Comment 87138

By kevlahan (registered) | Posted March 08, 2013 at 13:08:09 in reply to Comment 87131

I agree entirely that cyclists should be sensitive to the fact that their unpredictable behaviour can be scary and surprising to the elderly and those with certain disabilities.

Cyclists should never ride on sidewalks for this reason, and if they are going to roll through stop signs (which I also do not agree with), they should not do it when pedestrians are trying to cross.

The same could be said of joggers, whose behaviour, weight and speeds are similar to that of most urban cyclists. Many elderly pedestrians are similarly upset by joggers quickly and closely overtaking them on the sidewalk as they are worried about being thrown off balance or hit.

However, it needs to be recognized that even this disrespectful cyclist behaviour poses a much lower risk to pedestrians than the actions of motorists, which kill up to 10 pedestrians and injure 200 pedestrians (especially elderly pedestrians) every year in Hamilton.

What I disagree with is the idea that cyclists (or jaywalking pedestrians, or speedy joggers) are dangerous menaces to public safety. It just isn't borne out by the facts (or the physics).

Comment edited by kevlahan on 2013-03-08 13:08:26

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