Transportation

Elderly Cyclist Hospitalized After Collision on Osler Drive

By Ryan McGreal
Published July 09, 2013

Hamilton Police report that an 80-year-old male cyclist is in hospital with "serious, life-threatening injuries" following a collision with an automobile. The collision took place on Osler Drive in Dundas at 11:18 AM on Monday, July 8.

Police are still investigating. Anyone who has information is asked to contact Detective-Constable Hendrik Vandercraats at 905-546-4755 or Detective-Constable Wes Wilson at 905-546-4753.

Senior citizens are among the most vulnerable road users, especially when they are attempting to walk and cycle on city streets. They are disproportionately over-represented in collisions, injuries and deaths.

Complete Streets for Vulnerable Road Users

Last year, the Ontario Coroner issued reports on cyclists and pedestrians and in both cases recommended that cities and the Province adopt a "complete streets" approach to create public spaces that are safe and accommodating to everyone.

From the Cycling report:

A "complete streets" approach should be adopted to guide the redevelopment of existing communities and the creation of new communities throughout Ontario. Such an approach would require that any (re-)development give consideration to enhancing safety for all road users, and should include:

*Creation of cycling networks (incorporating strategies such as connected cycling lanes, separated bike lanes, bike paths and other models appropriate to the community.) * Designation of community safety zones in residential areas, with reduced posted maximum speeds and increased fines for speeding.

From the Pedestrian report:

Ontarians not only need to walk, they need to walk safely. To do so, they need safe walking spaces. It is believed that with high quality engineered design, universal accessibility and a dedication to safety where pedestrians are of paramount importance, it will be possible to decrease pedestrian deaths.

In Hamilton, where the idea of streets for everyone has been slow to catch on, senior citizens continue to be disproportionately represented in collisions, injuries and deaths. Last December, an 87-year-old woman was killed crossing Governor's Road at Overfield, a site where hundreds of residents had previously signed a petition asking for a crosswalk.

Just last month, an 83-year-old died from her injuries sustained in a collision with an automobile at Upper Gage and Mohawk.

As the Ontario Coroner reminds us, these are preventable deaths. If we designed our streets to be safe and accommodating to all users - pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motorists, from young children to elderly seniors - they would be safer and healthier for everyone.

Ryan McGreal, the editor of Raise the Hammer, lives in Hamilton with his family and works as a programmer, writer and consultant. Ryan volunteers with Hamilton Light Rail, a citizen group dedicated to bringing light rail transit to Hamilton. Ryan wrote a city affairs column in Hamilton Magazine, and several of his articles have been published in the Hamilton Spectator. His articles have also been published in The Walrus, HuffPost and Behind the Numbers. He maintains a personal website, has been known to share passing thoughts on Twitter and Facebook, and posts the occasional cat photo on Instagram.

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By Pxtl (registered) - website | Posted July 09, 2013 at 10:41:03

Don't be so old-fashioned Ryan. The integrating seniors into the community is so last-century. The modern approach is to build an insular rural retirement compound where they will retire and never interact with the outside world except during visits from family and voting day.

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By Tawry (anonymous) | Posted July 10, 2013 at 12:51:07 in reply to Comment 90081

An insular retirement compound.. doesn't that describe Dundas as a whole?

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By Fred Street (anonymous) | Posted July 10, 2013 at 14:27:27 in reply to Comment 90148

As of the 2006 Census, five wards had population age 65+ that were above the city average.

Ward 13: 18.5% (24.1% age 60+)
Ward 05: 17.4% (22.7% age 60+)
Ward 06: 16.9% (21.7% age 60+)
Ward 08: 16.8% (21.7% age 60+)
Ward 10: 15.3% (21.3% age 60+)
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City-Wide: 14.9% (19.7% age 60+)

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By highwater (registered) | Posted July 09, 2013 at 12:07:58 in reply to Comment 90081

Even then they bring the polling station to the compound, so apart from their families they're never seen again, thank God. If they are out and about in our communities, the empathy police will force us to make accommodations in our public spaces to be more inclusive, which involves change, which as you know is always bad.

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By matthewsweet (registered) | Posted July 09, 2013 at 14:24:11

Last December, an 87-year-old woman was killed crossing Governor's Road at Overfield, a site where hundreds of residents had previously signed a petition asking for a crosswalk.

http://www.hamiltonnews.com/news/governo...

From March 2013, traffic calming and lane conversion project on Governor's Road

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By Noted (anonymous) | Posted July 09, 2013 at 18:53:32

An 80-year-old man is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after a crash involving a car Monday.

Emergency crews were called to Osler Drive near Hillside Avenue in Dundas just before 11:30 a.m.

Police said the senior, was riding his bike in the westbound curb lane down the hill, somehow came in contact with a 2012 Lexus, also driven by an 80-year-old man. It is not clear who side-swiped who.

"We're still trying to determine what took place and if there was a lane change or something on the cyclist's part," said Detective Constable Wes Wilson, who is leading the collision-reconstruction investigation.

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/3884180-dundas-crash-critically-injures-80-year-old-cyclist/

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By beancounter (registered) | Posted July 09, 2013 at 19:03:53

That street is a disaster. Having walked along Osler Drive a number of times, I found even the pedestrian experience somewhat unsettling, since the sidewalk is very narrow and there is no barrier.

For others who might contemplate cycling on that section of the road, I would suggest a safer alternative. Use the Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail which runs roughly parallel to Main St. and Osler Drive. You can get onto it at Ewen Road, Main St. West where it swings south towards Ancaster, University Plaza and Old Ancaster Road.

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By Noted (anonymous) | Posted July 15, 2013 at 11:25:23

Police are investigating a weekend collision in which a cyclist suffered serious injuries after he was struck by a car driven by an 86-year-old woman.

Hamilton police said the woman was driving on Hwy 8, east of Jones Road when her vehicle drove on the paved portion of the south shoulder and struck a cyclist.

The male cyclist, 29, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The Collision Reconstruction Unit was called to the scene and is still investigating.

Police said speed and alcohol were not a factor. Witnesses are asked to call to Detective Constable Hendrik Vandercraats at 905-546-4755 and Crime Stopper at 1-800-222-8477.

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/3892664-woman-86-strikes-cyclist-on-hwy-8/

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By Noted (anonymous) | Posted July 22, 2013 at 14:53:35 in reply to Comment 90237

An elderly female driver who collided with a cyclist in Stoney Creek earlier this month has been charged with careless driving.

On July 13 at 2:47 p.m., an 86-year-old woman drove her vehicle on the paved portion of the south shoulder of Highway 8 east of Jones Road and struck a male cyclist.

The 29-year-old cyclist was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

Speed and alcohol were not factors in the collision. Police initially indicated that charges against the driver were pending.

http://www.hamiltonnews.com/news/motorist-who-hit-cyclist-charged-with-careless-driving/

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By google cars have arrived (anonymous) | Posted July 19, 2013 at 09:46:22 in reply to Comment 90237

"her vehicle drove"?

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By Noted (anonymous) | Posted July 16, 2013 at 15:42:32 in reply to Comment 90237

A 73-year-old was struck by a vehicle while riding his bike.

It happened around 7 p.m. Monday, in the Barton Street and Dewitt Road area.

He was transported to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries.

Hamilton police continue to investigate.


http://www.thespec.com/news-story/3894612-cyclist-73-struck-on-barton/

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By Noted (anonymous) | Posted July 22, 2013 at 14:47:46 in reply to Comment 90245

A 61-year-old Calgary man has been charged after two cyclists were knocked from their bikes in Binbrook.

Police said two women were struck Sunday about 8:15 p.m. while cycling westbound on Binbrook Road.

The women, ages 42 and 43, were launched into a ditch after being struck by a GMC pickup. Both were taken to hospital but their injuries were not considered life-threatening.

The Calgary man was charged with careless driving.

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/3904168-cyclists-knocked-into-ditch-by-pickup-truck/

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By these google cars are out of control (anonymous) | Posted July 19, 2013 at 09:47:10 in reply to Comment 90245

"struck by a vehicle"?

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By these google cars are out of control (anonymous) | Posted July 22, 2013 at 14:50:19 in reply to Comment 90275

"riding his bike"?

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By these google cars are getting out of con (anonymous) | Posted July 19, 2013 at 09:46:56 in reply to Comment 90245

"struck by a vehicle"?

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By Sigma Cub (anonymous) | Posted July 19, 2013 at 08:09:17

Sad news. It was announced yesterday that the cyclist injured in this collision succumbed to his injuries.

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By Sigma Cub (anonymous) | Posted July 19, 2013 at 08:13:16

To clarify, I refer to the Dundas collision described in Ryan's article, not the Stoney Creek collisions that have occurred since that time.

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