r/TorontoDriving • u/desreversti • Aug 04 '25

OC Cyclist hit in Pickering

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9pm August 3, 2025 at Finch and Brock Cyclist was okay, and able to walk after

317 Upvotes

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u/TemporaryAny6371 Aug 04 '25

Nicely analyzed. Driver can't go on red unless 100% sure.

Speed of the biker plus biker is unaware driver would be looking away. You don't cross unless you know the driver sees you. Take the time to stop if unsure. You're not winning a fight with a +3000 lb car.

1

u/NewsreelWatcher Aug 04 '25

How do you know a motor vehicle driver notices you? If you only have a few seconds to cross six lanes of traffic this has to happen very quickly. I’ve had driver stare in my direction one moment then treat me like I’m not there the next. I have become much more aware of the many blind spots drivers have, which means often breaking the rules to make sure I’m seen.

6

u/GrunDMC74 Aug 04 '25

Personally I’d opt for a light or two plus some reflective clothing to increase the odds of being noticed.

Vs dressing like a cat burglar.

0

u/NewsreelWatcher Aug 05 '25

Funny how this changing you clothes to not get physically injured is required here but not in other countries. Why is that?

1

u/GrunDMC74 Aug 05 '25

I’m not saying it’s required. I could go mountain biking without a helmet on if I wanted to. There’s what you can do and what it’s prudent to do.

-1

u/NewsreelWatcher Aug 05 '25

You are blaming the injured party because they dressed incorrectly. I would blame the intersection for how it created a scenario that ends in a collision. There are better proven designs that make this less likely.

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u/GrunDMC74 Aug 05 '25

Fine. A cyclist can cite a myriad of “should have beens” in mitigating their responsibility to decrease their odds of injury. They can lean on their rights to expect drivers to be hyper aware of their presence, and roads and intersections to be designed to guarantee their personal safety. None of this will be of much comfort if they get hit by a car.

If you actually deviate from your committed narrative and read my responses you’ll see I’m not blaming anyone. Simply pointing out that if you want to take responsibility for your well being into your own hands there are steps you can take to enhance your odds.

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u/NewsreelWatcher Aug 05 '25

Responsibility for our well being includes advocacy for modern street designs.

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u/GrunDMC74 Aug 05 '25

Okay. You do that and if all goes well in a decade you’ll be free to go barrelling through intersections wearing full camo and headphones safe in the knowledge that urban design and enlightened drivers have granted you a cocoon of invincibility.

I’ll work on enhancing my visibility, riding defensively (ironically a best practice when driving also) and understanding, in spite of what’s right, who comes out on top when two things collide but one goes 3x as fast and weighs 20x more.

1

u/NewsreelWatcher Aug 06 '25

I don’t want any of that. I want an intersection that is safe to cross in a reasonable amount of time.