Tripleshot Cycling

1. Minimum passing distances
In progressive cycling jurisdictions, such as the U.S. and throughout Europe, you must give cyclists a 1 - 1.5 metres of space. B.C.'s law, however, is silent on minimum passing distances. 23 states in the U.S. have already established similar minimum distances for vehicles when passing cyclists. Ontario just passed this law in June 2015.

2. Passing on the right
It happens all the time. Traffic is congested and cyclists overtake on the right. The current statute prohibits that conduct, except in limited circumstances. Hay says the definition of those circumstances remains ambiguous and should be clarified. While prohibiting passing on the right makes sense for motor vehicles, it doesn’t for cyclists who regularly use the shoulder to pass because when there is adequate shoulder space, it’s safer than passing on the left.

3. Increased fines for dangerous behaviour
Ontario has recently increased fines for drivers opening doors onto cyclists to between $300 to $1,000, plus three demerit points. Hay says that is one way of recognizing that we need to move traffic through the city by accommodating the growing population of cyclists. Dooring has recently been shown as the most common collision type in the city of Vancouver, and consequences can be serious injury or death.
Fines should also be increased for harassment of people on bicycle, for theft or tampering with bicycles, aggressive driving, and motorist negligence causing injury or death of vulnerable road user.

4. Vulnerable Road User Protection: Reverse the burden of proof
In B.C., in a collision between a cyclist and a motor vehicle, the cyclist has the onus of establishing the driver’s negligence to recover damages from the driver’s policy. In many Canadian provinces and places in Europe, the driver has to disprove negligence. This makes sense because the more vulnerable road user begins with a disadvantage of being smaller and less protected, and usually has more severe memory loss so cannot present evidence equitably.

5. Cyclists riding side by side
Cyclists are prohibited from riding side by side if it impedes the flow of traffic, but we would like to see more clarity on when it could be allowed if traffic isn't impeded. In European jurisdictions, it's recognized that it's safer to be in numbers. Cyclists are more visible that way.

6. Update the name of the Act to Road Safety Act
The current name is exclusive and confusing, because people cycling are also under its jurisdiction. The improved Act would clearly promote safety and rules clarity for everyone.

7. Grant the power to municipalities to enforce blanket speed limits and create a default speed limit of 30 km/h on local streets with no centre line
Right now a municipality has to sign each block of specialized speed limits, which is costly. Granting blanket speed limit rights to municipalities allows for all bike routes to be 30km/h for example. This change is supported by the UBCM. Allowing lower speed limits will increase safety for cyclists (and others) using local streets.

8. e-Bikes: Clarify kinds of electric-assist bikes that are permitted to use cycling infrastructure
Currently there is confusion about what types of e-bikes and scooters are allowed to use cycling infrastructure. Clarity to restrict speeds, weights and motor size of e-bikes will keep road users safer.