Sunday, August 2, 2009

Bill Good's Colleague Hit by Cyclist while a Pedestrian

In July, I was listening to the Bill Good show and he was talking, along with his panelists Bill Tielman and Norm Ruff, about the dangers of bicyclists on the sidewalk.

Good said "a colleague" of his was severely injured when, as a pedestrian, she was hit by a cyclist.

I was glad he brought it up. I've been criticized for blogging about bicyclists on the sidewalk. One commenter asked if I'd actually ever seen a pedestrian hit by a cyclist. I haven't but I've seen close calls. So I was glad Good was willing to talk about how it does happen and can cause serious injury.

Ruff pointed out that pedestrians in Victoria have been placed at risk by a bicycle path which pedestrians have to cross. But Good pointed out that at least those pedestrians have a choice. They can look both ways.

One thing I like about Critical Mass is that they cycle on the street, not the sidewalk.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

7 or 8 thousand km a year makes me pretty much a full-time cyclist and I have seen a pedestrian/cyclist accident.

I was the pedestrian, and two delightfully self-centered hipsters decided, in full contravention of the law and custom, that I should move for their sake.

No.

And when one of them was picking herself up from the ground there was an indignant and accusatory admonishment in the 'why didn't you get out of the way?'

Get cyclists off the sidewalks. If the road is too dangerous, address that issue, perhaps by lowering (and actually enforcing) the urban speed-limit.

Now, off to ride my bike to ride my bike.

Anonymous said...

Yes, there are designated paths where we have to share and even then cyclists should be yielding to pedestrians, but the pedestrians should pay attention too when it is supposed to be shared, cyclists can yield, but everyone should pay heed to the signs and maybe not take up the whole walkway when it is meant to be shared.