Tom Flood, a Hamilton cycling advocate, said he was “extremely angry” when he heard the news Tuesday morning of a cyclist who had been killed.
A 52-year-old man died after a car hit him on the Upper Wentworth Bridge, police said.
Const. Indy Bharaj told CBC Hamilton that officers received a call from a passenger in a van at approximately 5:30 a.m. ET.
“The person who called informed police that they were only involved in a collision with a motor vehicle involved in cyclists.”
When police and paramedics arrived at the scene, the man riding the bicycle was lying in the middle of the road with no vital signs, Bharaj said.
He is one of 12 pedestrians killed in Hamilton this year.
In an interview with CHCH, Bharaj said police do not know what is causing the high number of deaths on the streets of Hamilton.
“We’re just asking pedestrians and drivers, just take that extra time. And pedestrian, don’t wait for the driver to see you.”
Flood said in a tweet, “A driver killed a person who was riding a bicycle this morning. And what do those who have the power and influence on the death toll record say live?
“Nothing will change until we start addressing root causes and not just asking people to be perfect.”
Inspired by
Cycling 🚲 The Upper Paradise
🛑 The Upper Paradise and Mohawk intersection needs safety improvements for pedestrians and cyclists ⚠️
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Flood said the case, along with the other deaths, is an emergency that “needs attention right now.”
“That’s enough. Our kids and community members are being hunted down on our streets and what are we really doing?” said Flood.
He said he drives quite often, but that he doesn’t feel safe while doing so.
“More importantly, our youngest and most vulnerable don’t feel safe and not as safe as we are seeing.”
“A four-year-old boy was hit by the driver of a van yesterday, my God, four years. What are we doing?”
Flood said authorities should stop asking cyclists how to be safe and instead eliminate opportunities for drivers to hit cyclists and pedestrians.
“There will never be a bell strong enough, a helmet strong enough or clothes bright enough to make up for our poor infrastructure, and we all know that.
“We have an election in October, so find the candidates who are working to make a real change … and eliminate those who want to maintain this violent status quo.”
“Sad” but “not surprising”
Dave Shellnutt said stories like the cyclist’s death came “very close to home.”
“I’m a cyclist. I go all year. My kids ride bikes to school. My dad bikes to the countryside … my friends ride bikes to Hamilton. I to Hamilton.
“It’s sad, but it’s not at all surprising.”
Dave Shellnutt, a personal injury lawyer representing cyclists, says Tuesday’s death was “sad, but not at all surprising.” (Submitted by Dave Shellnutt)
Shellnutt, a personal injury lawyer representing cyclists, told CBC Hamilton that cases like this are “more common than we’d like.”
“The statistics speak of a problem, a road safety problem that is endemic in nature, from injuries to the death of people.
“The figures are staggering, and the fact that we do not have a wide collective action, from the municipal level to the provincial level, is amazing.
“The city government can and has the power to listen to the community and create a safe infrastructure for cyclists and all vulnerable road users,” Shellnutt said.
On Wednesday, Hamilton City Council unveiled the full street design manual, which wants streets to be “planned and designed to balance the needs of all road users, to allow people to move around safely regardless of their age, ability or how they choose to move. “
“The facts and data are there to back it up and the community supports it too. It’s a no-brainer,” Shellnutt said.
The rights of cyclists
Shellnutt said cyclists should know they have rights.
“The only thing we tell cyclists is, ‘It always means they either don’t see you or they don’t care.’
“Cycle on the defensive because maybe you’re right, but we don’t want people to die, do we?”
According to Shellnutt, the families of people killed while riding a bicycle also have rights.
“There are some immediate benefits you can access immediately for the family, for funeral costs and psychological support. Working to get as much family compensation as possible to compensate them for their loss. But it’s sadly deficient in Ontario. “, he said. dit.
“Apart from compensation, they can target support groups like Friends and Family for Safe Streets, Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists, and when they are able to process the trauma, they can drive change in [honour of] the person they have lost. “