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Published On: Jul 13, 2004 08:32 PM
Total entries in this category:
Published On: Jul 13, 2004 08:32 PM
Cycle Right my ass, yes Sir!
Oh, you could just feel the love last night at
the TCCC meeting. Not!
Sgt. Kealey was the good cop and Constable Burns just seethed and glared all night never cracking a smile nor saying one single word.
(Thanks to Steve Targett, Janice,Rick and Hamish for moral support among many others including
Tim from CBN and especially Craig Barnes and Martin Koob)
Here are some highlights:
Total tickets issued to cyclists:
691 (2002)
1939 (2003)
3597 (2004)
Cautions:
657 (2002)
789 (2003)
2046 (2004)
Top reasons for tickets 2004
Disobey stop sign 1111
Red Light - Fail to stop 591
No bell/horn 590
Improper lighting 367 (in the middle of the day!)
Cars parked in the bike lane charges
0 (2002)
252 (2003)
315 (2004)
Total drivers charged (no detailed breakdown provided)
19 (2002)
290 (2003)
4385 (2004) (really?)
(more stats available on Bike Lane Diary later today once it's been scanned)
Sgt. Kealey was the good cop and Constable Burns just seethed and glared all night never cracking a smile nor saying one single word.
(Thanks to Steve Targett, Janice,Rick and Hamish for moral support among many others including
Tim from CBN and especially Craig Barnes and Martin Koob)
Here are some highlights:
Total tickets issued to cyclists:
691 (2002)
1939 (2003)
3597 (2004)
Cautions:
657 (2002)
789 (2003)
2046 (2004)
Top reasons for tickets 2004
Disobey stop sign 1111
Red Light - Fail to stop 591
No bell/horn 590
Improper lighting 367 (in the middle of the day!)
Cars parked in the bike lane charges
0 (2002)
252 (2003)
315 (2004)
Total drivers charged (no detailed breakdown provided)
19 (2002)
290 (2003)
4385 (2004) (really?)
(more stats available on Bike Lane Diary later today once it's been scanned)
Much discussion and criticism from all TCCC
members which was heartening.
One TCCC member pointed out the dubious aspect of giving out tickets for
no lights during midday but that as any other criticism fell on deaf ears.
I quote: "The HTA is black and white as far as cyclists are concerned." (Kealey)
Well, so is the Civil Rights code.
Let's just say they were on the defensive all night. No one was impressed. One
TCCC member rebuked Kealey for his aggressive tone toward a female TCCC
member who suggested the cops try a more positive approach to education
of cyclists as far as the law is concerned like giving out bells and reflectors.
Sgt. Kealey again reiterated that he has no control over officers actions.
Kealey told the TCCC that his cops were 'not fishing' for tickets.
I waited until most TCCC members had had their say in an effort to be polite.
To start off, I thanked them for moving the location of the press conference
for cycle right and being open to suggestions as far as the campaign is concerned.
Then I told them to scrap the campaign and try something less confrontational.
I told them that they had no control over officers who have repeatedly an utter
disregard for the the civil rights code as pointed out in the letter by Darren to the
TCCC and managed to lay so many bogus charges against cyclists.
Furthermore, I pointed out that it made no sense to lay the a third of all charges (1111)
for going through stop signs while they only represent 3% for all
injuries to cyclists in the collision study. Why so few on red lights which is clearly more dangerous?
Also, if Sgt. Grant's past assertion that the No. 1 complaint about cyclists was riding on sidewalks,
why was it that only 129 charges were laid? No logic there.
I told them that 'cycle right' was being perceived as a mean-spirited, negative
campaign by the cycling community and that it was completely ineffective.
Finally, I told them again that it should be scrapped and that I ARC looked forward
to having them come up with a more positive way of keeping cyclists safe on
Toronto's streets.
Kealey almost keeled over and Burns just burned his red hair changing colour
by the minute.
Kealey claimed Galen's dad/parents had agreed to go to Dundas and Dupont and
only asked him to change the location after complaints from other cyclists who knew Galen.
Kealey would have preferred Dundas and Dupont. He did not see the connection between
Galen and 'Cycle Right' yet felt that the corner would be good spot for the media to get interested
in the campaign.
He was sure that cops can tell from a distance if a cyclists' bike is all up to snuff
in terms of bells/lights/brakes etc.
He continued by saying that he likes the 'Cycle Right' campaign and that it will continue.
He said he was surprised that so many cyclists were ticketed since the campaign
had been announced on cyclists websites ... (Oh-O!) (Note to self: post photo of smiling Fantino
riding a yellow bike with a cute puppy in the basked on Bike Lane Diary.)
Then he counterattacked by responding to the F he got in the ARC report card.
He read from our report card the section relating to 'aggressive riding' etc. had told
me stern faced that if ARC believed this that he and his officers would 'butt head'
in future for certain. (nice.)
I responded by telling him politely to embrace change and that laws can be changed
(as they have already in Europe) and that ARC hoped they will in future
as far as cyclists are concerned ...
At that point Adam wisely threw me a look saying 'Let it go. Let's get to the motions.' Which is what we did.
Motions:
Martin Koob:
Request for cycling forum on safety. More cops on bicycles especially for campaigns like 'Cycle Right'.
New safety education measures.
Daya Lye:
Move 'Cycle Right' to the end of June.
Adam Giambrone:
Chairs and co-chairs meet with Police Staff to make changes to 'Cycle Right'
before the next campaign. And report back to the committee (Janice)
All motions were easily adopted.
As for the Police the consensus at the TCCC was this: The cops just don't get it.
One TCCC member pointed out the dubious aspect of giving out tickets for
no lights during midday but that as any other criticism fell on deaf ears.
I quote: "The HTA is black and white as far as cyclists are concerned." (Kealey)
Well, so is the Civil Rights code.
Let's just say they were on the defensive all night. No one was impressed. One
TCCC member rebuked Kealey for his aggressive tone toward a female TCCC
member who suggested the cops try a more positive approach to education
of cyclists as far as the law is concerned like giving out bells and reflectors.
Sgt. Kealey again reiterated that he has no control over officers actions.
Kealey told the TCCC that his cops were 'not fishing' for tickets.
I waited until most TCCC members had had their say in an effort to be polite.
To start off, I thanked them for moving the location of the press conference
for cycle right and being open to suggestions as far as the campaign is concerned.
Then I told them to scrap the campaign and try something less confrontational.
I told them that they had no control over officers who have repeatedly an utter
disregard for the the civil rights code as pointed out in the letter by Darren to the
TCCC and managed to lay so many bogus charges against cyclists.
Furthermore, I pointed out that it made no sense to lay the a third of all charges (1111)
for going through stop signs while they only represent 3% for all
injuries to cyclists in the collision study. Why so few on red lights which is clearly more dangerous?
Also, if Sgt. Grant's past assertion that the No. 1 complaint about cyclists was riding on sidewalks,
why was it that only 129 charges were laid? No logic there.
I told them that 'cycle right' was being perceived as a mean-spirited, negative
campaign by the cycling community and that it was completely ineffective.
Finally, I told them again that it should be scrapped and that I ARC looked forward
to having them come up with a more positive way of keeping cyclists safe on
Toronto's streets.
Kealey almost keeled over and Burns just burned his red hair changing colour
by the minute.
Kealey claimed Galen's dad/parents had agreed to go to Dundas and Dupont and
only asked him to change the location after complaints from other cyclists who knew Galen.
Kealey would have preferred Dundas and Dupont. He did not see the connection between
Galen and 'Cycle Right' yet felt that the corner would be good spot for the media to get interested
in the campaign.
He was sure that cops can tell from a distance if a cyclists' bike is all up to snuff
in terms of bells/lights/brakes etc.
He continued by saying that he likes the 'Cycle Right' campaign and that it will continue.
He said he was surprised that so many cyclists were ticketed since the campaign
had been announced on cyclists websites ... (Oh-O!) (Note to self: post photo of smiling Fantino
riding a yellow bike with a cute puppy in the basked on Bike Lane Diary.)
Then he counterattacked by responding to the F he got in the ARC report card.
He read from our report card the section relating to 'aggressive riding' etc. had told
me stern faced that if ARC believed this that he and his officers would 'butt head'
in future for certain. (nice.)
I responded by telling him politely to embrace change and that laws can be changed
(as they have already in Europe) and that ARC hoped they will in future
as far as cyclists are concerned ...
At that point Adam wisely threw me a look saying 'Let it go. Let's get to the motions.' Which is what we did.
Motions:
Martin Koob:
Request for cycling forum on safety. More cops on bicycles especially for campaigns like 'Cycle Right'.
New safety education measures.
Daya Lye:
Move 'Cycle Right' to the end of June.
Adam Giambrone:
Chairs and co-chairs meet with Police Staff to make changes to 'Cycle Right'
before the next campaign. And report back to the committee (Janice)
All motions were easily adopted.
As for the Police the consensus at the TCCC was this: The cops just don't get it.
Posted: Tue - July 13, 2004 at 12:27 PM