Toronto is Getting Ready with its Ticketing Bike Blitzes
After our story on cycling fines, we were approached by followers to shine a light on ebikes and pedestrians. These laws are similar to cycling and driving bylaws, however what if a pedestrian is hit by an e-bike cycling illegally in bike or pedestrian pathways? We dove into “Bikes and People” in the city.
Sidewalks
Sidewalks are only for pedestrians, mobility devices, and young kids learning to ride. The fine? $60, but cops can scale this up to $310. Plus injury liability.
Swerving around a pedestrian while in a crosswalk? $300
Bikes blowing through their traffic signals? $260. A crosswalk remains a legal sanctuary for pedestrians.
Cops Can Move Aggression into a Provincial Offense
Any bike at unsafe speeds or aggressively weaving and causing injury, that’s provincial Careless Driving. The Fine: up to $2,000, plus injury liability.
Wait. I See a Lot of Illegal Riding. Where are the Cops?
If it’s not enforced, what’s the point, right? Toronto is about to see a surge in tourism, with FIFA World Cup, Pride running throughout June and a surge of global tourism that has been on the rise. So Toronto bike enforcement is massively ramping up. In fact, their last campaign nailed over 3,500 infractions! And they’ll be blitzing in 2-3 week increments as cyclists busy the trails and pathways.
What About Pedestrians Who Haphazardly Wander into Bike Lanes?
Technically, a pedestrian who doesn’t look when entering a designated bike lane or roadway, they are illegally jaywalking. Their fault. But if a pedestrian is struck while jaywalking by an illegal scooter (full ban throughout entire city) or by an e-bike in a non designated lane, both are at fault. They share the blame 50/50.
Stay Safe Out There, Toronto! It’s Going to be a Busy Summer.
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