Near Miss Toronto

Pedestrians share near-death experiences on the streets of Toronto

If you live or work in downtown Toronto, chances are you've had at least a few close encounters of the vehicular kind.

Whether it be a sports car that just barely skids to a halt as you step off the streetcar, a delivery truck that mangles your bike in the process of backing up, or a bus that crosses way over into your lane while turning left, we've all got stories about that one or 100 times we almost got smushed.

With Toronto on track for one of the worst years in history regarding cyclist and pedestrian deaths, road safety has become a constant topic of discussion around the city.

In the spirit of taking matters into one's own hands, someone in Toronto has been adhering posters to street poles around local crosswalks.

"Almost hit by a vehicle at this crosswalk?" read the signs. "To share: #NearMissToronto."

No name, phone number or organization is listed on the posters themselves, and the hashtag contains only anecdotes and photos from citizens who've decided to use it.

Some citizens are reporting patterns of behaviour that they say endanger lives on the regular.

And sharing their experiences in trying to bring dangerous drivers to justice.

Others are just sharing photos of the signs to illustrate how bad the problem has gotten

And they're not the only ones.

Fortunately, things are looking up for road safety in Toronto.

City Council recently approved an additional $22 million in spending on safety measures amidst pressure from public figures, community groups and citizens who were distraught to learn that 93 people had died on Toronto's roads in the first two years of Mayor John Tory's "Vision Zero" plan.

Lead photo by

Margaret Bryant


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in City

The former landmark HMV store on Yonge St. is getting a new tenant

Canadian Dental Care Plan expands to cover more services

Ontario drivers are so bad at using one road feature that police keep having to explain it

Abandoned century-old bridge in Toronto is finally being demolished

Several people injured in high-speed TTC crash overnight

Toronto neighbours build ghostly marriage proposal for Halloween

Upcoming job fairs where you can look for work in Toronto

Multiple Canadian companies just ranked among the world's best employers for women