Cycling

As we learned in last week's article about passing pedestrians and cyclists, amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act effective on June 3, 2024 will change the way that drivers must behave around vulnerable road users. Following distances for pedestrians and cyclists are changing as well.

Effective June 3, 2024 drivers passing pedestrians, cyclists or other prescribed persons will be subject to new rules in the Motor Vehicle Act. The rules are designed to provide better protection for vulnerable road users by establishing minimum separation distances from passing vehicles.

The City of Victoria has rebuilt the intersection of Fernwood Road and Haultain Street to include centre islands, crossrides, sharrows and a right in, right out restriction for Haultain. This has resulted in confusion among road users leading to collisions.

The case of Okines v Mr. Rent-A-Car involves a collision between Justine Okines, a cyclist riding through, and Brodie Davison, a driver turning left in the intersection Davie Street and Pacific Boulevard in Vancouver.

QUESTION: I have been driving home on Rupert Street in Vancouver lately and there are some lane markings I am not clear about. Between 12th ave and about Kingsway there is a narrow right hand lane that has a bicycle and a white diamond, there is no other signage. Are motorcycles allowed to use this lane because they regularly do.

HUB Cycling has released a report titled Pedaling Towards Equity - Analyzing Transportation Access in Metro Vancouver's Cycling Network. HUB Cycling is a charitable not-for-profit organization that has spent over 25 years removing barriers to cycling in Metro Vancouver while cultivating the health, environmental, and economic benefits that active transportation can bring.

Bill 23 - 2023 has received first reading in our Legislative Assembly. The bill is an attempt to bring a bit more order into the interactions between drivers of motor vehicles and the operators of various types of alternative transportation, including bicycles. It does not change the current prohibition on riding bicycles side by side.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has published a Bicycle Facility Implementation Quick Reference Guide that is meant to serve as a simple reference to that state's Bicycle Facility Design Manual. The quick reference will help local agencies to quickly navigate to reliable and current resources necessary to determine bicycle facility selection, design process, and operations and safety.

The government has amended the Motor Assisted Cycle (MAC) Regulation on October 11, 2022. The amendments update the requirements for tires, pedals and motor shutoffs.

The BC Cycling Coalition is asking you to speak up for safe cycling and active transportation. The group would like you to help to realize the transportation future of BC—a complete transportation network suitable for people of all ages, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds.