Need for bike lanes accepted, but legal penalties are a hot topic
A Guelph woman has been charged for her involvement in a hit and run that led to the death of a cyclist. Anna Wilson has been charged with failing to remain at the scene of an accident that occurred late in the evening on Nov. 13 just north of Guelph. Emergency personnel arrived at the scene early morning on Nov. 14 after a passerby called 911. The victim has been identified as Gordon Krofchick of Ariss, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
This incident comes in the wake of a series of cycling accidents across the city over the past few months. The Guelph Police Service investigated eight collisions involving cyclists and motor vehicles in August, prompting the department to issue an advisory on safety tips for cyclists.
Recently, two high-profile op-eds have been published in the New York Times and the Economist about laws that discriminate against cyclists in the United States. In the New York Times, Daniel Duane compares American laws to those in the Netherlands. While motorists often face no punishment for crashing into or killing cyclists in the United States, the driver of the motor vehicle is held liable for the injury or death of the cyclist in the Netherlands. This is largely because cyclists are treated as weaker participants in traffic rather than as equal users.
As of yet, Wilson has only been charged with the hit and run.
Duane points out that the number of cyclist fatalities is much lower in the Netherlands despite a greater number of cyclists. Cyclist fatalities in America were estimated to fall between 58 to 109 deaths per billion kilometers cycled in the early 2000s, while there were only 12 deaths per billion kilometers cycled in the Netherlands in 2010. This is not only due to laws that hold drivers more accountable, but to a more entrenched cycling culture and more advanced cycling infrastructure.
Cycling plays a large role for students as well as the greater Guelph community. Not only does it reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, many find it a great source of exercise and leisure. While the number of bike lanes across Guelph has already increased, the need for further expansion has been identified by the city. Such an expansion is expected to decrease difficulties for motorists and increase the safety of cyclists.
There are currently a number of efforts to increase cyclist well being, as well as to further the construction of bike lanes. The Bike-Friendly Guelph initiative is working to make cycling safer and more convenient in the city and hopes to triple the number of daily bike trips in Guelph by 2018. Last February, City Council officially approved the Cycling Master Plan; a transportation-planning document intended to guide the development of a cycling network. The proposed city budget also has $13.5 million allocated for road expansion and $450,000 allocated over 10 years to build 78 kilometres of bike lanes on roads that do not require widening.
It is hoped that these efforts will raise awareness about cycling across the city and decrease the number of accidents. Cyclists are reminded to ride safe and to obey all the rules of the road. Those interested in learning more about cycle-safety tips can go to the CSA Bike Centre on campus or the Guelph Police Service website.