Close calls?

Yes. I have had a few. I’ve written about them here and here.

Every time I go out and ride, I know that I have to be alert. Although most drivers in the area where I ride are very considerate, there are always a few that do not want to share the road.

Julie Sawchuk was interviewed on CBC Radio today. Last summer, Julie was struck from behind by a car. The driver of the car, Christopher Coakley, was charged with failing to turn out to the left to avoid collision with a bicycle under the Highway Traffic Act. The law requires an allowance of a metre when passing a cyclist. Frankly, there needs to be a much wider berth.

Julie was thrown forward by the impact of the collision.

As a result of the collision, Julie’s T4 vertebrae was fractured, a fragment of which pierced the dura, the membrane around the spinal cord. She suffered a burst fracture in her L1 vertebrae, lacerations on her head and chin, a broken nose, five broken ribs, a fractured skull and various road rash injuries. The collision left her paralyzed from the chest down.

Julie chronicles her journey of recovery on her blog here.

There is also a site for Julie here with the hashtag #sharetheroad.

And there is more information at Share the Road Cycling Coalition.

As a driver, I know that getting around cyclists can be challenging. Cyclists are slower and, sadly, more than a few of them are quite casual in terms of observing the rules of the road — although the same can be said of many drivers as well.

However, there is no scenario where hitting a cyclist is justified.

#sharetheroad