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Sharing the Road with Cyclists
Cyclists are unique road users. They have smaller profiles than cars, which can make them harder to spot. They can change direction faster than cars, and they can fit into smaller spaces on the road. Cyclists also have less protection in a crash. No motorist wants to harm these road users, yet crash statistics show that it happens far too often. Responsible drivers avoid bad outcomes by safely sharing the road with cyclists. On some roads you will encounter designated cyclist spaces. An obvious one is a cycle track. This lane designated for cyclists runs parallel to vehicle lanes, but cyclist traffic is separated from vehicle traffic. Parking spaces for vehicles are beside some cycle tracks. If you park in one of these spaces, you and your passengers should verify that the cycle track is clear before exiting your vehicle. One of the most common designated cyclist spaces is the bicycle lane. This lane runs parallel to vehicle lanes and is typically marked by a solid line and a bicycle symbol on the road. You should stay clear of bicycle lanes in most situations. Also watch for a cyclist approaching something that blocks the bicycle lane. For example, an ambulance could be stopped there as it’s being loaded or unloaded. To avoid this obstacle, a cyclist may enter your driving path, so anticipate this possibility. Slow down, cover the brake pedal with your foot, and make sure you can give the cyclist enough room to safely clear the obstacle
Another designated cyclist space is a bicycle box at an intersection with traffic lights. This area is typically a painted box on the road with a bicycle symbol inside, and the box is in front of the stopping line for vehicles. Bicycle lanes approaching and leaving the box also could be painted. When you must stop at an intersection with a bicycle box, ensure that you stop your vehicle behind the box. Wait there – even when you want to turn right. A right turn on a red light is prohibited when you are behind a bicycle box. When the traffic light turns green, let cyclists within the box proceed first. Some roads lack designated cyclist spaces. You may see a bicycle “sharrow,” two chevrons painted above a bicycle symbol, on the road. This marking signifies that the road should be shared by vehicles and cyclists. Neither road user has a designated lane. A bicycle sharrow is a good reminder to watch for cyclists in the lane. When you do encounter cyclists, show them that you respect their right to be there. Travel at an appropriate speed, and maintain a safe following distance. Do not pass a cyclist unless you can safely execute the manoeuvre while keeping at least 1 metre of space between your vehicle and the cyclist.
Roads without markings also lack designated cyclist spaces. Cyclists on these unmarked roads require extra attention because misunderstandings between road users are more likely when clear guidance is absent. Travel at a safe speed, follow and pass cyclists with plenty of space, and yield the right-of-way whenever it’s unclear. Whether you encounter cyclists on a marked or an unmarked road, they’ll often be travelling near its right edge. That’s also where you may have to park or stop for your passengers, so cyclists may closely pass your vehicle. Opening a door into the path of a cyclist could result in injures to the people involved. The mistake also carries a fine (up to $1,000) and a loss of 3 demerit points. Vigilance for cyclists is critical in these parking, pick-up and dropoff situations. Scan your mirrors and check your blind spots for cyclists before you or any of your passengers open a door. Warning passengers to watch for cyclists can be effective, and so can a method called the “Dutch Reach,” where the vehicle occupant opens the door using the hand farthest from the door. For example, a driver would use the right hand. This method forces people to turn their bodies towards a potentially approaching cyclist.
No matter where you encounter cyclists, you should give them plenty of space. A critical situation is passing a cyclist. Safe drivers respect a cyclist’s space before, during and after overtaking the person. Safe passing requires planning, so while you plan your manoeuvre, maintain a safe following distance. You will need this space ahead if the cyclist slows or stops without warning. Before you decide to pass the cyclist, carefully observe your surroundings. Make sure that there will be a sufficient gap for your vehicle in front of the cyclist. You also will need a sufficient gap between your vehicle and the cyclist, and your path must be clear so that you will not encounter oncoming traffic while overtaking. As you look ahead, verify that no one will be turning into your path. Road users signalling or slowing down should raise your suspicion. Also check your mirrors and blind spots to confirm that no other road user will be overtaking you during your manoeuvre. Overtaking is a relatively complicated manoeuvre, so wait for a better opportunity whenever road safety is questionable. When you decide that it’s safe to pass the cyclist, carefully execute your manoeuvre. Signal properly, check your blind spots, and overtake with at least 1 metre between your vehicle and the cyclist. Changing lanes is ideal. You should safely complete your passing manoeuvre when you can see all of the overtaken cyclist in your rear-view mirror. This way respects the space ahead of the cyclist. Sharing the road with cyclists can be challenging sometimes, but it’s a challenge that you can safely overcome. Lives may depend on it.
Safely sharing the road with cyclists can be challenging in an intersection. Road users of different sizes may be crossing paths at different speeds. With so much activity to monitor and information to process, even small errors by a driver can have deadly consequences. Turning mistakes by drivers are common issues. In many intersection collisions between vehicles and cyclists, the vehicle was turning and the cyclist was going straight ahead. When turning right at an intersection is your goal, it’s important to position your vehicle so that nearby cyclists have enough room on the road. Signal properly in advance, slow down or stop as required, scan nearby sidewalks and crosswalks, and check your mirrors and blind spots - especially those on the right side of your vehicle - before you start to turn. Your turn should not cut off a nearby cyclist. Wait until you can make your manoeuvre without violating anyone’s right-of-way at the intersection. A right turn is one of the rare times that your vehicle can be in an empty bicycle lane if one exists at the intersection. You can enter this bicycle lane up to 45 metres before the spot that you turn right. However, you cannot similarly use a cycle track, if one exists, to make a right turn at an intersection. When turning left at an intersection is your goal, it’s also important to position your vehicle so that nearby cyclists have enough room on the road. Signal properly in advance, slow down or stop as required, and scan for approaching cyclists before you start to turn. They might be in oncoming traffic, crossing in a crosswalk, or travelling alongside your vehicle. You can spot cyclists by thoroughly scanning for traffic in the lanes and crosswalks you intend to cross and checking the appropriate mirrors and blind spots. Wait until you can make your manoeuvre without violating anyone’s right-ofway at the intersection.
Streetcars and buses run by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) are large, heavy vehicles. They take longer to stop than cars, and their turns can take them far into an intersection or across two lanes. Drivers of transit vehicles also must manage blind spots that can be large enough to hide a nearby road user. To make matters worse, transit vehicles make frequent stops, and some passengers move unexpectedly during these stops. Responsible car drivers avoid bad outcomes by safely sharing the road with transit vehicles and passengers. You are likely to encounter TTC streetcars on some roads. Sometimes they stop at transit islands to load or unload passengers. In these situations, adjust your speed accordingly, and anticipate movements by nearby pedestrians. Sometimes streetcars stop in other areas and open their doors to pick up or drop off passengers. In these situations, drivers behind the streetcars must also stop. Maintain a safe following distance behind a streetcar so that you can stop when required. If the stopped streetcar is in the lane to your left, then stop your vehicle at least 2 metres behind the streetcar’s rear door. A streetcar cannot be passed safely on the right until its doors are closed and all disembarking passengers are safely off the street. Passing a streetcar on the left is prohibited unless the road is a one-way street.
TTC buses are a common sight on many roads. They frequently enter and exit bus bays, special stopping areas for buses that could be located midblock, before or after intersections, or between two designated parking areas. When you’re behind a bus, be prepared for frequent stops by maintaining a safe following distance. A bus stopped to load or unload passengers can be passed if you can do so without endangering yourself or others. Pass the bus at a safe speed, and anticipate movements by nearby pedestrians. Eventually, a bus stopped in a bus bay will signal the intention to re-enter the traffic flow. In this situation, approaching drivers in the lane nearest the bus bay must yield the right-of-way to the bus. Be ready to accommodate a signalling bus when required. Adjust your speed accordingly as you approach it, allow it to enter the lane ahead of you, and then maintain a safe following distance. Make sure you can see the bus mirrors. If you cannot see them, then the bus driver probably cannot see your vehicle. Not all bus stops have a bus bay. Bus drivers use their fourway flashers to indicate that their vehicles are stopped to load or unload passengers. If a bus is stopped just before an intersection and you wish to turn right, do not make your turn in front of the bus. Instead, you should wait behind the bus until it departs from its stop. Then you can make your turn. Where there are TTC vehicles there are also TTC passengers. Share the road with them too. Caution is critical in areas where transit vehicles stop to load or unload passengers. Here some passengers may stand near the curb or the road. Others may cross the road or walk on it to reach a transit vehicle. All of these situations can be dangerous, especially when a passenger is facing away from you or is focused on a device or a transit vehicle. Unaware or distracted people may move without considering your driving path or anyone else’s path, so be prepared for this possibility. Approach transit stops at a safe speed, and scan for hazards from sidewalk to sidewalk. If you spot a hazard, cover the brake pedal with your foot, and respond properly to the situation. In most cases involving pedestrians, that response includes yielding to them. TTC streetcars and buses are large vehicles, and their passengers have little to protect them in a crash with a car. You can do your part by giving these road users enough time and space to move safely
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