2302 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

It's very relevant, though, because there have been many accidents involving vehicles and bicycles where the helmet was directly related to the cyclist's severity of injury, and in some cases was literally the reason their life was saved.

 

It's a very dumb debate, the helmet thing. It's arguing against taking the simplest and most basic of precautions because sometimes a helmet isn't enough protection. C'mon.

[mbjj]

Luckily I have few reasons to drive in the dark but I happened to look out the window the other night at dusk and saw a cyclist crossing the street in what would be the pedestrian area with no helmet, no lights, no reflectors and dark clothing. Cars were turning left and you could tell they hadn't seen him or her until the last second. Please everyone be careful out there. Even when I have occasion to walk in the dark I wear a light.

[Nparker]

...It's a very dumb debate, the helmet thing. It's arguing against taking the simplest and most basic of precautions because sometimes a helmet isn't enough protection. C'mon.

Exactly. Will using a seat belt prevent all injuries involving vehicles? Of course not. Do they save lives? Absolutely.

[Greg]

Helmets would also save lives if worn by automobile drivers and pedestrians of course. It's a non-unique argument.

[Mike K.]

Of course. But cars are equipped with seatbelts, air bags, crumple zones, steel and rigid collision elements.

A cyclist without a helmet is like a motorist without seatbelts, air bags, crumple zones, steel and rigid collision elements.

C’mon you guys, this is a ridiculous argument to be having.

[LJ]

^Kinda like the one about masks.

[GetLisaSomeHelps]

^Kinda like the one about masks.

 

*Triggering Intensifies*

[Mike K.]

VicPD says they’ve made contact with the family of the deceased, who live outside of Canada.

[mbjj]

How sad 

[rjag]

As an fyi for those that claim Gorge Rd is a racetrack. Heres the last Speed Report from Saanich PD 

 

Shows the 50th percentile speed is 48kmh, the 85th as 56kmh and the average speed as 47.8kmh

 

http://www.saanichpo...fic_Covert.pdf 

 

There are some folks with agendas claiming 85th percentile speeds are closer to 70kmh etc Thats not the case. 

 

There is still no cause for how the tragic event unfolded so lets just wait until the facts actually come out

[On the Level]

Fun Facts for biking in Amsterdam....seems they are a little more restrictive than here:

 

Is a bicycle bell compulsory?

• Yes, a bicycle bell is compulsory on every bike.

Does my bicycle need lights and reflectors?

• As soon as you’re out on your bicycle in the dark or when visibility is bad, bicycle lights and reflectors are compulsory. The rules are very strict. If your bike doesn’t meet the requirements, you risk a fine - or worse, a car driver might not see you in time.

What side of the road do I cycle on?

• Like all traffic, cyclists have to keep to the right side of the road.

Must I always cycle on the cycle path?

• Cycle lanes are always compulsory.  There are cycle paths that are compulsory and there are cycle paths that are optional. They are signed with different road signs.

Am I allowed to cycle on the pavement?

• No, you are not allowed to cycle on the pavement or through pedestrian areas - although many Dutch cyclists ignore this rule. Be warned: especially in city centres you risk a fine.

Do I have to indicate that I want to turn right or left?

• Yes, it is compulsory to indicate with hand signals which direction you want to turn.

Do I have to stop for a red traffic light?

• Yes, like in other countries all cyclists have to stop for a red traffic light. However, there is one exception. At traffic lights with the sign ‘Rechtsaf voor fietsers vrij’, cyclists turning right don’t have to wait for the light to turn green. Do look out for pedestrians that might be crossing the road as they have right of way.

Am I allowed to cycle two abreast?

• Yes, you are allowed to cycle two abreast. You are expected to move to the side to make room for other traffic when necessary.

https://www.holland-...ns-for-cyclists

 

[pontcanna]

Cyclist severely injured after being hit in Galloping Goose trail crossing

Times-Colonist 15 Dec 2020

 

 

 A Colwood dentist who survived breast cancer and whose young son died of a drug overdose will spend Christmas in hospital after she was hit at a marked crossing while on an electric bicycle.

Dr. Rachel Staples, from her hospital bed in Victoria General Hospital, is telling others to “slow down” this holiday season and take seriously the impact of COVID-19 on our hospitals and its patients.

“We go about our lives and we just spin a lot of the times and we’re not thinking about the impact of our actions and sometimes it really just takes a second for a bad thing to happen,” said Staples.

“I think people need to slow down, life is short, and I’m sure the person who hit me is also quite devastated.”

At about 7:25 a.m. on Dec. 4, Staples, an experienced cyclist in full safety gear including reflective helmet and clothing, was hit by a motor vehicle at a marked crossing designated for bicycles.

She rode from Oak Bay on her electric bike along the region’s trails – “it was a really beautiful morning.”

She was hit by a vehicle in the second half of a marked crossing over two-lane Wale Road, after checking for traffic.

Her next memory was emergency personnel by her side as she lay on the ground. One of her lungs was perforated by one of her fractured ribs. She also suffered a concussion, broken nose, facial lacerations, broken shoulder, and shattered knee caps.

The excruciating pain caused her to think, mistakenly, her back was broken.

“I was really scared, I was scared not for me but for my family,” said Staples. “You kind of think about your family when you are faced with something like that, what will happen to them, and my business too, and my team.”

The crosswalk has so-called “elephant feet” markings on each side indicating that a cyclist can legally ride through the intersection.

The driver was charged with “drive without consideration,” said West Shore RCMP spokeswoman Const. Nancy Saggar.

“I was literally 400 metres from my new office,” said Staples. “I was basically crunched.”

Ten days after the crash, her facial wounds appear to be healing, and with the assistance of three people she can get into her wheelchair. She faces many more weeks in hospital and months of rehabilitation.

In June last year, Staples was in another wheelchair while undergoing reconstructive surgery after a double mastectomy.

She appeared daily at a coroner’s inquest into the death of her 16-year-old son, Elliot Eurchuk, from an accidental drug overdose involving fentanyl, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.

The examination of several failures and gaps in ministries from health to education resulted in several recommendations, including a call for more drug-addiction treatment beds.

Staples said being back in hospital, where her family experienced some of those gaps and failures, is hard, especially amid pandemic restrictions.

“It’s isolating,” she said.

“The nurses — as amazing as they are — they are not your family and they do their best to keep you comfortable, but they are busy on this floor.”

Elderly patients with hip fractures are on their own. Staples said an Italian woman, who doesn’t speak English, was crying all night because she doesn’t have anybody.

“It’s heartbreaking,” said Staples, whose husband Brock Eurchuk was allowed access.

On Dec. 4, Eurchuk asked Staples to take his vehicle to work, or let him drive her. She chose his electric bike, and he was up at 4:30 a.m. to have it ready for her. A few hours later, he was called to the emergency department at the hospital.

He said he was in “rescue mode” at first, but the days that followed were flooded with memories of the frustrations and heartache he experienced when his son was in hospital.

Staples said the family has no choice but to be strong, but they are healing from more than broken bones.

“Cycling is not going away in Victoria,” said Staples. “I love going through these trails and just being out in nature. But, you know, people have to respect one another on the roads.”

[Mike K.]

Can someone speak to how that crossing works? Do cyclists and pedestrians have to actuate lights to cross there?

Last time I drove through the area there was a lot of construction taking place, with obstacles on the road and machinery moving about. I wonder if that might have impacted sight lines for both cyclists and drivers? Tragic outcome here, regardless, but it could have been so much worse.

[Victoria Watcher]

good rule of thumb is don't cross roads when traffic is approaching.  until you have eye contact and see the vehicle is stopping.  even if you technically have the right of way.  same with crosswalks.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 15 December 2020 - 06:18 AM.

[Mike K.]

“She was hit by a vehicle in the second half of a marked crossing over two-lane Wale Road, after checking for traffic.”

Clearly she didn’t see this vehicle, and it didn’t see her. I don’t know why the driver was ticketed. Is that just a formality in these instances because it happened in a crosswalk? The cyclist keeps referring to slowing down in the article. Was she travelling too fast, or the car, or both? 7:25 is still dark, and it’s mid-rush hour, and Wale Road is a huge feeder of the OIH and it sounds like she was struck in the eastbound lane.

Overall, we all need to slow down. There’s so much aggression on our roads, from tailgating to blowing stop signs to running reds. It’s getting hairy out there and this is in a pandemic when traffic levels are heavily reduced.

[Victoria Watcher]

this would appear to be the intersection in question.

 

 

now i will bet 9/10 drivers do not know what the elephant feet are (they mean the cyclist need not dismount at the crosswalk) but i can see lots of hazards here if car and/or bike are going too fast.  but if bike is moving at pedestrian speed it would be pretty hard to be hit.

 

 

 

 

[Barrrister]

Forget about blowing through stop signs, around midnight last night a car drove right over the stop sign across from my house. Absolutely crushed the post.

[Mike K.]

So with these elephant feet, does a cyclist have to stop at the crossing, hit the light, wait for the all clear, then cross? Or are they not required to stop and operate the light?

[Victoria Watcher]

So with these elephant feet, does a cyclist have to stop at the crossing, hit the light, wait for the all clear, then cross? Or are they not required to stop and operate the light?

 

they can treat it like a pedestrian does.  there are no stop lights there for cars.  just the pedestrian activated flashing ambers both ways for through wale traffic.  pedestrians are not required to activate those.   and there are no walk/don't walk signs.  there are also no warning lights for knob hill traffic coming up to wale.

 

the crosswalks have been there for a long time.  the elephant feet were installed in 2016.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 15 December 2020 - 06:47 AM.

[marks_28]

”Clearly she didn’t see this vehicle, and it didn’t see her. I don’t know why the driver was ticketed. Is that just a formality in these instances because it happened in a crosswalk?.

I think the driver is ticketed because he/she should have been a bit more careful going through the crossing. Had they been, this could have been prevented. I’d be surprised if it was just a formality, as our system very regularly gives drivers the benefit of the doubt, at the expense of cyclists.

And my understanding with elephant feet is, the cyclist still has to wait to cross when it’s safe, they just don’t need to dismount like a regular crosswalk. There’s no stop sign for cars, but as with a regular crosswalk, drivers should slow and pay close attention as to whether anyone is waiting to cross.