Toronto Motorcyclists - You are not a VULVERABLE ROAD USER

[Ducati Rules]

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Toronto Motorcyclists - You are not a VULNERABLE ROAD USER

Their plan mentions only pedestrians and cyclists with millions of dollars for safety work. The following is part of my presentation to the committee today:-

Vision Zero, even in Sweden,has not been a magic pill and your Vision Zero does have shortcomings one ofthose being that promotion of motorcycle safety is being ignored, again. Theplan here centers on pedestrians and cyclists as being vulnerable road usersand ignores motorcycle riders. Motorcycles are designated as a VULNERABLE ROADUSER not only by the Province of Ontario but also Transport Canada and even the United Nations as one of three vulnerable road users.

Contact your local Councillor and get involved.

 

[LePhillou]

what is this United National you speak of? (i think you had a typo, if you wanna correct it before submitting it to them)

 

[-D-]

I fixed it up for you with my view to help make your letter more effective.
I suggest you create an online petition, put this letter there as well as make it a form letter for others to copy and paste to send to their civic leaders.
Also add links to where people can find the civic leaders contacts. Add all levels of govt.
Email the Transport Minister and ask why is City of Toronto putting citizens on danger and ignoring the Federal mandate.
That should trigger a phone call

I would like to bring and urgent oversight to your attention and possibly liability of ignoring the law (is this a law?).
Motorcycles are designated as a VULNERABLE ROAD USERS by the Province of Ontario, Transport Canada, and the United Nations.
The City of Toronto is on the path to ignore and conflict with the aforementioned governing bodies.
Can you please provide the logical reason for your approach and dissension?

What is Vision Zero - It is ??? ...Don't assume they know or fully know, add a link to it or website with more details. Add just 1 or 2 sentences as to what it means.
VZ is implemented in Sweden, and sadly has not been as effective due to oversight with it's implementation. Your version of Vision Zero has shortcomings of which one of those being the promotion of motorcycle safety is blatantly being ignored, again. The proposed or current plan focuses on pedestrians and cyclists as being vulnerable road users and completely ignores motorcycle riders. Why?

 

[Ducati Rules]

Thank you for your thoughts and re-wording. I am trying other avenues. To date I have found most readers of GTA have little interest in road safety so if an ambitious 'biker wants to take up the cause with GTA I'll be pleased to give all details.
Ride Safe to Ride Again

 

[LePhillou]

Thank you for your thoughts and re-wording. I am trying other avenues. To date I have found most readers of GTA have little interest in road safety so if an ambitious 'biker wants to take up the cause with GTA I'll be pleased to give all details.
Ride Safe to Ride Again

Its not that there's no interest.

It's that a lot of resistance and turning down has happened.

I have trouble just getting my workplace management to get a group of 20-40 bikers to park on premise as there's no nearby street parking.
What have they done? Add more "No parking" signage.
People don't like bikes unfortunately so it's always going against current when fighting for our rights and safety.

And most drivers are tools.

 

[Flywheel]

And most drivers are tools.

I'll try to remember that when I see another turkey pull wobbly wheelies during rush hour on Dundas St.

 

[LePhillou]

I'll try to remember that when I see another turkey pull wobbly wheelies during rush hour on Dundas St.

Meh, the ratio of tools vs turkey isnt even comparable.
Ride every day, i've seen one wobbly wheelie on the 427 (and it was because we were in a group ride, and that other random was trying to show off to all the motorcyclists there) vs i see at least 3-4 horrible tool behaviours per week (cut off a semi, come close to rolling into me, illegal lane changes, stopping at red light and then running it flagrantly)

 

[conundrum]

On topic, not sure how much traction you'd get...yes we are more vulnerable than a car...but I have a feeling this is more targeted at things motor vehicles share the road with -- That being cyclists and pedestrians. As far as the HTA is concerned, a motorcycle is the same as a car, which is the same as a truck, or van, etc, etc.

Also, a quick Google of Vision Zero seemed to indicate an aim to ending all fatal accidents on roadways. For pedestrians and cyclists, this points to dedicated and separate lanes, but for cars, it talks of speed limits to be set where fatal accidents aren't possible (0% chance of having one occur). If you factor in bikes, theoretically this would mean a 0-20km/h speed limit....as almost any accident on a motorcycle could be fatal, be it frontal, rear, or side impact with another vehicle.

 

[Sittin_wolf]

Maybe I am way out of line here. Isn't the point of riding a motorcycle supposed to go against conventional thinking? Leave me out of Vision Zero. Cuz careful what you wish for - Vision Zero could mean Zero motorcycles. As is pointed out above almost any collision involving a motorcycle could be fatal. Yes we're road users, but the thrill of strapping on the helmet and putting that much horsepower between my legs is that I could die. It's part of the experience - that reasonable fear of death. Riding a bike isn't for everybody - that's what makes it awesome, that's what makes it for lack of a better term "cool".

Vision Zero is for all road users - targeted on anything on the road. Zero fatal/serious injuries on the road. The goal is to have property damage type collisions only - you will never eliminate collisions. Again leave me out, unless you want to take away my motorcycle - then I'm ready for a fight. I have the same issue with autonomous vehicles - stay away from my bike. It's the last bastion for a free spirit.

 

[LePhillou]

@Sittin_wolf

I gotta disagree. Motorcycles could as well be the poster child of vision zero in a way that basically a motorcyclist isn't about collision protection but collision avoidance.

Even though it's more dangerous as a whole, in a messed up way, it makes us safer as we will want to avoid collision at all cost since the outcome has a higher chance of having huge repercussions whereas in a car, you have that protective cage that allows you to be less aware, need to take less control and be less involved and IF an accident happens, more likely than not it is material damage to the car, not physical damage to the driver.

Yes cyclists and pedestrians will be vulnerable, but WE are the ones who HAVE to always share the roadways with cars. Cyclists will have designated lanes, and also sometimes will use the sidewalk which limits the number of moves that can be made against a cyclist or a pedestrian.
Motorcyclists are always exposed to the same type of threats as cars but requires us to be more vigilant.

 

[conundrum]

the thrill of strapping on the helmet and putting that much horsepower between my legs is that I could die. It's part of the experience - that reasonable fear of death.

I always cringe a bit when I read or hear people say that. I know some are drawn to bikes for the risk/rush...although I think a number of other people, like myself, are drawn to them due to the connection between man, machine, and road.

I guess that's why some wish there were no blind corners which prevent us from going in faster, meanwhile there are others that wish almost all corners were blind, because the not knowing is what drives/excites them.

 

[-D-]

I always cringe a bit when I read or hear people say that. I know some are drawn to bikes for the risk/rush...although I think a number of other people, like myself, are drawn to them due to the connection between man, machine, and road.

I guess that's why some wish there were no blind corners which prevent us from going in faster, meanwhile there are others that wish almost all corners were blind, because the not knowing is what drives/excites them.

I wish for no speed limits and traffic

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