Cycling Rules & Safety Tips
By DANNY VACAR, MACINSIDERS
Spring is finally here and soon it will be summer. Between the rainy and gloomy days, to be followed by the "Can I get some oxygen with this humidity" days, people of all ages enjoy some spring time activities such as roller blading, jogging and of course biking.
The
City of Hamilton and the area around the McMaster University campus offer some great trails and paths for people to explore on the ol' two-wheeled stallion. Biking is a great way to stay in shape and explore the city without having to worry about paying $1.50/L for gas or polluting. Riding a bike also allows you to explore places that are unreachable by car alone (for example the Princess Point habitat). As fun as cycling is, the old adage "it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye," unfortunately, still applies.
To enjoy biking safely you must be aware of the rules and regulations surrounding this activity and also how to stay safe. I will not go into too much detail and please do not take the information below as written in stone (that means don't tell the nice officer that pulled you over because you didn't stop at a stop sign that I said it was alright to do so. Chances are (s)he hasn't heard of me).
The most important thing to remember when you are riding a bicycle is that
under the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) of Ontario you are a vehicle. This means that all the rules, rights and responsibilities of the road apply to you at all times: stop at stop signs, yield at yield signs, don't ride on the sidewalk, etc. According to the Ministry of Transportation's page on
Cycling and the Law "[c]yclists charged for disobeying traffic laws will be subject to a minimum set fine and a Victim Surcharge fine of $20.00 for most offences." Cycling offences along with the sections of the HTA which they break and the respective fines include:
- HTA 144/136 - Traffic signals and signs: stop for red lights and stop signs and comply with all other signs. Set fine: $85.00 (Just for fun, check out the McMaster Security Service's Crime beat page and look under "University Offences." There are always "several tickets issued for not stopping at a stop sign." Though I don't know why they're University Offences and not motorvehicle.)
- HTA 142 - Signalling a turn: before turning, look behind you and signal your turn. Cyclists can use their right arm to signal a right turn. Set fine: $85.00
- HTA 140(1) 144(29) - Crosswalks: yield or stop for pedestrians at crosswalks. Set fine: $85.00
- HTA 140(6)/144(29) - No riding in crosswalks: walk your bike when crossing at a crosswalk. Set fine: $85.00
- HTA 62(17) - Lights: a bike must have a white front light and a red rear light or reflector if you ride between 1/2 hour before sunset and 1/2 hour after sunrise and white reflective tape on the front forks and red reflective tape on rear forks. Set fine: $20.00
- HTA 178(2) - Passengers: Passengers are not allowed on a bicycle designed for one person. Set fine: $85.00
- HTA 104 - Helmets: Every cyclist under the age of eighteen must wear an approved bicycle helmet. Parents or guardians shall not knowingly permit cyclists under sixteen to ride without a helmet. Set fine: $60.00
For a more comprehensive list,
check out the MTO page.
One thing to keep in mind is that since you are a vehicle, you have to "pull over" when a police officer (and yes McMaster Security a.k.a. Mac50, counts too) flags you down. This means that the infraction has the potential to go on your driving record. Yes your
DRIVING record. I have not heard of it happening to anyone that I know but the potential is there.
When you are pulled over, the officer will ask you to identify yourself.
Section 218 of the HTA deals with this situation and states that you must identify yourself when asked to do so.
Don't go pulling out your driver's license. All you need to give is your correct name and address and that's all. By doing this you save yourself the potential hassle of having a blemish on your driving record. Under the HTA, this all the information you must give the officer, nothing more.
I notice many people around campus do not wear helmets while riding. The law does say everyone under 18 must wear one but I think it's a good idea to wear a helmet no matter how old you are. I will not go into a big lecture about how helmets save lives, but I will say this: they keep your noggin' from getting a knockin'. I have myself had a few spills and while I would like to say that I know how to fall properly, my helmet did hit the ground on a few of those occasions. They may not be pretty, they certainly don't do anything for your hair, but they get the job done.
The MTO has
a great page with tips on sizing a bike, doing a safety check and more.
Staying safe is about more than just wearing the right equipment and obeying the rules of the road. As a cyclist you are (most of the time) invisible to drivers. Even though under law they are required to share the road with you, some don't and drive precariously close to you. Again, the MTO has a few pages on
Riding in Traffic which are definitely worth a read, if only for the proper way to change lanes and signal a turn.
As a cyclist you must always be aware of those around you, while at the same time be aware that they may not be looking for you. This is why you should try to make yourself stand out as much as possible. Wear brightly coloured clothing, have a proper set of lights on your bike or helmet (set them to blink so that pedestrians and drivers can you see you further away, even in daylight), have reflective materials on your school bag or on the leg of your pants (those Halloween bracelets Tim Hortons' used to give out a few years back are wonderful). Don't blend in with the background.
That's about it for the rules and tips. "Stay Alert! Stay Safe!"
Happy cycling!
Some reference pages:
Ontario's Guide to Safe Cycling (MTO)
Highway Traffic Act
City of Hamilton Cycling
Hamilton Urban Bike Routes (PDF)
Hamilton Rural Bike Routes (PDF)
Feel free to add your own resources in the comments!
