Quebec cyclists dream of friendlier, and safer, infrastructure
There are more cyclists on the roads these days in Quebec, as people sought ways to defeat pandemic boredom and attempted to stay active during the province’s prolonged lockdown.
There are 4.5 million cyclists, according to a 2020 report from Vélo Québec, which is based on a provincewide survey. Retail sales reached $565 million last year, as small shops and big box stores sold 7.2 million bicycles and 365,000 e-bikes.
However, more bikes means more traffic on the roads. Vélo Québec publishes a report every five years, and since 2015 the province has seen a 34 per cent decrease in the number of accidents between cyclists and motorists. But it is still not a perfect situation.
“As cycling is growing it is very important to develop better infrastructure for cyclists, whether it’s a paved shoulder or a bike path,” said Vélo Québec CEO Jean-françois Rheault, adding that the province needs to establish ways for vehicles and bicycles to co-exist.
Rheault noted that if motorists are frustrated by the number of bicycles in Quebec, then they should also be advocating for better infrastructure. The knock on cyclists, though, is that they often travel in packs, and they are known to disregard the highway safety code.
The head of Vélo Québec said if cities and towns want to establish a harmonious relationship, then municipal and provincial politicians need to create safer routes for people on bikes. But he does not want to pit the two groups against each other.
“In Quebec, half of the population uses a bike regularly, so I’m not a big fan of classifying cyclists versus motorists, it’s often the same people, and as bicycles grow in popularity, I think a better understanding of each other will be created,” said Rheault.
While cyclists are allowed to ride on any road in the province, Rheault added that they are not exempt from the highway safety code. They need to stop when prompted by road signs, while pedestrians, for example, are always given the right of way at a crosswalk.
Rheault said he has seen data that suggests people have been driving faster during the pandemic. There is less congestion because more folks are working from home. He wants to remind Quebecers to respect the laws that are in place to protect cyclists.
Quebec recently passed a law that prohibits a vehicle from coming within 1.5 metres of a cyclist, if it is going faster than 50 km/h. In urban areas, where drivers have to drive below 50 km/h, the distance is reduced to one metre.
“If they can’t do that, and the road is too narrow, or there is oncoming traffic coming from the other direction, then the responsibility of the driver is to stay behind,” said Rheault.
The Club cycliste de Sherbrooke (CCS) released a statement in response to Vélo Québec’s report, reminding everyone to stay sharp on the road. Last year, there were 29 accidents involving at least one injured cyclist and a motorist in Sherbrooke.
The CCS also suggested that Sherbrooke draw up an awareness campaign for road users, and maintain existing bike paths. The city implemented a short-lived pilot project
last summer that saw the addition of four bike lanes on some of its busiest roads.
Danny Boulanger, president of the Club de vélo Sutton, has put a greater emphasis on safety in the last three years. The club consists mostly of 45 to 70 year olds, and according to Boulanger, the focus is on security, and following Quebec’s road rules.
However, he said that there is a long history of motorists disrespecting cyclists in Quebec. He acknowledged that cyclists need to be more conscious, too, but they are much more exposed, and susceptible to injuries compared to people sitting vehicles.
“When you see a cyclist, you don’t need to push and accelerate to pass them. You should slow down, move over to 1.5 metres, and then go, but it’s a question of respect and civility and that’s an issue we have in Quebec,” said Boulanger.
Daniel Coulombe, an avid cyclist from Orford, told The Record that he
steers clear of bike clubs. He prefers to ride alone on well-known roads, finding large shoulders to avoid traffic. But he has dealt with a few close encounters with motorists, mostly young drivers.
“Sometimes I see drivers who are like a foot and a half away from me and they drive by at 110 km/h and I can honestly tell you that I think the youth is worse than the mature drivers. I’ve had a lot of youth scream out at me as they drive by,” said Coulombe.
He has even been tailed by cars, which, Coulombe noted, is happening more often over the past few years. And while he understands that there is a measure of responsibility that falls on a cyclist’s shoulders, he believes everyone needs to be more considerate, and slow down.
“The bottom line, at the end of the day, if I get into a crash with a truck, a car, or a motorcycle, I’m the one who automatically loses, I can guarantee that,” said Coulombe.