Raise the Hammer

Many thanks to Jason for the well-written article. You've touched on a number of key concerns regarding the increased use of the road network by cyclists.

However, there appears to be a gap in reaching a concensus on what policies and practices are needed to ensure that the growing number of cyclists are protected from injury or harm...other than the expansion of bicycle lanes on the road network. The assumption being that if Hamilton was to create a utopian cycling network, that collisions with automobiles will no longer exist...or rather that any cycling collision would garner a healthy outcome.

A portion of my earlier comment which Jason refers to in his post, was to highlight the fact that cyclists are no different than motorists when it comes to responsible driving (or riding) habits. Or, rather "assumed" irresponsible driving/riding. A driver who is involved in a collision and was found to either not have had their seatbelt on, or was talking on the phone, or was eating or drinking a coffee, is generally viewed as acting in a careless manner. Cyclists by nature of the current law are governed under the HTA, and as such appear to be viewed in a similar vein.

Recognizing that cycling is becoming more commonplace in our society, furthers the need to have a governing body overseeing the cycling transportation network. Certainly most other modes have such a body in place (air, marine, rail, cars, and transit). The aforementioned representative organizations carry significant weight in determining best practices and laws regarding their corresponding industry.

Vehicular traffic is not going away anytime soon, despite assumptions that fuel prices will drive the automobile into the same demise as the betamax. Electricity or other fuel-cell development will continue to see vehicular movement on the road networks. Planning and construction of current/future road classifications require the cycling industry to lobby as a whole...not as the current piece-meal representative fashion they do today.