One Size Does Not Fit All In Traffic: QUOTABLE
“Every intersection is different and there are different factors at play. We have to look at the evidence. I’m not sure that one solution applies to every intersection throughout downtown, but I’m willing to look at all the options.”
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe on banning right turns on reds in the city
We don’t get an opportunity to agree with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe as often as we should, but he has nailed this issue.
A blanket ban on vehicle right turns on red light in the downtown core or city-wide, as proposed by Somerset Councillor Ariel Troster, is too much. It’s a simple measure that might be a solution to some of the pedestrian and cycling accidents recently downtown, but more work is required on the initiative.
Sutcliffe is correct. Each intersection is different and each requires a unique solution. We need a fast, thorough and effective study to look at cycling and traffic problems in the community.
In particular, the city needs to take a serious look (unlike a previous study which proposed more green paint on the road) at the Laurier Avenue bike lanes that have been dangerous since they were constructed.
Perhaps it is time to look at devoting the whole street to cyclists on Laurier or taking the lanes off Laurier and using another street for bicycles only. The busy interplay of vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists is simply too risky. Laurier Avenue must be re-thought.
For what it is worth, your agent won’t drive on Laurier because of the risk to pedestrians and cyclists. No doubt, I’m not alone. And it is doubtful that parents would want their youngsters to cycle those lanes. They’re simply asking for terrible trouble.
As well, the downtown area also needs better traffic and cycling law enforcement. Breaking the rules has become commonplace and that’s just an invitation to serious mishaps.
Let’s get a traffic and cycling situation in this city that is safe for everyone.
Ken Gray
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– The Bulldog – News Feed Enter 
One must question who came up with Laurier Avenue as a safe bike route. What were they thinking? Let’s add O’Connor Street and maybe a couple others to the list.
From the get-go, it was obvious that this decision was wrong but, as with many decisions made by staff and approved by council, we nay-sayers were ignored.
How many accidents and fatalities have occurred? One was enough for a rethink.
Navigating roads downtown is dangerous enough for vehicles but especially for cyclists who believe the rules of the road don’t apply to them … red lights, stop signs, one-way streets, sidewalk use, etc.
Bike lanes and their locations must be re-examined to relocating same to lesser trafficked streets and not those with high vehicle volume.
Who knows, a life may be saved with a different thought process about safe biking.
I wonder if this was a “Troster-putting-on-her-makeup-and-talking-to-herself-in the-mirror” revelation.
Note to Mark Sutcliffe: What other solutions did you consider and why did you decide not to implement them?
It’s common to have cyclists whiz past you on the right as you are trying to turn right rather than waiting their turn in traffic like cars. They see you are trying to turn and your focussed on the traffic ahead when someone blasts by you from behind on the right. How is this the motorists ‘ fault. Perhaps having cyclists waiting their turn with cars in line is the solution although this would make them wait for 2 minutes in traffic which apparently is against their rights
Note to C. Cyclists have to practise safety first and foremost, defensive driving is a must. An automobile plus passenger weigh roughly 3,000 pounds, while a bicycle plus rider weigh, let’s say 200 pounds. Coming out on the short end of a 15 to 1 ratio in a collision is “never” a winning formula.
@c from kanata – on Laurier, there are signs instructing drivers to yield to cyclists on their right. Very few actually look to their right, and even fewer actually do yield.
I always thought that Laurier was a bad place for a cross town bike route. Too much car-bike-pedestrian conflict. It would have been much better to use Cooper St. which would connect Bronson to the Corktown pedestrian / cycling bridge. Cooper street is a low volume street and should be able to accommodate one bi – directional bike lane, one vehicle lane, and one parking lane. Laurier could be returned to a four lane configuration. But of course, nobody listens.