Recently (in Calgary) I was stopped at a red light while waiting to make a right turn on red (permitted here) when a cyclist on the sidewalk tried to commit suicide by riding in front of me against the 'Don't Walk' sign. So much going on here! First, right turn on red is anti-pedestrian and shouldn't be allowed. If a pedestrian can cross…
Recently (in Calgary) I was stopped at a red light while waiting to make a right turn on red (permitted here) when a cyclist on the sidewalk tried to commit suicide by riding in front of me against the 'Don't Walk' sign. So much going on here! First, right turn on red is anti-pedestrian and shouldn't be allowed. If a pedestrian can cross the road, it should be forbidden to a motorist at that time. That's one reason why there are pedestrian-controlling signals. Cyclists should stick to roads or a dedicated bike lane if there is one (in this case, a block East, or the other side of the arterial road) and get off the sidewalk (there are also many dedicated bike paths in Calgary, but not at this location). Smart cyclists don't try to ride on arterial roads, for so many obvious reasons. Motorists should respect cyclists as bicycles too are vehicles.
Before anyone complains about my views - I rode a bike at school and university in England, and after immigrating to Canada, in Regina, I rode to work on side roads; there was only one arterial for me to cross. I didn't even try to ride along it. Now, bicycles are more widespread and cyclists and motorists need to learn how to behave on the roads and bike paths (not sidewalks!)
Is part of the Ontario problem related to new motorists buying black market driver's licenses rather than learning to drive, and taking a test from a legitimate testing authority?
>>” Motorists should respect cyclists as bicycles too are vehicles.”
I’ve always considered cyclists as vehicles as well, albeit human-powered. But as cycles lack any of the safety cage surroundings afforded to powered motor vehicles, it becomes the responsibility of the cyclist to ensure that THEY act in as safe a manner as possible when sharing the same road as vehicular traffic. Physics doesn’t care about the philosophy of inconvenience, and neither does the mortician.
Recently (in Calgary) I was stopped at a red light while waiting to make a right turn on red (permitted here) when a cyclist on the sidewalk tried to commit suicide by riding in front of me against the 'Don't Walk' sign. So much going on here! First, right turn on red is anti-pedestrian and shouldn't be allowed. If a pedestrian can cross the road, it should be forbidden to a motorist at that time. That's one reason why there are pedestrian-controlling signals. Cyclists should stick to roads or a dedicated bike lane if there is one (in this case, a block East, or the other side of the arterial road) and get off the sidewalk (there are also many dedicated bike paths in Calgary, but not at this location). Smart cyclists don't try to ride on arterial roads, for so many obvious reasons. Motorists should respect cyclists as bicycles too are vehicles.
Before anyone complains about my views - I rode a bike at school and university in England, and after immigrating to Canada, in Regina, I rode to work on side roads; there was only one arterial for me to cross. I didn't even try to ride along it. Now, bicycles are more widespread and cyclists and motorists need to learn how to behave on the roads and bike paths (not sidewalks!)
Is part of the Ontario problem related to new motorists buying black market driver's licenses rather than learning to drive, and taking a test from a legitimate testing authority?
>>” Motorists should respect cyclists as bicycles too are vehicles.”
I’ve always considered cyclists as vehicles as well, albeit human-powered. But as cycles lack any of the safety cage surroundings afforded to powered motor vehicles, it becomes the responsibility of the cyclist to ensure that THEY act in as safe a manner as possible when sharing the same road as vehicular traffic. Physics doesn’t care about the philosophy of inconvenience, and neither does the mortician.