First off I agree, everyone- car drivers, cyclists, all governments need to work to get more lanes and safer road sharing for bikes.

However, in this specific case from video City TV showed from a security camera, the bikers came up the left side of the car and attempted to turn right infront of the car- and guess what, got hit. Not smart, not good.

But, I am all for getting better bike lanes, better saftey programs in place because I believe we need more bikes (and motorbikes) on the road to make some environmental impact on our poor planet.

I am saddened by the way the press seems to be disparaging the late biker's reputation.

As a 41 year old busines owner and biker, if a car strikes you on your bike, there is very little a bicyclist can do to stop the car from speeding away and leaving the biker responsible for repairs and damage.

If the said convertible struck the biker and bicycle, it seems clear the cyclist would try to stop the car from speeding away in order to 1 - report the collision 2 - to get names and contact of the driver. Seems to me the first collision caused the entire tragedy.

Not to clear about the driver zooming from the scene to a nearby hotel - Is this legal? Seems like the ex-attorney general has some scared police, legal types, and press rolling out the red carpet to presume the driver is innocent.

I do not see it this way - simply review the interviews of the witnesses at the scene. I look forward to seeing the video also but I bet they are sequestered somewhere and never make the light of day. My two cents. Dan

I drive and bike, and I would have to say the least amount of respect on the roads comes from drivers. I hear the most complaints from drivers, especially if the cyclist is the middle of the road on left turns, or on the side of the road of narrow streets.

I have been hit by mirrors on the sides of cars as they pass, and avoided several accidents were I just knew the driver ahead was not going to see me. You have to be a very defensive cyclist. Yes, there are some bad cyclists on the roads, but the amount of bad drivers is a hundred fold.

I cycle on roads in ottawa because I bike faster than the speed limits that are on the pathways here in the city (15 to 20km/hr), and also the bike paths tend to take you kilometers out of your way most of the times.

When the horrible accident involving several cyclists happened here in Ottawa this summer, the police did a crack down for a week or so, which I thought was going to be a good thing, until I found out that mostly cyclist were being fined (mostly cyclists who were biking on the sidewalks, which is dumb, but when you have a 2 ton car almost hitting you daily I can see why they would)

I wish I had the answers for this issue, but just common sense and respect would go a long way.

While I don't disagree, in theory, with some of the comments made by Ms. Bambrick, as all the details of Monday night's incident have yet to be released, I doubt her inference is justified.

True, it does appear that the altercation may have stemmed from car/bike tensions, but that has yet to be proven. As well, there's no indication that the lack of a bike path was part of the cause.

Perhaps the cyclist, having left a tense situation with his girlfriend, decided to take out his anger on the driver of the car. What if the cyclist was intoxicated or merely cycling irresponsibly.

Positions based on biased assumptions only serve to erode the confidence the public has on public personalities. This article has left me with the impression that cyclists are, by nature, self-centered.

I'm not understanding why after this tragic incident so much of the media focus is on bike lanes, cyclist safety etc.

A man who happened to be a courier, abandoned his bike and chose to cling to a moving vehicle in an apparent effort to continue an altercation with the driver. The cyclist became a pedestrian as soon as he got off that bike.

I'm someone who has at various times cycled, driven and walked to work. The most threatened I have ever felt was as a pedestrian when cyclists using the same path through the park whizzed past my elbow at up to 45kmh. I might never hear them until they were almost on top of me, and should I suddenly step aside to avoid something on the path ....

It's not the means of transportation, it's whether the person using it is considerate toward others, or is hell-bent on getting to the destination asap and letting other road users go hang.

Great work on spreading the message.

You hit on the most important aspect to the cyclist vs car issue in my opinion. Power balance. If a cyclist hits a car, the car will be dented. If a car hits a cyclist they may die. Very different consequences and from what I see on the city streets of Calgary, drivers don't understand the consequences of their own actions.

As recent as this morning, had I not been paying attention I would have been hit crossing an intersection when my light was green.

As for Dan's comments concerning cyclists riding on the sidewalks. I whole heartedly disagree. Cyclists are statistically more likely to be hit if they ride on sidewalks. It is much harder for a driver to spot a cyclist as they roll off the sidewalk when about to cross a street. Factor in that they maybe traveling fast means they are riding into a drivers blind spot.

I also disagree with Dan's statement about a cyclists will know how it feels to have to slow down for pedestrians as cars do for cyclists. Pushing your gas pedal down for an extra 5 seconds is not the same feeling as having to accelerate back to 25 km/hr from next to zero.

I agree with Dan's comments and disagree with this lobby effort 100%. Roadways are designed for motor vehicles which travel at speeds in excess of 60KMH. In some places the speed limit is 100 and I am still seeing bicycles on the side of the roadway with big trucks, buses and other vehicles tearing past at highway speed. Do these radical cyclists have a death wish?

I have a very hard time with the sense of entitlement by the cyclist lobby that says they "have the right" to the road. Yes, I know, they have latched on to a passage in the HTA but this is a spurious argument. If cyclists want the same rights and privileges as motor vehicles, they also ought to have the same responsibilites bestowed upon them. That means all cyclists follow a set of safety guidelines such as bell, lights, use of turn signals, reflective safety vest, INSURANCE and a large LICENSE PLATE that allows them to be identified by other motorists, pedestrians and law enforcement. They should also be required to take a defensive cycling driving course and be licensed to operate a bicycle on urban streets.

Only when they have the same responsibilities as cars, should they get the same rights and priviliges. And only when they have shown to be paying the same as everyone else, should the taxpayer begin to subsidize special lanes. As things stand now, this is the wild west of unruly cyclists on the road and their demands keep escalating. Motorists face fines, photo radar and speeding tickets when we violate traffic laws. Cyclists have NONE of these penalties, save for the odd police safety blitz. For every 1 police safety blitz against cyclists, there are 100 for cars.

Driving is a privilege, cyclists, not a right. You need to understand that.

Well put Yvonne, thank you.

First a comment to Advokat (10:32am): Ms. Bambrick did not say "a failure by government "to take bicycles seriously" is at the heart of the tragedy", rather that the failure is at the heart of the TENSION, "the seemingly ever-present tensions between drivers and cyclists."

Nothing against cycling as transportation, but it is absolutely ridiculous to go any further in developing 'on road' bike lanes.

Like in Europe, cities need to develop wider sidewalks & segregate half for pedestrians & half for cyclists.

To think that cycle traffic has any right to be on the same roadway as vehicular traffic is 100% wrong & misguided.

Just look at the problems a slow car driver creates on the streets-people getting pissed off & traffic getting backed up & higher rate of accident probability due to evasive maneuvers around said slowpoke.

It's the speed disparity that should mandate an overhaul in the sidewalk logic to move cyclists off the streets.

What's next, additional lanes for roller blading?

@ Advokat
I'd like to make it clear that at no point did I say that that failure of government was 'at the heart of this tragedy'. I said that this incident has served to highlight, and draw the media's attention to, the various ongoing issues related to sharing our roadways between motorized and non-motorized vehicles.

Additionally, as to your final thought that 'Bikes will never be the primary transportation policy focus'. Neither I, nor my colleagues are asking for, or expecting this.

We are however asking that they stop being ignored, and rather that they be taken into account when decisions are being made about our roadways, as are other road users: cars, transit, and pedestrians.

Anyone who pays property tax, or rent in this city is paying for our roads.

I am not alone in my belief that the many thousands of tax-paying Torontonians who choose active, sustainable transportation deserve to be provided with safe passage on our shared streets.

The answer seems fairly simple to me. Bikes as well as those who ride them should be licenced. If rules are broken fines should be imposed. CITY STREETS are no place for a joy ride.

I wont presume to to know who is right or wrong in this latest bike-car fiasco, however it only points out an underlying problem that the author touches on.

To successfully integrate bicycles and automobiles will require intelligent urban planning. The problem is in North America, urban planning is about as credible as military intelligence.

My Take: I have been cycling Toronto streets for 40 years, starting several years before bikes became popular. At that time there were very few considerate drivers. Even TTC buses, which now display exemplary patience and conduct wrt bicycles, felt it their duty to expunge the two-wheeled pestilence. Ironically, only large trucks were consistently cautious and polite.

I lost track of the number of times I was deliberately knocked off my bike. Reporting incidents to the TTC or police was useless; the response always "I'm sure he just didn't see you".

I finally began taking a hammer with me on my rides, holding it upright and slightly leaning out from my left hand. I didn't want to use it, and, behold, as long as it was visible, I never had occasion to.

Bicycle lanes began to show up in many communities almost immediately when the bike craze began. I have always been annoyed with our city hall's attitude to cycling and bike lanes, and that annoyance continues to grow.

There seems to be no end of money available for additional traffic lights to prevent cars from moving efficiently, but never for a little paint to separate (at least psychologically) the dragons from the bikes.

Having for years lamented the lack of lanes, I now believe that the solution must be much more drastic. Bicycles and cars cannot safely coexist in the same space; nor can bicycles and pedestrians. While "shared use" paths for bikes and feet are not extremely dangerous today, as volumes of both increase, the serious accidents there will become numerous.

Part of the problem is that no one method satisfies all of the requirements. Location, traffic density, purpose of trip and attitude of driver/biker all have a bearing on which facilities are appropriate. Park paths and cycle lanes on quiet streets are good for family bicycle outings when the ride is the destination.

For those who want to cycle to work or for serious conditioning, dedicated and separated lanes bicycle lanes along major streets are necessary. Downtown permits few solutions.

The chaotic struggle among pedestrians, private autos, taxis, limos, trucks, personal bicycles and couriers is a challenge. It may eventually be necessary to double deck the streets, but even that outrageously expensive idea would be only a short term solution.

Another politically difficult idea is to ban all private autos from downtown, and special "accident free" licences for everyone else. That would require a major improvement in the transit system, but would provide wider sidewalks, adequate bike lanes and traffic that can move, not just pollute.

Just a few thoughts. Let's hear some more.

I've seen very little discussed on the CAUSES of cyclists' rage. As if it is somehow irrational to be furious at the treatment of cyclists by motorists.

I'm a commuter, and a recreational and racing cyclist who rides between 6-12,000km per year, mostly on city streets. Like most cyclists, I'm also a motorist.

During almost every ride I have to make at least one emergency maneuver to avoid a negligent or malicious driver.

On many occasions I've had to hit a driver's passenger window to remind the driver I'm there and to move away from me, or to simply keep myself up as the driver turns into me. I've been yelled at, spat at and had things thrown at me for no other reason than I'm wearing funny looking lycra.

Once I was buzzed by a car on an empty 4 lane road who, farther up the street, changed lanes to avoid some dirt adjacent the curb.

Most motorists do not see us as people, but obstacles. We are not sons and daughters, but an inconvenience.

And, I'm sorry, no cyclist has ever slowed down a motorist more than a few seconds. And it's not like they don't already have to contend with cabs, buses, streetcars, emergency vehicles, construction vehicles, delivery trucks, demonstrations, festivals, pedestrians, potholes and, oh yeah, ALL THE OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD!

I understand the the streetcar tracks make it hard for drivers, but if you place your wheels to the LEFT of the tracks, you still have lots of room to the centre of the road and you can leave a safe space for cyclists, who must stay more than a metre away from the doors of parked cars.

Drivers - if a cyclist can hit your car, it's because you're too close! Period. If you don't have room to pass safely (at least 1.5m), then don't pass! When you buzz a cyclist, all it takes is a poorly timed gust of wind or some loose gravel on the road to make you a killer.

Why do you think we're so angry?

If I jump a red light (obviously only if it's clear) it's so that I can get through the intersection and out of your way so you don't buzz me when you change lanes to avoid the parked cars ahead. My personal safety trumps the traffic statues every time.

And yes, I travel faster than you on downtown streets. I can accelerate faster and brake faster. I take less than 1/10th the space you do. In downtown traffic the cars are slowing me down. I accept that, because I must share the road. I follow most rules of the road, unless they compromise my safety.

It is unsafe for me to ride on the recreational paths. I'm riding far too quickly to mix with pedestrians, children and unleashed dogs.

I do not accept that it is irrational to feel rage at the treatment of cyclists in this city.

I use my bicycle to commute daily from April to November and I have been doing this for the last 24 years. Fortunately I have never been hit by a vehicle but the close calls often came from "professional" drivers.

Twice by School buses and once by a city bus. The city bus had to wait until I finished "briefing him" as I was standing in the doorway preventing him from departing, he remained speechless ...

But the bikers are often viewed as the source of the problem, four years back I was travelling north on a main boulevard and I was squeezed between the sidewalk and a transport truck so I decided to jump on the sidewalk for my protection. As a result, a policeman on his "motorbike" saw me on the sidewalk and refused to listen to my end of the story and gave me a ticket!

There you go! Bikers can't win. Roads are for motor vehicles, sidewalks are for pedestrians, both tell us to get out of the way, the law sees us as a problem and painted lines can not be called bike paths.

I hope that this tragedy will jump start some actions in the right direction to make room for serious bicycle commuting infrastructure in all major cities.

I bike and drive a car. But in the city core I mostly bike (no faster way) and really enjoy it. I have had a few close calls, mostly with people opening car doors on me.

A bit more awareness around motorists in this area would be good. My one pet peeve is cyclists riding quickly down the side walk.

If I could say one thing to cyclist, if you have to ride on the side walk for a block or two (to avoid a section of the street or get to the store front you need), ride slow and be respectful of people walking.

Don't ring your bell while rapidly dodging pedestrians.

I cycle year-round (by choice; I also have a car). Safety really is all about respect on the roads, and I think respect stems from understanding.

Cyclists KNOW the motoring rules of the road; most also drive cars. Those who choose not to obey those rules are either lazy (not stopping, not using proper equipment like lights) or frightened (riding on sidewalks, dodging into and out of the parking lane).

While laziness seems to be an incurable human condition (though in this case treatable by law enforcement), I think motorists could be much more helpful in the 'fear' department by understanding a cyclist's point of view, driving accordingly, and by respecting that cyclist as a legitimate, but very vulnerable, user of a PUBLIC road.

Motorists need to learn the CYCLING rules of the road; the dangers of potholes, opening car doors, gravel, train tracks, glass, dogs, strong winds. Taking the lane to avoid the 'squeeze play' in tight spots. The hand signals for left, right, and slowing.

The ability to corner, accelerate and brake quicker than a car, while having a superior unobstructed view of the road. The fast speeds a small downhill will allow. The sheer silliness (selfishness?) of being passed immediately before an intersection, or passed just for being on a bike, regardless of whether it is safe or 'necessary' to overtake.

Why we move into the traffic lane at a light to allow right-turning traffic to get through, and to hold our place in line.

Remember that the cyclist up ahead probably isn't costing any real time in the rush to the next intersection, but will have freed up space on the road and one more parking spot. While I'd love it if all motorsists would cycle a few miles in my shoes, I'll settle for a bit more patience, common sense, and understanding.

I disagree entirely with Ms. Bambrick's comments.

Generally I have found most courier bikers in Toronto to be overly agressive in their actions, miserable in their attitudes,
generally foul mouthed and insulting.

Most courier cyclists in Toronto seem to invent new rules of the road as they go along, these rules seem to be for them alone.

I've biked in both Waterloo, Ontario and Vancouver and I can see a huge difference in riding in both cities.

In Vancouver I've never had an incident and I trust the drivers much more. In Waterloo, however, I don't trust any drivers there. For the longest time I didn't know it was illegal to bike on the side-walk but yet I still do occasionally because there are no bike-lanes or people on the road just don't give me room. It's annoying as heck and I just don't feel safe.

In Vancouver, it's the complete opposite as there are tons of bike lanes everywhere and the drivers are comfortable with having cyclists on the road.

Saying that, I've seen too many dumb cyclists who make me want to scream. I myself have a helmet mirror that I wear all the time on my helmet.

At night I have the proper bike lights. I also don't wear headphones. Yet I routinely see people biking at night with no helmet, light gear, wearing headphones, and not using hand signals. It just makes me want to scream! If we start to see increased interest in biker safety, how about we start punishing those who don't follow the rules?

Sadly as it is, Toronto has not been designed for bikes and it will take a long time for this city to become bike friendly.

And every category of public road user is to blame when it comes to negligence and dangerous behaviour. Bikers do not respect traffic rules, pedestrians jay cross all the time without even looking, drivers do not respect the rightful space of bikes.

Taxi drivers, who should be giving a better example since they are professional drivers, are the worst. One example I like to use is this: Bay street is a shared lane for public transportation and bikes between 7am and 7pm, but I have been often harassed by both taxi drivers and regular drivers (who are not even allowed there) while riding my bike on this side of the road who insist in squeezing me onto the curb. That is why I ride with steel toe boots, they may not do a lot of damage but they will make a lot of noise when you bang them against their doors.

People in general are not trained to lookout for bikes but drivers are by far the less respectful users of the road. Perhaps because they hold the most powerful and deadly machine.

Toronto needs more bike lanes for sure. But public education for safety road is urgent.

Oh by the way, I cannot believe that they are just renovating Bloor street (right off Yonge) which is one of the major arteries in Toronto and a bike lane was not included.

Very sad.

I commute by bicycle daily, and I have worked for regional government to improve bicycle networks.

It is a tough battle to get funding to implement new bicycle lanes. It's very easy to say that all major roads should have bike lanes but if that were to happen roads and bridges would fall apart because of lack of funding.

In response to another comment, about fighting to allow cyclists on sidewalks... bad idea. A huge number of cyclist motorist collisions occur at points where sidewalks meet driveways or intersections.

Since bicycles travel at a much higher rate of speed than pedestrians, motorists don't expect bicycles at these locations. It is much safer to ride on the road where motorists at intersections expect vehicles traveling at higher rates of speed.

Be cautious, wear bright colors and volunteer for your local bicycle committee to get upgrades made to your local bicycle network.

I just started commuting this summer and personally have found most drivers to be quite good about watching for myself.

Some of my route takes me through designated bikes routes in Vancouver and Burnaby, such as Adnac, and some of my route is on major routes, such as Hastings.

Many, many times even though the car has the right away they will flag me to go, or I can hear the car coming up behind me they will give me half a cars width to pass. Even large buses pass with due caution.

I have not really seen any problems. My experience is that cars and bikes can co exist safely together.

Where the problem sometimes lies is with myself. When you are cycling I find I don't want to break the inertia so I sometimes go through 4 ways not coming to a complete stop or running and miscalculating a yellow light. This is when trouble can arise.

Cyclists need to respect the environment in which they are operating in.

1. Our cities are designed for cars and it will take decades (if ever) to adapt our current infrastructure to fully accomodate cyclists in a truly safe manner.

2. Cyclists need to follow ALL the rules of the road that motor vehicles must adhere to.

3. Riding a cycle while intoxicated on a public throughfare should be made illegal.

4. Bicycle couriers and heavy car traffic in dense inner city environments are a recipe for disaster.

Many cyclists simply ignore the rules of the road at their convenience. Delivering packages at high speed, weaving in and out of traffic and ignoring the rules in order to get from A to B. This going to get you seriously injured or killed eventually - no matter how well behaved motorists are.

Cyclists who have had a "near miss" do not have the right to reach into the driver seat and grab keys (and throw them away or drop them down the nearest culvert) or pull stearing wheels, or damage a vehicle in some sort of vigilante attempt at making our roads safer.

This is just road rage in another form. Imagine if motor vehicle operators attempted to take the law into their own hands!

The events of the last week have little to do with cycling - this was an incident between an unstable pedestrian and the operator of motor vehicle.

RESPECT is a two-way street folks!

Maybe riders over a certain age (adult) should be required to have insurance like drivers do. In Vancouver riders ride crazy like weaving in and out of traffic. A little dot in my mirror as I pull out can not really be seen until it is to late.

Few people wear helmets or have lights on their bikes but somehow this is our fault as drivers? If they paid insurance this money could be used for accidents and / or road improvements. I have to pay my tax for road repair so should they.

Now don't get my wrong there are lots of bad drivers in Vancouver and I won't bike because of it - I don't really feel like dying but cyclist want everything but pay nothing. If a riders screws up and hits my car who pays for that? Why I do on my insurance because the rider doesn't have any.

How many bikers ride on the inside lane between drivers and parked cars, how many run stop lights, etc.

When I drive I do know however that the biker is car and treat him as such and only pass when it's safe and I do greatly respect bikers who follow the rules of the road.

Some small things like reserving about 4 feet on right side of curb lane would be helpful.

Often I ride up on cars stopped in traffic that are sitting a foot from curb and therefore I can not go past without lane splitting. MOST drivers are OK around bikes when they are not on the cellphone.

In about 9,000 km of commuting in past three summers (I am a fair weather rider)I have only had one driver INTENTIONALLY cut me off and make life difficult for me.

Observation of mine is that I don't stop for stop signs but do take my turn if you know what I mean. If a car wants to go first I don't get upset, people who are selfish don't understand what others think anyway.

My wife and I cycle regularly here in the Lower Mainland and we have what one might call international experience having cycled from Amsterdam to Spain and also Switzerland and from Vancouver to Newfoundland and also Mexico.

There are, it appears to me, several things not being considered; is one riding in the city or is it rural; is one commuting or just riding for pleasure; is one an experienced rider or not, etc.

It is a curious thing that in a country like the Netherlands, with all its old narrow streets, they are able to come up with bicycle routes and paths. Some systems are designated for commuting others for pleasure. Some are suited for family affairs, others not so much.

Similarly, many of the highways will have, on one side or the other (and often both); a bicycle path that is completely separate from the car portion and these cycle paths are treated as individual roads.

Making a right-hand-turn means yielding to cycling ‘road’ that goes straight. In much of Canada doing this would not make sense, merely for its remoteness, nevertheless at lease one (and never mind the Canada Trail) would be something.

Within towns and cities is another matter. In my opinion having a strip of asphalt designated for cyclist does not really afford any protection, a more effective way of making it truly dedicated is by raising the path some 10cm. Even more effective would be to place this path not between the travelling cars and those parked, but behind the parked cars.

Another way would be to designate and set aside a specific street network for cyclist, allowing only local motorized traffic.

The various comments being made call for consideration for both drivers and cyclists, but what consideration. When one becomes a driver, one takes driving lessons and eventually must pass an examination. This is not the case for a cyclist, yet there are, although obscure, rules that apply to these also.

There are, in my opinion, no authorities that teach or enforce those rules. Nobody speaks out against swimming lessons, but when it comes to competing with large speeding metal objects we seem to think that is a no brainer.

Here in the Lower Mainland I have never seen a bicyclist ticketed. Not for riding on the sidewalk, not for riding against the flow in a one way street, not for two or three abreast and thus ticking off those behind them, not for coming to pedal stop at a stop sign or, worse, at a stop light.

Us cyclists complain a lot, but if justice was done and SEEN to be done, we might gain some respect and, thereby, have our needs filled also.

I think that in part the road rules need to be re-written. We need to start educating ourselves and our kids as to how to behave on a bicycle. And we need the police to police, not just us, but also our metal encased partners on the road.

We need to change our profile, there are whole sections dedicated to car matters in papers and on TV, we somehow, politely, need to get on the books also. Because no matter how hard society may try not to, our paths will cross and it is better doing that with a smile than with the finger.

I give cyclists that respect the 'rules of the road' due respect.

However those that choose to completely ignore the rules ie; sneaking up beside me between my vehicle and the curb so they can get in front of me at the green light, if they even bother to stop for the red, creating a long line of yet more frustrated motorists...those will never get my respect

The conversation of additional bike lanes, while worthwhile, would be less germane to the topic of safety if everyone - cars and bikes alike - just plain obeyed the rules of the road.

I realize that this would probably aggravate both sides of this argument, but I suspect that a previously unseen massive and sustained campaign of ticketing both cars and bikes for moving violations could actually train our behaviour such that incidents leading to (and resulting from) road rage might be drastically reduced.

I know the few times I have been close to getting cited by rolling through a stop sign on my bike, or have seen some other cyclist getting a ticket, have made me way more conscientious of obeying the rules.

I am a year round, all-weather bicycle commuter. And I want to continue to be. If that means having to pay a few tickets to be part of a large-scale effort to get all of us - drivers and cyclists - on the same page, so be it.

That seems like a reasonable price to pay. Perhaps the increased revenue could pay for some of those new bike lanes.

A a reluctant driver (I prefer Public Transit) I try to respect cyclists as they use the road. I look over my right shoulder before turning right and in my mirror before opening the door. I also make a lane change to go around cyclists in the curb lane. I do try really hard.

However, I find it irritating when a cyclist drives out of the gas station perpendicularly across the street in front of me so close that my emergency braking causes my groceries to scatter.

I don't like it when I have to brake for a cyclist that drives the wrong way up the middle of the wrong direction of two lanes on Queen Street. I don't like having to avoid cyclists going the wrong way on Grace Street (One Way).

I do know what to do if there are cyclists approaching a four way stop. I know they will ignore it and accordingly exercise caution. I hate getting off the streetcar when I have checked to make sure the cars are all stopped and a cyclist whizzes through the crowd past an open streetcar door.

Yes, bicycles deserve to be respected and the consequences of a collision are far worse than a fender bender on a car. However, cyclists also have a duty of responsibility. Sadly, many of them do not accept that responsibility.

The person that I have the most sympathy for is the Policeman that let the Impaired Cyclist pedal away from the scene at his girlfriend's place earlier that evening. In hindsight maybe he would have locked him up for the night; instead in an effort to give the Drunk Cyclist a break he let an accident waiting to happen meet his fate. This poor man will be forever haunted by that decision.

It would seem this cyclist has quite a history here as well as back in Alberta. What really bothers me is misguided selfrighteous attitude of the other couriers that seem to think that whatever they do is more than justified.

The police have stated that the rules for cars and bikes are about the same; that being said, bikes should have to pay for this privilege as car owners have to (in other words, pay for a licence), fines for riding on sidewalks as in Etobicoke, stop for stop signs.

The ones that bother me the most are the people that ride down dark tree lined ONE WAY streets the WRONG WAY, with dark clothes, NOT reflective and NO LIGHTS!! Since you want fair treatment, then if a rider is impaired they should be treated the same as a motorist and be charged accordingly.

There are bad motorists as well as bike riders, that is a given; but the bike riders I detest the most are the ones that want to be treated the same as a motorist (but don't want to pay for the privilege) and at the same time want the rights of a pedestrian. You are on a VEHICLE so you CAN'T be a pedestrian!

The bike guy was drunk. It was dark. He put the driver of the vehicle in a headlock. Clearly his judgement was impaired.

Where I live I typically see a cyclist at a good clip skip across lanes of traffic and go into the oncoming lanes to make a left turn on a red light at a blind intersection (i.e. a bank building is situated right up to the sidewalk on the corner.)

I can't believe that more cyclists aren't getting hit. On the other hand, as a cyclist, I've been hit in broad daylight walking my bike across a crosswalk where I had the green light and the walking light, by an inattentive driver of a GMC who was completely stopped turning right on red, only looked left (I was on her right) and proceeded to pin me under her vehicle. I was yelling and she stopped. She hadn't seen me, she said.

She said she'd pay for damage to the bike - took the bike and me to the repair shop just blocks away. The bill was $200, the mechanic-in-charge said she refused to pay (but kindly released the bike to me) and to this day I don't believe that he has been paid.

For both sides: A little more consideration and courtesy, please, will go a long way.

There is a lot to comment on here

First let me say that Mr Graham's description of the video stops short, he doesn't describe Mr Bryant deliberately hitting Mr Sheppard hard enough to knock both Mr Sheppard and his bicycle up onto the hood before taking off.

Secondly I disagree with Ms Bambrick - we need less legislation, fewer painted stripes. All the stripes and segregated traffic is perfectly fine on a block by block basis but the traffic has to merge again at every intersection.

Also, like those kind people who suggest that riding opposing traffic is the best idea, I would like to know how Ms Bambrick solutions, or any segregationists solutions help me when I need to make a left-hand turn mid-block.

Toronto cyclists are breaking the law left, right, and center and not a single thing is done about it. A few times a cyclist has rammed into my car not looking where he was going.

I see cyclists take risks everyday, that could kill them. Do they have death wishes? I saw a collision once- totally the cyclists fault, because she cut in front of an SUV without looking, and no helmut either.

Nothing angers me more than bikers who make illegal moves on our city streets. Especially those with no helmets, and riding around at night with no lights/reflectors.

I predict most people ride a bike because they CAN'T drive... considering how many of them are bad with a bike, I'd hate to think of the damage they'd do with a vehicle.

I wonder how many of them have actually got behind the wheel of a car to take a look at how idiotic and crazy cyclists actually are! I drive because I have knee problems, I can't peddle, nor get up and down subway stairs, nor is the TTC very cost effective- it's cheaper and much, much easier for me to use my car then public transport.