Safe Cycling Police Campaign starts

The debate is based mostly on opinion and perception, with convenient ignorance of reality and convention.

In reality, data indicates intersections are the most dangerous places for traffic, all traffic. Read the Ontario Coroner's reports, which HTA is partly based on. Stop signs exist at intersections, because we cannot depend on everyone to exercise proper timing and spatial judgement at every intersection.

Opinion and perception, however, are that stop signs at intersections are inconveniences and hindrances. And thus many road users, oblivious or ignorant to the underlying theme and reality itself, choose unwisely to do as they wish.

In reality, HTA dictates that pedestrians have right-of-way on most roads. Many municipalities take that one step further and build infrastructure specifically designed for pedestrian right-of-ways, they're called sidewalks.

Opinion and perception, however, are that vehicle drivers, and cyclists, can choose to ignore this infrastructure, the precept of right-of-way, and willfully infringe on the rights of pedestrians. Cars make a statement of power, authority, and identity. But the noble and educated citizen recognises that it is only a facade, and that behind the machine is a human. Automobiles are just tools in the hands of operators, same as a hammer, a gun, a pen, or a computer. Bicycles are the same. Following guidelines for using those tools, and wielding them wisely, based on skills, experience, and reality, not opinion or perception, is the way to go.

Law enforcement is based on written law, not opinion and perception. While I fully agree that there are parts of the HTA that need to be updated, I cannot agree that special exception be given to bicycles. Many fail to realise that bicycles were road vehicles long before automobiles were created; pavement on roadways was made for bikes, and other wheeled vehicles. Automobiles seem to be declining in popularity and sustainability. Bicycles will take their place. Bicycle operators today should look forward to that day, and plan to be an effective part of it.

Some laws are dumb and need to be broken.
Abortions would still be illegal if Morgentaler followed them, shopping on Sunday would still be banned, marijuana would be...
...wait a minute - gotta go work on that one.

I'm not equating bike laws with abortion but pointing out that laws aren't perfect. Laws are sometimes changed or ignored because they didn't make sense, no need to go armed with a constitution. There are old dusty outdated laws that are ignored by the police, why not also turn a blind eye to minor cycling infractions if they don't present a danger?
Hemp growing laws were drawn up out of ignorance. It used to be illegal for two unrelated people to live together in Toronto just a few decades ago.
I'm going to continue to treat stop signs as yield signs, I'll give way to traffic or pedestrians coming through.
Red lights I'm fine with, except when you need to activate them by walking to a button. I wonder if that nonsense is constitutional?

A few trapdoors opened under ppl participating in this debate a few comments ago. It sure seemed like someone equated a woman's right to choose with a cyclist's right to disobey the law. But as good CAN-BIKE trained cyclist, I'll avoid that confrontation altogether and go around the problem!

All this talk about constitutional rights is untimely. Here's the deal : you renew your constitiutional rights every time you vote. Our elected officials are the ones who can make the changes you feel necessary, and establishing personal, productive relationships with your Councillor, MPP, MP are the way to get that done. Complaining and whinging about inconveniences is not the way to change. And above all, using a roadway is not a right, it's a privelege, perhaps even a luxury. I've lived and rode in China; police there don't give out nearly as many tickets because riders there obey the laws and act responsibly for their own sake.

Which part of "stop" do people not get? I find it extremely hard to understand how intelligent, informed, capable inviduals who choose to ride their bikes on the road, do not choose to obey the laws that are intended for their own safety, and the safety of others. I can understand that common sense is not entirely common, and that judgement differs from person to person; but gosh, what part of the hexagonal red sign do people not understand? it is truly baffling.

I rode downtown and back six times this week, and diddn't once get a ticket, or get hit by a car, or endanger the lives of pedestrians. But only one of those rides was "perfect", where every cyclist I saw obeyed the law, rode responsibly, and acted like decent ambassadors of our community. How much am I asking for to have people do such simple, worthwhile things!?!?

The fight is in each rider's head : to do what's right, and reject poor choices based on opinion, and ill behavior.

Well Brian, I was coming up to a stop light on Dundas East at Broadview. I decdied to hold back at the tail end of the cars because many were turning. Whizzing by me was a fellow in a jacket emblazoned with all of his CAN-BIKE achievements. He flew right into the kill zone of a truck that was in the process of turning with its signals on. This caused both the truck and the car behind to do an emergency manouver to avoid the cyclist. Not the first time I saw him pull a stupid stunt, I recognized him from rides where the City hired him to help guide them and as a CAN-BIKE instructor.

So based on that, is it fair that each and every person who wears a CAN-BIKE gets painted with the same brush of dumbass? No, it just plain immature and petty. HIstory is full of the same dark rationale being applied to the detriment of millions of people.

History is also full of politicians of acting fairly on behalf of its people. Ya, right.

People want change. There is going to be complaining and "whining" until there is either a critical mass of it to invoke change or it is simply dismissed.

The Idaho Stop and Roll law is a perfectly example of when stop does not get it.
http://www3.state.id.us/cgi-bin/newidst?sctid=490070020.K

You did the right thing Darren, congratulations. I would have commended you on your good judgement to hold back if I had been there. Rewarding good behavior on bikes is very important. If you can identify the rider who committed those offences, why not write to someone in a position of authority about it? Riders should be held accountable.

As far as i know, CAN-BIKE hasn't issued clothing or achievement badges. But maybe some innovative citizen decided to bring more attention to the program by creating his own marketing initiative. Too bad there's nothing to back it up. Oops. CAN-BIKE is a great program, but if the people who are involved in it themselves don't do what's right, who cares?

Meanwhile, if we're going to talk about achievements and immatureness and pettiness on display, why is it that cyclists who obviously don't have appropriate skill and competency to ride on the road get ignored by the majority of society? I saw six people who were barely in control of their bikes - shopping bags on the handlebars, long hair in their faces, skirts flowing into the the rear wheel, wobbling and scraping their pedals on the curb edge - why aren't ppl screaming bloody murder when they see these obvious dangers!?! Because ppl don't care. Because bikes are percieved as toys, not vehicles.

If ppl really care, if ppl really want change, they will begin to care for themselves, find a way to spread that caring to others, and make the "care" a popular movement. "Caring Mass". And the change will happen regardless of what politicians do or not do. But while there are still miscreants and anti-social yahoos willing to break laws and incite disruption and criticise loudly instead of working positively, personally, and contributively towards spreading care awareness, things will remain the same.

Brian, how does one respond to such a diffuse post? You have the masses suffering from a compassion deficit; long hairs with -- the horror! -- grocery bags slung from their handlebars, scraping the curb with their pedals; and miscreants, criticizing loudly, disrupting the whole works! Hey, sounds like a great way to spend a Saturday night to me!

Let's return to the subject: The Safe Cycling campaign by Toronto's Finest.

Yup "Stop" signs mean stop -- no argument there. The point remains that not doing so doesn't necessarily translate into unsafe cycling. A typical scenario: a car and myself roll toward a 4 way Stop simultaneously; before either of us come close to halting, I wave the motorist onward; he rolls on through and so do I. Neither of us are acting irresponsibly nor unsafely, but both of us are eligible to $100+ fines.

There's the Safe Cycling campaign for you: often it has little to do with safe, intelligent cycling. How does a ticket for not having a bell, or having a bell to begin with, protect me from a left hook? It doesn't. Neither does it prevent me from getting doored, floored by a right hook, or squeezed out of a lane.

Sure, I can stop at a Stop sign where there are unobstructed sight lines and nobody is in sight, but it is to insult one's intelligence to claim one's safer for doing so. The rational behind the Safe Cycling Campaign more concerns strict adherence to misguided laws, which many cyclists correctly apprehend, little, if at all, conduce to their welfare.

That hundreds of millions of cyclists in Mao era China use to safely share roadways with all manner of vehicles AND in the absence of traffic lights and signs attests to the fact that the concept of safety is not rooted in the letter of the law but in perspective.

Darren, carelessness is woven into today's social fabric. The majority of those hundreds of cyclists you mention havn't taken any training or think of themselves as vehicle operators; that makes the level of skill and competency on our roads pretty mediocre. Miscreancy and stunting are what make the news, and what ppl pay attention to.

Ppl ride carelessly, flaunt the law, and behave stupidly because it's accepted that they'll get away with it, and may even make the news. It's a unique problem to Toronto. If a hundred plus cyclists took to an expressway in Hong Kong, or Paris, or London, there would be police arrests and jail and prosecution like nothing you've ever seen. but it happens in Toronto, and ha ha ha...they got away with it! Excellent! We're So World Class!

And it goes beyond cyclists : drivers can drink hot coffee and drive while talking on their cell phones because very few people care. It's more important they get caught for speeding and drunk driving than texting on their mobile devices, or grappling with a sandwich while behind the wheel. In other jurisdictions, such behaviors are labelled dangerous driving. But not here.

The vast majority of Torontonians place their own care and well being in devices and actions of others, rather than taking responsiblity for themselves. That rider with hair in the eyes obviously dosn't give a damn about seeing what's ahead, nevermind around them. Petty? No, petty is labelling that rider by their gender, race, ethnicity, clothing, or job, role in society, leadership ability. Let's get angry at cops because they're doing the dirty work few of us want to engage in - correcting inapporopriate behaviour and unsafe action - le't's leave it to someone else, we've all got important, busy lives. After all, we work hard running a world-class city.

A helmet is a fashion statement to most Torontonians, not a preventative measure. Not enough people have family/friends/colleagues affected by brain injury to get the concept of how a helmet works. Few people measure their helmets, for example, as to the extra visibility it affords them, or the protection it gives from sun. Most ppl don't see the multi-faceted benefits a helmet delivers. Helmet marketers have failed us, generally, by not explaining the full benefits. And being the Fashion nexus we are, heaven forbid a helmet sully the coif of the day, or ruin the look!

I don't care too much about ten years ago. And I am sorry for your loss; I too have lost friends, and I very nearly lost my own life on the streets while cycling. But Coroner's reports don't matter if people don't care or don't take action. Today, I care about the paucity of participants at the monthly Toronto Cycling Advisory Committee meetings at City Hall. If so many people want change, why are they not present and vocal when it counts? If cycling infrastructure were so important to people, the TCAC would have to hold its meetings in the Air Canada Centre to accommodate the audience, and Councillors would be overwhelmed with letters, emails, meeting requests, and phone calls.

But it's not enough of a priority to a majority of ppl; ppl generally just don't care.

And how timely that Luke would chime in with a reference to China - in China, the majority know that if one breaks the law and attracts the attention of the police, the consequences are dire. I've lived and rode in China. The Chinese have a saying : "stay away from trouble, trouble stays away from you". I've always remembered that when seeing a police officer anywhere. And so far, I've never been arrested or charged; and only ticketed when I was caught, all six foot one two hundred ten pounds white skinned Canadian male - breaking the law. Funny that.

Well Brian I am glad that we do not throw cyclists in jail for expression like the Americans do... hell they were throwing people who even looked like cyclists in jail. It is a pretty draconian society that supports actions like those.

TCAC, well there is a useful arm of City Hall if I have ever seen one. Ever wonder why people do not show? Probably because they do not care to put up with its non-sense. It took them three meetings to make it public exactly where they meet.
http://www.torontocranks.com/?p=249

Stop obsessing about cyclists with hair in their eyes, pay some attention to the rest of us.

This whole thing reminds me a scene from the second season of the tv show "The Wire". Basically the head of a local union pisses off the head of a local Police division so the police majors orders people in his division to go to the Union head quarters and ticket cars.

The moral of the story? Everybody breaks the law. Everyone. There is normally an understanding between police an citizens that not every violation warrants penalty. Because it would be impossible for police to do so. The application of law as it applies to when violations are penalized is a matter of policy not law.

If this was simply an issue of the letter of the law and cyclists rolling through stops signs I would have no problem at all. I agree that there are a lot careless cyclists that break the law and those people do deserve to get ticketed. But that isn't what is going on here.

If it was about rolling through stop signs police would also ticket every car that rolls through signs along with every bicycle. But clearly there has been an assigned policy made to ticket cyclists and not motorists.

So the next question is why the application of policy? For our safety? From the cities own study of cycling. (http://www.toronto.ca/transportation/publications/bicycle_motor-vehicle/...) 2.8% of cycling accidents occurred from cyclist proceeding unsafely through controlled intersections whereas 12.2% of accidents occurred from a motorist proceeding unsafely through controlled intersections. So clearly policy does not match statistical data. If this blitz was to improve cycling safety police should be focusing on cars running stop signs as it results in more cycling accidents.

The conclusion we can take from this is exactly like the scene from The Wire. The police have no evidence to support that ticketing cyclists will improve their safety, so we can conclude that the police must just be out to get us. This is not for our satefy, but because we've pissed off the wrong people... Motorists.

I'd like to apologise for taking the discussion off topic, and diffusing it.

I'm very passionate and expressive about cycling, and truly wish to advance and promote cycling in Toronto. Please forgive me for being selfish and long winded.

I'd like to express gratitude to my esteemed colleagues in the debate who kept the conversation astute, civil, and impersonal. There are a lot of great minds around cycling in Toronto, let's get them focused on moving forward with positive accomplishments.

Sincerely,
brian

Sorry, I didn't quite explain myself fully there.

I didn't mean to say that police are out to get us ... well they are ... but it's not of their decision. I don't think there is any doubt that this blitz is a direct result of motorists putting political pressure on the police force to stop "rouge" cyclists. The cyclists out there that are reckless and break the law. That is the cause of the public policy.

The problem then becomes how the police apply that policy and unfortunately that is done by meeting quotas. The police, to satisfy the political pressure bring back numbers, their own stats. "We ticketed X cyclists for rolling through stop signs today", for example. It's unfortunately because that is how cyclists who aren't endangering anybody, who aren't being reckless end of with a ticket over some bull$h!t.

Tone, as far as cyclists "just trying to survive tyranny and injustice one more day". You are trying to diffuse the argument with hyperbole. What we do face with this blitz is discrimination. Every time a cyclists rolls through a stop and gets ticketed and a car rolls through a stop and get nothing it's discrimination. Anytime the law is applied differently to a minority group in society it's discrimination.

Though my posts were mired with diffusion and tangents, it seems a handful don't get the message, or still wilfully ignore.

If these "reckless" cyclists weren't running stop signs in the first place, the police wouldn't be targeting and ticketing them.

But it's easier to cry foul like a baby than to change behavior. Gandhi said "be the change you want to see in the world". If you continue running stops and not including yourself as a vehicle, be prepared for status quo, and to be a target yourself.

I'll cease from commenting further, one more braying jackass adds more shit to the farm, and dosn't make the farmer's job any easier. I'll do what I say, "being the change", and continue riding like an example of what good cycling should look like - I usually wear black and a reflective orange vest with a Canadian flag, because it's all about MVP, and good communication for positive change.