This happened last week, but I’m still pretty pissed about it.
This driver went through a red light at full speed as I was already in the intersection.
When I review the video of the incident, they had a red light for FIVE SECONDS before running it. The sun was NOT in their eyes, and it would have been very clear that I was riding through (high-viz everything).
It’s infuriating to read about cyclists being disproportionately punished, while this kind of behaviour by motorists is normalized.
Had I been on an ebike, I would have been smoked 100%. My cautious start off the light is the only reason why I wasn’t in their path.
Unfortunately, due to their high rate of speed and the angle of the plates, I couldn’t even report this to police.
I’m on my local bicycle commission. When I see other cyclists out and about, I ask them how many times they’ve nearly been hit in the last year. One kid told me about 30 times. I like to share those stories at our commission meetings with the city engineers listening in. Maybe go to your city council or bicycle commission and share your experience.
Maybe go to your city council or bicycle commission and share your experience.
Our Active Transportation Committee was disbanded in my municipality last year, unfortunately. But I keep close ties with our Regional cycling safety org.
I often do report dangerous driving, but even with a clear video of the infraction and a clear shot of the license plate, I’ve had police tell me that “unless you can identify the driver, we can’t do anything.”
Basically, we incentivize hit-and-run behaviour, dirty license plates, tinted windows, and the attitude that “if I don’t get caught, it’s fair game”, regardless of the danger they put other people in.
Hell, we had two people killed by motorists going through stop signs, including a young girl, and the response we get here is “cycling is dangerous” or “we’ll just ban e-scooters in that area”. Total disregard for human lives, and our Provincial Government reinforces this negative attitudes towards cyclists.
Jesus, I think about how bad the US is bad for pedestrians and cyclists and then somehow Canada manages to swoop it at the end of every day. For whatever it’s worth, I’m wishing you well. Have you considered joining or starting a local Strong Towns chapter? They’re a policy advocacy group focused on making cities places for humans again, and I’ve had nothing but great experiences with them.
If it helps, giving the cops the info (and video) likely wouldn’t have done anything. I got clipped in the shoulder by a side mirror from someone passing me too close, and the cops couldn’t have cared less. A good Samaritan in a car behind us gave the cops his dashcam footage, but it never went anywhere.
I’m glad you’re safe. Keep fighting the good fight.