Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Another Cyclist killed by a truck!

Dec. 21, 2005. (The Star) ASHLEY JOANNOU AND HENRY STANCU
A cyclist in his 40s is dead after he was struck and killed by a flatbed
truck Tuesday night. The man was cycling just before 8 p.m. in the southbound lane of Leslie St. when he was struck by the truck travelling north and attempting to make a left turn on to Eastern Ave. police say. He suffered massive head injuries and was rushed to St. Mike’s hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police Press Release.
(This makes 2005 the worst year since 1996 for Cycling in Toronto)

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Bike rider was on the wrong side of the road( still a sad thing ), if he had not been he would still be here with us a and that area Leslie St.Eastern Ave is scary place lots of drunk drivers and speeders. which I find wierd cause the police are always there at Tim Hortons , I had passed by there and saw the area roped off with the police last night

Tino said...

How do you know he was riding on the wrong side of the road? Just me being daft I guess.

Anonymous said...

Cyclist was southbound.
http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/newsreleases/pdfs/9048.pdf

Tanya said...

How many cycling fatalities have there been this year Martino?

Tanya said...

I would interpret from the press release you've posted "north in the southbound lane" to be riding on the wrong side of the road. (Of course now it seems that the Star has gotten the facts wrong from the police report.)

Tino said...

According to the Police report he was not going the wrong way ...
Either way it's very tragic.
http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/newsreleases/pdfs/9048.pdf

Anonymous said...

Just more crap from The Star. Make sure to buy a weekend paper to support all of their car ads.

Anonymous said...

From the map I saw this was not downtown, but at the corner where there is a big Loblaws, Eastern Beaches, one block north of the bicycle path/gardner, and about one block south of queen. it is a very busy intersection. Eastern Avenue is an industrial road, a deathtrap, and I as an experienced bicyclist NEVER ride on it. However, I have ridden exactly that bicyclist's path on Leslie many times, and often in the dark.

I have had my close calls with unconscious and aggressive drivers, and I have seen real asshole bicyclists who invite accidents.

I reserve judgement until I hear all the facts. I don't believe all drivers are assholes, nor all bicyclist's saints.

I do agree the Toronto Star sucks.

Tino said...

Hmm.
The words 'real asshole cyclists' are not welcome on this blog.
I think all cyclists are saints and heroes. Their daily effort to make this world a better place to live and breathe outweigh any misdeeds people may attribute to them.

Last time I checked it was the cars and trucks that are doing all the killing.

Suffice it to day to say, there are plenty of websites/blogs which love to blame cyclists or discredit them.
This blog is not one of them.

Anonymous said...

Cop told me about the wrong way and IT is cars that do all the killing on our roads and cyclists are saints and heroes

Anonymous said...

I apologize for using inappropriate language in comments, it contributes little to constructive conversation, and I stand corrected.

Tino said...

Thank you. Much appreciated.
Let's hope that next year is a much safer year for all.

Anonymous said...

PRESS RELEASE--26 December, 2005


Latest cyclist death anticipated by Toronto Regional Coroner in 1998: advocacy group

One week following the death of a 51-year-old cyclist under the wheels of a transport truck at the intersection of Leslie and Eastern Avenues in Toronto, GTA cyclists and others will meet at the site of the crash for a candlelight memorial. Flowers will be left at the site of the crash, and silence will be observed.



But a clamouring for change will emerge from the silence.



As area resident and cycling activist Jacob Allderdice puts it, "This intersection is dangerous by design. And trucks without sideguards are a menace. The city has a responsibility to act."

According to the police, the cyclist (name witheld at the request of his family) was traveling south on Leslie Avenue in Toronto's East End when a northbound transport truck turned across his path to continue westbound on Eastern. The time was 7:57 p.m on on December 20, 2005.



According to Allderdice, "It was almost the shortest day of the year. As it gets dark earlier, car and truck drivers must "expect a bicycle," and be more careful."



Allderdice notes "This intersection lies midway between the bicycle lanes of Jones Ave and the carfree Martin Goodman trail. It throws bicycle riders into direct conflict with high-speed motorized traffic exiting the Gardiner Expressway, Lakeshore Boulevard, and Eastern Avenue."



Just south of where the cyclist was killed, the giant box stores of Loblaws and Price Chopper, and soon that of Canadian Tire, spill even more car and truck traffic into the intersection.



This is the fourth cyclist fatality in Toronto in 2005.

ARC notes that in the Toronto Regional Coroner's investigation into eleven years of cyclist deaths, issued in 1998 (read it here: < http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/cycling/coroner_index.htm>), two changes were suggested that might have saved this cyclist's life:

1) Sideguards on large trucks, as mandated in many European countries, to prevent the pulling under and crushing of cyclists, pedestrians and even small cars. This is the third cyclist to be killed in Toronto in 2005 under the wheels of a large truck or bus.

2) The identification and redesign of intersections dangerous to cyclists, such as Leslie and Eastern. ARC calls for a bicycle lane to be installed on both sides of Leslie all the way from Queen St. E to Lakeshore Boulevard.

Memorial Details:
When: Tuesday, December 27 at 8 pm
Where: Leslie St. and Eastern Ave, Toronto
Meet: Cyclists will gather at the south end of Nathan Phillips Square (Queen and Bay) at 7:15 and ride to the site together. Departure at 7:30. Cyclists and others may also meet at the memorial site. Bring a candle if possible.
Ceremony: Cyclists mark solidarity and respect for one of their own at Leslie and Eastern at 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 27 2005



Contact person: Darren Stehr, Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists: 416-707-4744

ARC website: www.respect.to