Hey Everyone,

I'm sure we have all heard the news of cyclists being ticketed in Blue Mountain last year and now High Park area this year. In the event that you require some legal advise, please see the contact information below for a lawyer that specializes in bicycle law.

I received the email copied below from David Shellnut and thought I would share it with the club.

Thanks
Ron Rehel


Good Morning Cycling Friends,
 
I hope you all had a great morning ride, or are about to.
 
As some of you may have heard, cyclists have been ticketed in High Park, Toronto for speeding: https://cyclingmagazine.ca/sections/feature/opinion-cyclists-shouldnt-get-speeding-tickets/
 
The team at The Biking Lawyer was incensed to hear about the Toronto City police pulling over and issuing speeding tickets to cyclists in High Park. Issuing tickets to cyclists demonstrates the misunderstanding of our sport by those who run the City of Toronto (and many other municipalities). Riding a bike is a healthy alternative. Bikes take cars off of roads and reduce congestion. Cyclists are healthy, fit, contributing members of society. 
 
High park is a place for Torontonians to engage in recreation. It is a place to get away from the city and enjoy what you love. The loop around High Park is a one way roadway purposefully designed to be safe and to limit the dangers posed to cyclists by traffic intersections. There is simply no safer place to ride a bike in Toronto. 
 
Traffic tickets are a deterrent. Of what possible benefit is there to society of deterring the sport of cycling. Sure, when we go down hills sometimes we may travel slightly above the speed limit, but a bicycle weighs less than 20 pounds and does not represent a threat to others in any way comparable to that of a motor vehicle.
 
Of course, we want everyone to be safe and ride in a courteous manner. However, police should focus their efforts of deterrence and resources at the real threat – distracted drivers, close passing drivers, no blind spot checking drivers, bike lane parking drivers, etc. 
 
If you or your cycling club members are pulled over by police they should know their rights. Please share and review these attached helpful resources, also found on our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CRgwUXTtRVN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
 
Ride safe friends.