City to discuss licensing and mandatory helmets

Councillor Michael Walker is trying hard to appear to be the reasonable voice for citizens of Toronto plagued by cyclists. The solution is to make it harder to be a cyclist. The City's public works and infrastructure meeting will be discussing mandatory helmets and mandatory licensing for cyclists.

"We can't stick our heads in the sand and revert to this idyllic view of cyclists" he said. "We've moved a quantum leap from there. Bicyclists are much more prominently recognized as an alternative form of transportation - that's been in government policy and taxpayers' money."

Pro-cycling councillors are entertaining the ideas for now, perhaps because they can see where the wind is blowing. There's a significant proportion of the citizenry that likes to put the blame on cyclists.

"There are aggressive cyclists who don't show enough respect for pedestrians or vehicular traffic," he said. "And when they show that disrespect, whether they injure pedestrians or bang on a hood or act in some irresponsible manner they can ride off and you can't catch them - they just weave through traffic."

Minnan-Wong said a clear license plate displayed on a bicycle would act as a deterent to bad behaviour.

The idea of licensing bicycles isn't being rejected out of hand by pro-cycling councillors - but questions remain before council makes the request of the province.

Scarborough Southwest Councillor Adrian Heaps, the chair of Toronto's cycling committee, said the idea might have merit - but only insofar as it's tied to public education, and incentives for cyclists to learn the rules of the road. City staff are currently working on a comprehensive cycling policy called Changing Gears, that will be released later this year.

So would a helmet and a driver's license have helped Mr. Sheppard? He might have already been wearing a helmet for all I know.