"Dooring" Takes the Life of a Cyclist

Last Thursday, I was at Eglinton and Avenue after a 57 year old bicyclist was doored by a parked car. "Dooring" is when a person opens their car door into the path of an oncoming cyclist. In this case, the cyclist was thrown under the wheels of a cube van traveling east and killed.

This Thursday morning at 9am, the group Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists will be holding a memorial for the cyclist. They will meet at the corner of Bloor and Spadina and travel to the memorial sight on Eglinton. Bring flowers and ribbons.

In my opinion, there is a whole lot more Toronto can do to make the City safer for bicyclists. In Seattle, signage is used to warn of "dooring" hazards. Bike lanes are great especially if they are truly bike lanes and not right turn lanes. One bike courier I know told me his greatest hazard was from pedestrians who looked for cars when crossing, but not bikes. We are asking a lot of our cyclists if they are to watch for doors opening, pedestrians crossing, unexpected right hand turns from cars in addition to the usual details of maneuvering around the city. I believe that most of us would prefer a bike-friendly City with wide spaces for travel, easy access to bike parking and an emphasis on a greater public awareness regarding the safety needs of cyclists.