Re: “Cyclists must be made to obey rules” (Letter of the Day, May 6)
Montreal is supposedly one of North America’s most cyclist-friendly cities, but it is still trailing behind Europe for one main reason: car drivers are not held automatically responsible in cases of accidents involving cyclists.
In the Netherlands, biking is safe, pleasant and popular, mainly because of the existing “strict liability” law. Under this law the more powerful road users (ie, car drivers) are found liable by default, unless it can be clearly proven that the vulnerable road user (ie, cyclist, or pedestrian) was at fault.
This is the most effective means of persuasion for drivers to act much more cautiously and courteously, and for cyclists it means that riding is much more enjoyable.
This law has helped to create a cycling culture, which goes far beyond the trendy Montreal fixie rider. Cyclists learn from a young age how to behave on the road. They indicate when they turn, stop at lights (that are specially designed for cyclists) and use bike lanes. Even parents with infants, kids and the elderly use their bicycles on a daily basis. Helmets are rarely worn, simply because they are not necessary. Not only this, but in the Netherlands the cycle lane network spans the whole nation, all the way to the Belgian and German borders, and most of it is clearly marked properly maintained and widely used.
Although cycling in the Netherlands makes you feel as though you’re the king of the road, like car drivers, cyclists are obliged to comply with a set of rules. For example, cyclists are fined if they don’t have lights. Also, all bikes are equipped with a bell, a gadget so few Montrealers have on their bikes.
But creating such a long-lasting, respectful cycling culture among road users requires time and investment. Forget about insurance policies or useless licence plates for cyclists — adopting a “strict liability” law makes sense. After all, drivers posses a deadly weapon. The cost caused by a few scratches by a bicycle does not compare to that of a lost life.
Geneviève Lavoie-Mathieu
Quebec City
Originally published in the Montreal Gazette on May 7, 2013.
Samples of my writing 