The Right Honourable Jean Chretien M.P. Prime Minister Of Canada House Of Commons, Office of the Prime Minister, 80 Wellington St. Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A2
Dear Mr. Jean Chretien, In November 2000 you received dozens of letters from Toronto cyclistswho were concerned that nothing has been done to implement Coroner Dr.William Lucas 1998 recommendation that large trucks be equipped with sideguards (as they are in the United Kingdom and several other countries) to ensure that cyclists and pedestrians cannot be crushed by the rear wheels.
Cyclists report receiving a response from your Minister of Transport'sspecial assistant for Ontario, which says: "If the department's ongoing review of safety technologies indicates that the employment ofsideguards on trucks would reduce the risk of injury in a cost-effective manner, Transport Canada will not hesitate to propose a new safety regulation."
Although this response is galling in its attention to cost-cutting measures at the expense of the safety of pedestrians and cyclists alike, it should be pointed out that such vehicle modifications are in fact cost-effective. "A study conducted in the United Kingdom calculated that the reduction in fatal and serious pedestrian casualties resulting from vehicle design changes as proposed by the Experimental Vehicles Committee of the European Union would produce a net benefit in the year 2000 of 1,569 million ECU, giving a benefit to cost ratio of over four to one" (Lawrence, et al [1993] SWOV. Leidschendam.)
Please consider the research that exists on both the cost-effectiveness and the benefits to the overall safety of Canadian citizens and do what you can to ensure that sideguards on trucks are implemented in Canada as soon as possible.
It really saddens me how the government (which isn't paying for the sideguards, truck companies are) can decide that the truck companies bottom line is worth more than the lives of cyclists and pedestrians (so they aren't "cost effective")
A cyclist overtaking a truck in their blind spot is obviously risky as illustrated by this picture. But when a truck overtakes a cyclist its too easy to get sucked under especially with all the wind they create. Truck drivers also seem the most hesitant to leave sufficient space when overtaking even when its clearly available.
This pisses me off to no end. I guess it's time to start riding in front of trucks at a much more leisurly pace than I'm used to. Perhaps the extra time spent on the road behind me will cost them more in lost time/earnings than it would be to save my life and put some gaurds on the sides.
6 comments:
Feb 1/01 (ARC Campaign)
The Right Honourable Jean Chretien M.P. Prime Minister Of Canada
House Of Commons, Office of the Prime Minister, 80 Wellington St.
Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A2
Dear Mr. Jean Chretien,
In November 2000 you received dozens of letters from Toronto cyclistswho were concerned that nothing has been done to implement Coroner Dr.William Lucas 1998 recommendation that large trucks be equipped with sideguards (as they are in the United Kingdom and several other countries) to ensure that cyclists and pedestrians cannot be crushed by the rear wheels.
Cyclists report receiving a response from your Minister of Transport'sspecial assistant for Ontario, which says: "If the department's ongoing review of safety technologies indicates that the employment ofsideguards on trucks would reduce the risk of injury in a cost-effective manner, Transport Canada will not hesitate to propose a new safety regulation."
Although this response is galling in its attention to cost-cutting
measures at the expense of the safety of pedestrians and cyclists
alike, it should be pointed out that such vehicle modifications are in fact cost-effective. "A study conducted in the United Kingdom calculated that the reduction in fatal and serious pedestrian casualties resulting from vehicle design changes as proposed by the Experimental Vehicles Committee of the European Union would produce a net benefit in the year 2000 of 1,569 million ECU, giving a benefit to cost ratio of over four to one" (Lawrence, et al [1993] SWOV.
Leidschendam.)
Please consider the research that exists on both the cost-effectiveness and the benefits to the overall safety of Canadian
citizens and do what you can to ensure that sideguards on trucks are implemented in Canada as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
It really saddens me how the government (which isn't paying for the sideguards, truck companies are) can decide that the truck companies bottom line is worth more than the lives of cyclists and pedestrians (so they aren't "cost effective")
A cyclist overtaking a truck in their blind spot is obviously risky as illustrated by this picture. But when a truck overtakes a cyclist its too easy to get sucked under especially with all the wind they create. Truck drivers also seem the most hesitant to leave sufficient space when overtaking even when its clearly available.
This pisses me off to no end. I guess it's time to start riding in front of trucks at a much more leisurly pace than I'm used to. Perhaps the extra time spent on the road behind me will cost them more in lost time/earnings than it would be to save my life and put some gaurds on the sides.
I wonder how much larger those blind spots become when the driver is on the phone or reading the paper.
The problem with trucks - besides them being monsterously huge - often involves the drivers. They're not the most patient mob, are they?
The idea of riding IN FRONT of one scares me, as i just know there's a better than even chance of one getting agro at me.
you cant draft trucks?!! man that's the safest place to be enveloped in the draft bubble! these bureacrats obviously know nothing!
vic
Post a Comment