Friday, April 21, 2006

Toronto Sun Article

2 cyclists killed in vehicle collisions
By CHRIS DOUCETTE, TORONTO SUN
The city had its first two cyclist fatalities of the year yesterday in separate incidents.
"It's such a tragic, tragic mar on a beautiful, sunny day," Sgt. Darla Tannahill, of the Toronto Police traffic services unit, said shortly after a man was run over by a dump truck on Avenue Rd., just north of Eglinton Ave. W.
"It's so sad," she said. "These are preventable."
Police said the cyclist and the dump truck were both heading south on Avenue Rd. around 8:40 a.m. in the curb lane when the truck turned right on Cortleigh Blvd. and there was a collision.

The cyclist was wearing a helmet
, but it was not enough to save his life. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police were trying to locate the man's family and did not immediately release his name. The driver of the truck, owned by J. Chefero Sand & Gravel Ltd., remained on the scene all morning.
The second tragedy happened around 9 p.m. at Keele St. and Finch Ave., when a teenaged girl was hit by a tractor-trailer.
She too was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses to either crash can call police at 416-808-1900 or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS.

6 comments:

Phillip Barron said...

so, what's the implication that it was preventable about? she's saying it was the trucker's fault, right? cause that's what she needs to be saying.

Tino said...

Right you are.

Tino said...

I hear your anger and a passion.

Phillip Barron said...

dbike said... "Why blame the trucker? The city has known since 1998 that trucks kill."

Took them until '98 to realize that trucks kill?

Listen, you can put all the guard rails you want on trucks. Build all the bike lanes you want. Doing both may save some lives. But there will always be cyclist/motorist conflicts, and 99% of the time, they won't end well for the cyclists.

Cyclists are smaller, lighter, and more exposed and therefore more vulnerable. That means the greater responsibility to prevent an accident will always be on the licensed professional operating the deadly weapon.

Which does NOT mean that it's always the motorist's fault... just means that that ought to be the presumption until proven otherwise.

Just sayin...

Anonymous said...

for your information the young girl's name is bianca gogel and she is a member of st. wilfred's parish. Father Massey Lombardi is the pastor he might be willing to say prayers.

Anonymous said...

The ghost bike at Keele and FInch is gone, vanished into the rain of a warm christmas. The holiday sesson was the end of th ebike, it might be locked up with the police as a abandon bike or it could have been stolen.

I Geoff B of the Bike Pirates will be making a renwed effort to memorilize the fallen ciycalist.

Four will be made:
One for Dupont and Dundas
One for Bathurst and Queen
One for Keele and FInch
One for Dufferin and Bloor

Please help me with information if you can....vous.je@gmail.com