Cyclist taken out | Page 6 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Cyclist taken out

Re: Cyclist hit and run

No, they aren't dangerous or irrespponsible because they're illegal. They're illegal because they are dangerous and irresponsible (in the context I described), and yet the law is not enforced. I frequently see cyclists splitting the pedestrians in the scramble at speeds up to 30 Kmh (my estimate). That's dangerous.

Then again almost every time I'm at Yonge and Dundas (several times a day) I see pedestrians who leave the curb to cross diagonally when there are all of 2 seconds left on the clock.
No, they're illegal because they CAN BE dangerous, and the law doesn't have the ability to discern between all the different circumstances that make a situation safe vs. unsafe. The law is a crude tool to compromise for the greater good. It usually gets it right, but not always.
 
Re: Cyclist hit and run

Sidewalk: Side WALK where one walks at the side of the road.

That worked reasonably well until the mid 1960's when performance bicycles became popular. Until then it was CCM's with coaster brakes or the odd Raleigh with a Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub, mostly being ridden by kids.

Then came skateboards and roller blades.

Jogging became a popular activity.

Technology gave us better electrics so mobility scooters and e-bikes.

Hell gave us Katherine Wynne but no one gave us common sense, alternate venues or clearly defined laws.

Trudeau Senior gave us liberty from responsibility so cop-an-attitude became the rule of the day. I can do anything I want anywhere I want.

We complain about obesity and sedentary lifestyles but when one wants to burn off calories there are few choices other than sidewalks and streets.

The BMX course in Centennial park, built for the Pan-Am games, always seems to be locked up.

In TO you can't ride a bike on a sidewalk if you're over 14 YO. So a twenty something parent with a two year old in a carrier has to ride in high risk traffic. Eliminate that law and twenty something athletes can zip down the sidewalk at 50 kph. Neither is common sense.

Earth is doomed. Anyone want to chip in to buy a new planet?
 
Re: Cyclist hit and run

No, they're illegal because they CAN BE dangerous, and the law doesn't have the ability to discern between all the different circumstances that make a situation safe vs. unsafe. The law is a crude tool to compromise for the greater good. It usually gets it right, but not always.

I would argue that the specific behaviour that I have referenced is dangerous, but that danger is not always realized.
 
Re: Cyclist hit and run

Riders who flout the law can still take responsibility for their conduct. I used to ride through an intersection every morning that had a restriction against straight through traffic, and it often had cops on the other side enforcing the rule. Every time I whizzed through they watched and did nothing.

It was easy to deduce that the purpose of the restriction is to prevent traffic from using the residential street next to a school to get around a congested 6-lane main artery that runs parallel. The traffic engineers simply didn't consider cyclists when they put up the restriction, as it would make no sense to force bicycles onto that parallel arterial road.

I don't know if the cops thought it through to that extent or just went with their guts and decided it didn't make sense to fine me, but if they had I would have dealt with it responsibly. I DID break the law, but I would have tried to explain to the cop that the rule didn't take cyclists into consideration, and if they ticketed me anyways (fine, that's their job) I would have tried to get my local councillor to recognise that the lack of an exception for cyclists was an oversight and fought it in court. And if I lost, I would have paid and went done a longer route around that corner if I saw the cops next time.

There are other instances where cyclists may in fact break the law but that doesn't mean they're necessarily creating a hazard. The 'Idaho stop' reflects that for example.

Yes, of course many cyclists are entitled and add risk to the roadways. We see it every day. All I'm saying is to look at it from a cyclist's point of view, and sometimes what you see as stupid and reckless will make more sense.

So wait. You flouted the law, and failed to take responsibility, but somehow see it as a lesson in doing the opposite?

Riverside Drive has a no right turn sign at Bloor.
I used to get off my bike and walk it around the corner, thus complying with the law, and taking responsibility.
At some point thereafter, the sign was changed to except bicycles.

The basic fact, is that the vast majority of cyclists, like their motor vehicle counterparts, are lazy and apathetic; too lazy to follow the basic rules of the road.

One sided rules like the one metre rule, don't help and actually hinder in this regard. Cyclists need to get their **** together and think about sharing the road with faster vehicles.
 
Re: Cyclist hit and run

I would argue that the specific behaviour that I have referenced is dangerous, but that danger is not always realized.
I wasn't there, but I don't doubt your judgement. The issue I have is when you question responsible riding based solely on the legality of an act. They're not the same, is all.
 
Re: Cyclist hit and run

So wait. You flouted the law, and failed to take responsibility, but somehow see it as a lesson in doing the opposite?

Riverside Drive has a no right turn sign at Bloor.
I used to get off my bike and walk it around the corner, thus complying with the law, and taking responsibility.
At some point thereafter, the sign was changed to except bicycles.

The basic fact, is that the vast majority of cyclists, like their motor vehicle counterparts, are lazy and apathetic; too lazy to follow the basic rules of the road.

One sided rules like the one metre rule, don't help and actually hinder in this regard. Cyclists need to get their **** together and think about sharing the road with faster vehicles.
How have I failed to take responsibility? It's not obeying every law that makes someone responsible, but taking ownership for the consequences of our actions, regardless of whether those actions are legal or illegal.
 
Re: Cyclist hit and run

How have I failed to take responsibility? It's not obeying every law that makes someone responsible, but taking ownership for the consequences of our actions, regardless of whether those actions are legal or illegal.

Never heard of the slippery slope?

Everything we do has consequences; sometimes good, sometimes bad, sometimes so small as to be imperceptible, but they're there.

Try to set a better example.
 
Re: Cyclist hit and run

Every time I ride my bicycle I get at least 5-6 cars who seem to enjoy trying to hit me with their mirror. These are country roads with lots of visibility or a lightly used two lane road that offers plenty of opportunity to move over without needing to even touch the brakes.

Not all cyclists are saints and neither are all drivers. Where I ride the drivers are the ones with the entitled attitude.
 
Re: Cyclist hit and run

You could argue that 1 km/h over the speed limit sets you down that slippery slope. But most would say the slope gets progressively steeper, and doing 41 km/h in a 40 zone, the slope is pretty flat there...
Most certainly. Nowhere am I saying that I'm immune or holier than thou.
We can see the way that almost everybody ignores the speed limits, sets their own, and gets annoyed at those who stay to exactly the limit, myself included.

What we should be doing, is getting out of our beds, and allowing enough time to get places, but we don't.
 
Re: Cyclist hit and run

Every time I ride my bicycle I get at least 5-6 cars who seem to enjoy trying to hit me with their mirror. These are country roads with lots of visibility or a lightly used two lane road that offers plenty of opportunity to move over without needing to even touch the brakes.

Not all cyclists are saints and neither are all drivers. Where I ride the drivers are the ones with the entitled attitude.

I hate riding in the city because there's too much traffic and chance of death.

That being said even when I'm riding in the country I'll have people pass me extremely close for no reason. One of the worst was on a two lane country road with perfect sight lines and no one coming the other way... an Elgin County OPP cruiser passed me with about 6" of clearance.

He pulled into a parking lot a bit up the road and I almost caught up to him (would have had a nice chat) but he left before I got there.
 
Re: Cyclist hit and run

I hate riding in the city because there's too much traffic and chance of death.

That being said even when I'm riding in the country I'll have people pass me extremely close for no reason. One of the worst was on a two lane country road with perfect sight lines and no one coming the other way... an Elgin County OPP cruiser passed me with about 6" of clearance.

He pulled into a parking lot a bit up the road and I almost caught up to him (would have had a nice chat) but he left before I got there.

*OPP. Don't bother with the dispatcher. Ask to speak to his staff sergeant. Lost track of the number of times I've reamed out cops' bosses.
 
Re: Cyclist hit and run

Which one was the cyclist?
 
Re: Cyclist hit and run

Cyclist taken out, Peterborough edition:

http://globalnews.ca/news/3612720/video-captures-violent-road-rage-incident-in-peterborough/

I'm sure the cyclist slowed down the truck on the empty streets. What else can we do but beat 'em with a club?
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada...ws-vicious-attack-of-74-year-old-cyclist.html

It's crazy. :tard: X2. A driver literally physically attacking a senior on a bicycle with a club. And having violence on cyclists common enough to observe numerous examples caught on video and put on the web.






Another recent TO example of a driver hit and run cycling death has just resulted in a guilty plea.
https://www.thestar.com/news/crime/...-and-run-death-of-cyclist-adam-excell-26.html
Wonder what the sentence will be...
 
Last edited:

Back
Top Bottom