Bike scofflaws vs. car culture

As Published in Today's Free Press

5/07/2009 1:00 AM

There's been a lot of discussion lately about just where bikes belong in Winnipeg's future. The provincial and municipal governments have promised to add a corridor for cyclists along the new bus-way being built in south Winnipeg. Activists are upset that the route will be spliced by a dangerous four-lane underpass, but overall the inclusion of such amenities for cyclists shows that our city is forward-thinking. Or does it?

Currently, the idea of cycling in Winnipeg remains a risky proposition for the majority of would-be bike commuters. They are afraid for their lives because some drivers claim the road as their inherent right, and use intimidation to enforce their opinion. As a cyclist I have been cut off, told off and nearly sideswiped on numerous occasions -- not to mention the time I was dangerously assaulted with an ice-cream treat hurled from a vehicle at high speed. That incident might have caused permanent paralysis if the force from the projectile had not been absorbed by my helmet.

Recent comments online have provided some insight into why drivers feel as though their rights to the road are predominant, but for the most part their justifications are built on ignorance rather than fact. For instance, some drivers claim that their insurance and licensing premiums are paying for the roads and that permits them greater entitlement. But according to Manitoba Public Insurance, none of the licensing and insurance fees go toward infrastructure; rather, the fees are used to pay out claims and maintain reserve funds.

Other drivers believe the gas taxes they pay are the reason they should be given exclusive use of our roads, but this rationalization is indefensible. Would anyone argue that a person who smokes should be given greater access to hospitals because he contributed more to health care through tobacco taxes? When it comes to community property, we are all granted equal access with no regard for individual contributions. A cyclist is still a taxpayer and has every right to use the roads in all seasons without fear of retribution.

However, I must admit that some of the arguments made by indignant motorists are justifiable and point to areas where cyclists must accept the criticism and act to improve their behavior.

While every year sees more and more cyclists who follow the laws on Winnipeg streets, these individuals are still the exception rather than the rule. The majority of cyclists act as though the laws of traffic were written for someone else. They insist on the right to use the road only to blatantly abuse it, or seek amnesty on the sidewalks only to terrorize pedestrians.

It is unfortunate that cyclists cannot be held to a higher standard with respect to the laws they regularly violate. With cars we have the disincentive of impoundment, fines, increased insurance premiums and even imprisonment if the vehicle is being operated dangerously.

Bicycles are cheap to acquire, easily repaired without a claim and can be quickly ditched if they become a liability. There is simply not enough law enforcement available to really patrol bikes, especially since they constitute such a small threat to public safety in comparison to motor vehicles. Nonetheless it is essential that cyclists do obey the laws of traffic because it is the only way to claim true equality on the street.

Arrogant riders who regularly goad drivers and pedestrians make the streets more dangerous for all of us. Most drivers are annoyed to some extent when cyclists dart wantonly through controlled intersections or pass them along the curb at stop lights. To some people this is a clear indication that cyclists cannot be trusted on the streets and therefore are not welcome. Sadly, others use this disrespect for the law to justify the treacherous games of terror that they engage in when confronting riders on the streets.

It is no longer acceptable to cling to the tyranny of the motorized majority that has created such a powerful and presumptuous car culture in Winnipeg. Times are changing and drivers must recognize the right of cyclists to exist in Winnipeg in all seasons. But cyclists cannot demand equality without concessions of their own. Riders must grow up and acknowledge it is their responsibility to show the same manners on the road they demand from drivers.

Mutual respect must be the code adopted by drivers and cyclists going forward. It is wonderful that our city is finally building the infrastructure that will support a greater cycling community, but even with a vast network of trails, bicycles will still need to access city streets regularly. A course of civility is the only way to ensure that future harmony is possible among the currently divergent groups.