On June 20, a major police operation at Lambert Park aimed to better inform cyclists and motorists about their rights when crossing an intersection along the linear park, a major cycling artery in Trois-Rivières. Cyclists were reminded that, under a municipal bylaw, they do not have priority, and motorists were reminded that they must not brake, as this could pose a risk to other cyclists behind them who are not expecting it. Thus, cyclists must wait for a gap in the traffic to be able to cross, otherwise a courteous person will give way to them, despite the recommendation to the contrary.
At a time when Trois-Rivières should be encouraging citizens to use active transportation for their travels, the application of such a rule is not only counterproductive, but also dangerous. The notion of a “gap” in traffic is indeed relative to the cyclist’s ability to move and the speed of the arriving vehicle. Here, we completely place the responsibility on the most vulnerable user to evaluate these two parameters (while one of them is completely out of the cyclist’s control). From an ethical point of view, this constitutes a significant harm, especially considering that the cyclist is a child or a person with reduced mobility. Generally, responsibility must rest at least largely on the least vulnerable; it is also this type of ethics that we use in general, among others with children of different ages, sizes or in the management of armed conflicts. .
Then, in a context of climate change, the City of Trois-Rivières aims to decarbonize. Growing demographic pressure also puts greater stress on the city’s roads via an increase in the number of vehicles. However, a simple and inexpensive measure to partially alleviate these two problems is to encourage voluntary citizens to use active transportation. Cycling is no longer simply a recreational activity, but a means of transportation. In this sense, it is inconsistent to ask a cyclist who is going to work to wait patiently for a “gap” in traffic. Even more so, if their safety is compromised.
The City of Trois-Rivières has made several commendable efforts recently to keep cyclists safe. It is important to continue this momentum in order to generate greater fairness between cyclists and motorists and, above all, to make it more attractive to cycle to work. This necessarily involves changing the rule to give priority to the most vulnerable, and installing lights that indicate when someone is entering the lane.
These two simple measures could greatly improve fluidity and user safety.
Finally, improving the cycling network should always remain a priority because it is incomplete, and several sections of the network force cyclists to change sides of the street or direction. This situation makes traveling by bike inefficient, not to mention confusion for everyone and the risk of collision for cyclists.
In short, it is high time that Trois-Rivières made the leap to 2024!
Eric Harvey
Cyclist and professor at UQTR
Co-signatories:
Loïc Boulon, cyclist and professor at UQTR
Alexandre Fisette, cyclist and professor at UQTR
Hugo Germain, cyclist and professor at UQTR
Vincent Maire, cyclist and professor at UQTR
Sylvie Miaux, cyclist and professor at UQTR
Jean-François Millaire, cyclist and dean of research and creation at UQTR
Erwan Pernet, cyclist and professor at UQTR
Étienne St-Jean, cyclist and professor at UQTR
