Cycling

The Victoria Times Colonist Comments section often contains interesting discussions on road safety. Today's edition shared a letter that raised the issue of slow cycling for me. It was not the writer's intention as the subject was about the need for cycle lanes in Central Saanich.

The observation "five dollar head, five dollar helmet" was how one of my supervisors referred to motorcycle riders who wore beanie style helmets that would provide little or no protection in a crash.

I see more and more bicycles with flashing rear lights. Is this actually a better option or is it just a fad? I would like to know what the law is and if there is any research on the effectiveness of rear flashing red lights as opposed to lights that are just on all the time.

Effective on April 5, 2024 our government updated the Motor Assisted Cycle Regulation. The new regulation creates two categories of e-bike, a standard and a light version as well as setting minimum ages for riders using them on the highway.

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.

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.