitzes on cyclists and pedestrians miss the point
Toronto Police have released the results from a brief cyclist and pedestrian safety campaign that took place earlier this week. Citing the fact that "eight of the 12 pedestrian deaths in Toronto have involved crossing the street mid−block" and "a noticeable increase in bicycle collisions involving motor vehicles," officers took to the street at Broadview and Danforth early Monday morning to ensure that those getting around on manual power are following the rules of the road.
I'm not convinced that these little blitzes have any positive effect on riding and walking habits. Not only are some of the by-laws questionable -- the need to have a horn and to ride with two hands at all times come to mind -- but they tend to foster the idea that should one follow all the rules, he or she will be just fine.
That's not really the case. Some of the safest cyclists I know can often been seen riding with one hand on the bars and are completely resistant to the idea of having a bell, much less ringing it constantly. And, on the flip side, even those who meticulously ensure that their bike and riding habits are compliant with the law have not escaped ill-fate on the roads.
Similarly, citing pedestrians for putatively dangerous crossing habits under the auspices of their own safety is both misguided and a waste of time. As many have pointed out, crossing at properly designated areas may not be safer in the first place. More than anything, a false sense of security places pedestrians and cyclists at risk.
But before writing off the whole idea of these types of campaigns altogether, I'll admit that the information they provide could be quite useful in helping to establish what aspects of rider or walker behaviour need to be addressed in more meaningful ways. For instance, I was surprised to see that of the 415 offences issued, 27 were for riding an adult bike on the sidewalk (the 211 who disobeyed stop lights or signs, on the other hand, wasn't eyebrow-raising for me).
Although it may seem counter-intuitive, cycling on the sidewalk in densely populated areas is far more dangerous than doing so on the road. Forgetting the need to dodge pedestrians, when riding on the sidewalk, the cyclist is far less visible when entering intersections, which is were the majority of serious accidents take place.
When I look at the stats below, I immediately think that their value is in highlighting habits or errors that should be targeted with more focused educational campaigns. Some riding habits are worse than others, and it's too easy to lose sight of this fact when they're treated in a similar manner as that which is inconsequential.
So, let's keep these campaigns, but on the understanding that they're actually surveys -- surveys that highlight what we actually need to spend time working on.
Results of 54-55 Divisions bicycle and pedestrian enforcement campaign (415 total offences):
- Improper bicycle lighting: 32
- Improper brakes on bicycle: 4
- No−horn, bicycle: 84
- Cyclist ride in crossover: 1
- Cyclist fail to stop for police: 7
- Bicycle − unable to keep both hands on handle bars: 1
- Bicycle with 62cm wheels ride on sidewalk: 27
- Disobey red light and stop sign: 211
- Pedestrian fail to use crosswalk: 28
- Pedestrian disobey red light: 8
- Pedestrian disobey "don't walk" signal: 12
Photo by Jose Miguel Navarrete of the blogTO Flickr pool.
Discussion
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What's your metric for "safe"?
This writers is the one who completely misses the point, which is EVERYBODY who uses the roads has to make safety a priority. As a cyclist you can't assume drivers are going to do the proper thing 100% of the time. Pedestrians have it even worse having to watch out for both bad drivers and the author's "safest" cyclists.
Give your head a shake dude.
is it no horn or no bell?? i have a bell but no horn...
what are improper brakes?
and most importantly, a helmet is not mandatory...this is the MOST IMPORTANT item to have while cycling and yet it's not the law???????
When crossing at this traffic-heavy, pedestrian-light intersection, no matter how within the law I act, my safety is completely dependent on whether or not each of the dozens of cars around me are paying complete attention.
Following the law and crossing at a signaled intersection has netted me more very close calls than I have fingers on my hands and toes on my feet in around a year's time.
Some time ago I discovered if I walked down the road a few hundred metres I could cross safely when the lights about 300 metres away on both sides of me synced up with red lights creating huge gaps in traffic that last a good 30 seconds.
Now, -this- would be frowned upon (but I don't think could be classified as illegal per say). I don't have to hope that dozens of cars are going to choose not to run me down. Now I just casually stroll across the empty road. There are no unforeseen potential issues (such as people running a red light, taking right turns without looking, etc). All I have to do is look down the street and see if there are any cars coming, and how fast they are going. I am in complete control over whether or not I end up in a heap on the pavement.
My point is, when you are so vulnerable as a pedestrian or cyclist you do what you have to do to stay safe, even if that means not following certain laws. Obeying the law sometimes means you have to put your safety in someone else's hands and assume they will act rationally and within the law. And anyone who walks often or rides a bike knows this often isn't the case.
In a word, no. Not having a horn/bell (I'm quite sure the TPS conflates the two) on one's bike does not constitute dangerous riding. Nor, of course, does riding with one or even no hands on the bars for short periods of time. Perhaps the rider needs a drink or to stretch...
I get the sense that many people who have an opinion about this sort of stuff haven't actually spent much time in the saddle.
But, one thing I completely agree with you on is that you can't assume drivers are going to do the predictable or safe thing all of the time. In fact, despite your claim that I miss the point, this precisely my criticism of these blitzes: "they tend to foster the idea that should one follow all the rules, he or she will be just fine."
You're basically correctin that the laws enforced during these blitzes are pretty silly and have little connection with actual safety. Did you know, for instance, that the fine for not having a bell on your bike (which at best is a courtesy device, certainly not a safety one) is much higher than the fine for not having lights on your bike at night (which obviously is quite important as far as safety is concerned)?
Alan, if you think helmet is the most important thing in cycling safety, I hope you never cycle. The most important thing in cycling is using your head to avoid getting in a crash in the first place. A helmet is your last line of defence for those times when you screw up really badly - and a pretty pathetic line at that. It is acknowledged by anyone except complete irrational zealots that a bicycle helmet will offer negligible protection in a serious crash involving acceleration by motor vehicles, and even in low speed crashes it may not make much of a difference. Every study that claims significant injury reduction with helmet use suffers from flaws so major that they basically discredit it completely.
Maybe if you're on a side street for a few seconds you can take your hands off the bars. But I see people going along College Street for a whole block at a time with hands off.
Not having a bell is also stupid, since you can't alert others to your presence. I don't understand "resistance" to having a bell or horn.
I admit I don't stop at stop signs, usually, because it's more efficient and just as safe for bikes to slow down and yield. But red lights are stops, every time.
Other things I hate seeing cyclists do: fiddling with iPods (or actually, listening to them at all while riding,) texting, make phone calls, going ridiculously fast, going ridiculously slow.
I can't get on board with the whole camaraderie amongst cyclists things, because at least 50% of the cyclists out there on the road are doing willfully stupid things on a reular basis.
I've been suggesting for some time that we should make two way bike traffic legal on selected one way streets, creating safe and usable connections for cyclists.
Riding without a "horn", not always having 2 hands on the handlebars... You people are sick! I wish I could say 'go back to doing regular police work' but the law-and-order agenda in this city is about bashing poor people. I'd hate to see what happens if you're poor and ride a bike ... they might "G20" your ass!
New York City of all places gets dedicated bike lanes and we get testosterone-filled bean counters with guns! Terrible.
(By the way Chief Blair, if you're interested in hiring some folks to take census data, you should talk to the Feds they're looking to get rid of some statisticians!)
Either I have both f*cking hands on the handlebars or I signal my turns.
You pick.
F*CKING BUREAUCRAT MORONS
The problem is, many kids ride bikes with wheels under 62CM and yet they're clearly old enough and tall enough that they should not be on the sidewalk.
The problem is the law is about the bike and not the operator or the speed of the road. If, instead, the law was changed that no bikes, regardless of wheel size, are allowed on roads with limits of 41KM or more, then it gets not only these people off the road, but it also stops a similarly bizarre thing of parents training young children how to ride on busy sidewalks using that as an excuse to be there themselves.
By putting all cyclists on the road, it gets car drivers used to having bikes on the road. There would be no confusion and also the number of bikes darting off the sidewalks unexpectedly would be gone. Plus it might get those who aren't equipped for night riding that if they want to ride at night, they'd better get proper lights (another reason they seem to be on the sidewalk).
Finally we need police to enforce the law. I've tried calling to complain. They don't respond.
What I meant to type was no bikes should be allowed on THE SIDEWALKS of roads with speeds over 41 KM/hr. So that allows little kids to ride a trike or training bike on a residential sidewalk, but keeps everyone off the sidewalks of major roads in Toronto.
That's a great attitude to have!
I drive and bike, and I've never been in an accident in either mode of transportation. But, when I do drive, I still wear my seatbelt because it is a preventative measure. I'm a safe driver who has never been in an accident so does that justify me not wearing a seatbelt if i choose to do so?
Maybe I should read the whole article because you might have saved the story, but really.
Now that Jarvis has turned into a parking lot, I take Church. Yesterday, I watched as a cyclist jumped almost every red light (the fact that the lights cascade red exactly on time is a matter I am currently taking up with the city) all the way to her office at Richmond/Jarvis. Then I passed 2 cyclists along Richmond going the wrong way. Then there's the cyclists that come out of the eastbound Richmond (at Bathurst) as pedestrians, crossing at the intersection, then go the wrong way down Bathurst to jump on Adelaide.
Yes, motorists misbehave, too, but when have you witnessed a driver jump every single red light? Or driving the wrong way on a one way street? I see it every single day for cyclists.
Blitzes? I've received 3 parking tickets and 1 speeding ticket so far this year. I pay $1,700 a year for insurance, around $3,500 a year for gasoline taxes, $960 a year for parking, $135 for the f'ing Miller tax and license fee and an assortment of other hidden taxes when I get my vehicle serviced - that's my contribution to earning the right to be on the road. The rest of you free-loaders can f$#k off.
Flame away!
To think that our car culture, especially downtown, is in any way sustainable is innocent at best. Bikes are a clean, silent and safe mode of transport that does more to build a livable city than a car ever could.
Property taxes are the main source of funds for road infrastructure - not gas taxes, not insurance, not license fees. So those taxes are MY contribution to earning my right to be on the road - unlike people who commute in and pay no taxes in Toronto, who are the real freeloaders.
Plus, even though I pay the same kind of property taxes as a car owner, I receive far less services *and* my use of the roads on a bicycle causes no damage or environmental harm.
I slammed on my breaks and stopped just shy of the vehicle, which sped away. Lucky this time. Had it not been on an uphill, I'm sure I'd have smashed into the car or had it hit me mid-intersection.
There ought to be more policing at intersections like this where motorists that don't indicate can cause grievous bodily harm to cyclists following the rules of the road.
The road warrior/courier mentality amongst cyclists has got to get ditched if cycling is going to become truly mainstream.
And gadfly, Jarvis hasn't become a parking lot. The difference is negligible.
Why do people always think that having a horn/bell on your bike is about cars! There is obviously no way that a car is going to hear a dinky bell on a bicycle.
Pedestrians, however, do. I can't count the number of times that my bell has saved collisions with pedestrians trying to cross mid-block, coming out from between parked cars, or stepping off a curb trying to cross against the light.
There is a good reason to have a bell.
There is also a good reason to have a helmet. Of course thinking with your head and being alert is the best way to stay safe, but last week, as my bicycle tire got stuck in a streetcar track that I've crossed safely everyday, which resulted in me going head over heels into a major intersection, my only thought was "I should've worn my helmet". Had I landed differently I might be dictating this sentence instead of typing it.
Wear your helmets people and be safe regardless of your mode of transportation.
I actually seriously doubt that a driver can even hear a standard bike bell when their windows are up. They're more just for other cyclists or pedestrians that are jaywalking and don't see you coming.
As for riding on the sidewalk, sometimes it's better than being on the road. Near where I live there is a section of street that dips under a set of railroad tracks. Along this short stretch there are no access points to the road (or sidewalk for that matter) and because of the downwards slope people accelerate to near highway speeds.
So you have the choice of staying on the road with traffic that is moving far too fast, under a dimly lit and narrow overpass or you can ride on the sidewalk when you can clearly see nobody else on that stretch.
Sadly, there are no laws protecting people from using common sense in situations where what's legal makes less sense.
I am not anti-bike, i am just anti-jack ass. I actually think there should be more bike lanes, but there should also be unifrom enforecment of law as they pertain to cars and bikes alike.
Yes, drivers need to do much better than they do. But that doesn't excuse cyclists who put themselves, and far too often pedestrians, in dangerous situations by either ignoring the rules of the road or by simply being as unobservant and distracted as the drivers they so malign.
Many of the situations that put cyclists in danger could be avoided if you did the little things, like paying attention.
But it might be asking too much for you to help protect yourself eh?
While you're at it, stop when we're crossing the street at a marked crosswalk.
Stupid ass.
Rubber residue a slipping hazard?
I agree that the merits of a bell are dubious in traffic, but it's quite handy for pedestrians and other bikers. Also? It costs $5. Put it on your bike, forget about it, and don't worry about getting a ticket.
And Ryan L, maybe you could yell louder than a bell, but I personally notice the bell more than I do someone yelling. Everytime I hear yelling, I don't even look cause I figured it's some drunk dude walking around.. when I hear a bell I make sure to look
The key is to use your bell BEFORE it gets to the yelling point. A bell instantly signals "bicycle" and gets people looking for one. If all you do is yell, you're just going to fray nerves everywhere you go. It should be a last resort.
My bell only takes a thumb to ring, and I don't have to move my hand from the grip to do it.
But is there a "blitz" on them? Noooo! It's just do as I say, not as I do.
There was a call in radio show where the caller<b>s</b> and host were expressing how they could still drive well even after a few beers, noting that tightened blood alcohol limits were "silly" and actually expressed your own notion that it fosters a false sense of safety from simply "following the rules".
Don't undermine the rules of the road. You can't pick and choose the rules you want to follow and expect other people to obey all of theirs.
I'm sorry to be harsh but this is a ridiculous editorial.
You can't take the criticism without whining: <i>"but what about the cars?!"</i>
Grow up, the road is for adults.
But where's the blitz on motor vehicles?
It's called everyday, especially on long weekends. It's about time cyclists got ticketed like cars for <b>violating</b> laws.
Wouldn't that be an amazing fact to really help paint a full picture of what is going on with cyclists and Toronto streets. If they ticketed 100% of the people on bikes they saw, well, then we have a small cycling population that needs education about the rules of the road. If they ticketed only 1%, then we have A LOT of cyclists, the vast majority following the rules.
And to Mike W, king of the morons, your beer analogy is retarded.
But don't bother, gadfly already knows this as I and others have argued it with him/her before. Willful ignorance is indomitable.
I could make the same argument with F1 and NASCAR but then, you're probably too simply to understand analogies.
Tell you what, if you can explain why it's a "retarded" analogy I won't treat you like you're not worth replying to seriously.
Riding without a helmet is stupid. My best friend (and lifelong cyclist) spent 48 hrs in a coma after hitting a teeny-tiny pothole awkwardly. Hipster dandies on their snazzy uprights: get a brainbucket...you can fix your ‘helmet hair’ once you get to Parts & Labour.
Riding without a bell is foolhardy and inconsiderate. I can’t tell you how many times it’s saved my bacon (or peds, or other cyclists, or motorist exiting their vehicles). For all those messenger wannabes who feel a bell is superfluous, you silently blasting by me six inches off my left handle bar without out so much as a heads-up ‘ding’ is not only inconsiderate and selfish, it’s dangerous. And for those fixie enthusiasts who think a bell detracts from the fine lines of their sweet ride, that’s a cop out because I’ve seen gorgeous bell design.
Riding without a proper lock makes ALL our bikes less safe. Whether you ride a beater or a gorgeous work of art, if you don’t have a badass lock, you just encourage thieves to linger long enough to consider whether they can pick off your bike. And since they’re stopped anyway, they’re going to size-up my bike next. And that sucks for both of us.
In any case, I love this dialogue folks, let's keep it going. Even (Rob Ford-like) comments from tards like Gadfly help to further cycling culture in this city, which only makes Toronto that much more livable.
I happen to be one of the cyclists who was ticketed for failing to make a stop at the stop sign at Danforth and Cambridge and my issue isn't so much with getting a ticket but as the officer was writing up the ticket, he ignored the dozen other cyclists who committed the same offense. What message did those cyclists receive? A cop reminding everyone of the rules as they pass would deliver more to the mass.
And I can accept getting a fine but my ticket was $110! More so, it bugs me that the ticket will affect my auto insurance and driving record. How is that I can operate a bicycle without a licence yet my conduct on it affects my licence which doesn't test my ability to operate a bicycle.
The ticket is so unfair and it makes me feel more like a victim and not like a subject of a public safety blitz which is why I plan on fighting this ticket!
Can't we all just get along?? I'm a pedestrian who has done a *little* bit of driving in the city.
- I love the bike bell when walking AND driving. It alerts you that it's a bike. There's so many people yelling in their everyday lives that you sometimes just ignore it. And, I CAN hear it from inside a car. BUY A $5 BELL
- Cars need to look out for bikers. I remember a few times I've been caught NOT looking for bikes when I'm turning. At the last second I'll see the bikers. It's easy to say that the bikes are going too fast, or whatever, but I chalk it up to not being a great city driver. LOOK OUT FOR BIKERS. THEY CAN BE FAST
- Both bikes AND cars need to STOP at red lights. I understand bikers who roll through stop signs when NO ONE is around, becasue it's pretty easy to see everything. But you can't see everything you need to at an intersection with lights. STOP AT RED LIGHTS.
Why is this even stuff that needs to be said? Isn't it all just common sense?
You also can be fined $110 for failing to signal a turn, despite it often not being safe to remove your hands from the handlebars when turning at intersections (ie, when streetcar tracks are involved)
But for some reason riding without a helmet is perfectly acceptable and I think its a safe bet that helmets save 100 times more lives than a dinky bell that nobody can hear.
HTA 147 - Slow moving traffic travel on right side - any vehicle moving slower than the
normal traffic speed should drive in the right-hand lane, or as close as practicable to the right edge of
the road except when preparing to turn left or when passing another vehicle. For cyclists, you must
ride far enough out from the curb to maintain a straight line, clear of sewer grates, debris, potholes,
and parked car doors. You may occupy any part of a lane when your safety warrants it. Never
compromise your safety for the convenience of a motorist behind you. Set fine: $85.00
** Never
compromise your safety for the convenience of a motorist behind you.**
it doesn't work in reality..
Again, bikes are not safe. Don't feel safe, don't ride them. Wanna be safe? Drive a Hummer. Darwinian Law at its finest. No amount of social revisionism or tickets are going to change that law.
Never take a bicycle to a car fight!
Seriously, cities of 10 million handle traffic and bicycles better than we do. So instead of making driving as bad as taking the TTC, let's look for ways of making getting around this city better.
Let's put it to a referendum! (Betcha don't want that, do you?)
I will get this reversed if it is the last thing I do.
Until people respect biking as a legitimate form of transportation, bikers will feel that they are disrespected and ignore these rules.
Unfortunately, this is never going to happen without bikers first obeying the rules of the road.
It turns into a bit of a chicken and egg scenario, but someone has to take the first step. We need full consideration for bikers on all roads immediately. And as bikers, we need to show the city that we are ready to respect the new rights we deserve on the roads, even before we get them.
Except for stopping at stop signs. Those are 'slow down and yield' for bikes and until you ride a bike you will not understand why.
Later that day, as I was a police pan unloading a bunch of bikes for cycle cops was blocking the bike lane on college at the entrance to Kensington. How can anyone be expected to obey the rules, when the police don't even seem to know them?
"Later that day, I saw a police van unloading a bunch of cycle cops while blocking the bike lane on college St."
Very sorry to hear about your experience. Some cyclists are absolute idiots, and the sooner police start ticketing them, the better. You want to be treated like a vehicle? Start acting like one! No sidewalk riding, or going though stop signs, for starters!
For the record, I live downtown, don't own a car, and cycle everywhere, something I have been doing since I was five. The difference is, I stop at cross walks and red lights, stay BEHIND streetcar and bus doors when unloading passengers, use lights and a bell, and don't ride on the sidewalk (hint, hint).
I hope your daughter is OK. I suggest writing to your local councillor, as I have, about ticketing cyclists. I have also heard that the city is considering barriers on some sidewalks to discourage fools who think the sidewalk is a "side ride." If that's what it takes, I'm all for it.