Cycling: Share the road with bicycles -- or pay...

Saturday, February 09, 2008 - 01:59 AM

Let's hope Toronto City Council is reading this...

Mayor seeks fines of up to $500 for reckless drivers


February 7, 2008


Reckless drivers who endanger bicycle riders would pay fines of $150 -- $500 if there's a bike crash -- under a crackdown proposed Wednesday by Chicago's No. 1 cyclist.

Mayor Daley, who once scraped the skin off his kneecap during a marathon bike ride in Michigan, has been there and done that.

Reckless drivers who endanger bicycle riders would pay fines of $150 -- $500 if there's a bike crash -- under a crackdown proposed Wednesday by Chicago's No. 1 cyclist. He has had drivers open car doors in his path. He has had cars turn left in front of him and had a car pass within three feet of his bike.

"When someone opens a door -- that's why you have to be very, very alert on a bike," Daley said.

"Yes, it's taken place. And [there were] a few choice words. Every biker does that -- salutes the driver in a Chicago way."

All three violations were targeted by the ordinance introduced by Daley at Wednesday's City Council meeting. It's designed to reduce the number of crashes involving bikes and motor vehicles. There were 6,000 such crashes in Chicago between 2001 and 2005, killing 30 cyclists.

The ordinance establishes a fine for double-parking in a marked lane that's supposed to be shared by bikes and vehicles. And it raises the fine for driving, standing and parking in a bicycle-only lane.

The city has more than 110 miles of designated bike lanes and 21 miles of shared lanes.