There are no upcoming events right now.
Why not post one?
Recent Articles
- Justice for Indigenous Peoples is Long Overdueby Ryan McGreal, published June 30, 2021 in Commentary
(0 comments)
- Third-Party Election Advertising Ban About Silencing Workersby Chantal Mancini, published June 29, 2021 in Politics
(0 comments)
- Did Doug Ford Test the 'Great Barrington Declaration' on Ontarians?by Ryan McGreal, published June 29, 2021 in Special Report: COVID-19
(1 comment)
- An Update on Raise the Hammerby Ryan McGreal, published June 28, 2021 in Site Notes
(0 comments)
- Nestlé Selling North American Water Bottling to an Private Equity Firmby Doreen Nicoll, published February 23, 2021 in Healing Gaia
(0 comments)
- Jolley Old Sam Lawrenceby Sean Burak, published February 19, 2021 in Special Report: Cycling
(0 comments)
- Right-Wing Extremism is a Driving Force in Modern Conservatismby Ryan McGreal, published February 18, 2021 in Special Report: Extremism
(0 comments)
- Municipalities Need to Unite against Ford's Firehose of Land Use Changesby Michelle Silverton, published February 16, 2021 in Special Report
(0 comments)
- Challenging Doug Ford's Pandemic Narrativeby Ryan McGreal, published January 25, 2021 in Special Report: COVID-19
(1 comment)
- The Year 2020 Has Been a Wakeup Callby Michael Nabert, published December 31, 2020 in Special Report: COVID-19
(0 comments)
- The COVID-19 Marshmallow Experimentby Ryan McGreal, published December 22, 2020 in Special Report: COVID-19
(0 comments)
- All I Want for Christmas, 2020by Kevin Somers, published December 21, 2020 in Entertainment and Sports
(1 comment)
- Hamilton Shelters Remarkably COVID-19 Free Thanks to Innovative Testing Programby Jason Allen, published December 21, 2020 in Special Report: COVID-19
(0 comments)
- Province Rams Through Glass Factory in Stratfordby Doreen Nicoll, published December 21, 2020 in Healing Gaia
(0 comments)
- We Can Prevent Traffic Deaths if We Make Safety a Real Priorityby Ryan McGreal, published December 08, 2020 in Special Report: Walkable Streets
(5 comments)
- These Aren't 'Accidents', These Are Resultsby Tom Flood, published December 04, 2020 in Special Report: Walkable Streets
(1 comment)
- Conservation Conundrumby Paul Weinberg, published December 04, 2020 in Special Report
(0 comments)
- Defund Police Protest Threatens Fragile Ruling Classby Cameron Kroetsch, published December 03, 2020 in Special Report: Anti-Racism
(2 comments)
- Measuring the Potential of Biogas to Reduce GHG Emissionsby John Loukidelis and Thomas Cassidy, published November 23, 2020 in Special Report: Climate Change
(0 comments)
- Ontario Squanders Early Pandemic Sacrificeby Ryan McGreal, published November 18, 2020 in Special Report: COVID-19
(0 comments)
Article Archives
Blog Archives
Site Tools
Feeds
By Jon Dalton (anonymous) | Posted September 14, 2007 at 14:32:46
Cycling insurance???
I haven't felt the need to add anything to this discussion, mostly because Sean always hits the nail right on the head leaving little else to say. But mandatory insurance for cyclists? That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard. That would present and immeasurable cost to society due to kids not geting excercise and more people relying on cars. Nobody is going to pay for the privelage of taking their bike on the road.
We might as well have mandatory insurance against accidentally tripping someone while waiting a the bus stop, because that's about equivalent odds to actually causing a serious injury with a bike.
I'll admit to being an anything-goes cyclist, and that means daily, year round. In my 20 years of biking I haven't caused a single person any harm or even came close to it.
On the other hand, close calls with drivers while on foot, on a bike, or in a car, are a weekly occurrance.
I support biking and more rights for cyclists because cycling is THE single most efficient mode of transportation. It does no harm to the environment, uses no energy, costs nothing, and actually pays you in the form of better health. That should have some influence on our policies.
I would actually argue that the law should be harsher on careless driving, because it is not only dangerous and illegal, but it discourages people from doing something that benefits society. If cyclists were afforded more leeway and better protection on the roads, it would cause a reduction in unneccessary driving, a socially harmful activity.
This should be common sense. A car is a dangerous weapon in the hands of a careless driver. A bike is more like an extension of your own body.
I'm not some radical car-hater, though I sure do come across like one. I still drive sometimes, in fact I used to drive every day, and I've never felt threatened by anyone on a bike. I have no trouble slowing down to pass bikers safely, in fact on the rare occasions when I actually have to, it makes me glad to see them taking their rightful place on the road.
It only makes sense that we should yield and be courteous to the slowest, most vulnerable road users. Cyclists yield to pedestrains, drivers yield to cyclists, drivers yield to pedestrians. With power comes responsibility.
Permalink | Context