Keep your distance, bicycle patrol police warn drivers
By Brier Dodge, June 22, 2016, Kanata Kourier-Standard
Ottawa ON -- Just because a car can pass a cyclist, doesn’t mean it’s legal – or safe.
Police launched an education campaign on June 21 by demonstrating a new device that identifies drivers who don’t leave the mandatory one-metre buffer space when passing bicycles.
Drivers must give bikes at least a metre space when passing under the Highway Traffic Act, but it can be hard to measure while it’s actually happening. The new law passed on Sept. 1, 2015.
Bike patrol officers from central division showed off a device that connects to handlebars and uses sonar to detect when a car is too close. The device alerts the bike patrol officer when a car comes "90 centimetres or closer."
The sonar device costs about $1,000. If the city’s police were to buy more, they would likely receive a cheaper bulk rate.
On June 21, a patrol officer biked down Somerset Street past Bank Street and radioed co-workers down the road when a car passed him too closely.
Police are warning people to make them aware of the rule, especially in high traffic areas, before ticketing starts. Legally, police are allowed to give a $180 ticket with two demerit points.
“We want to make sure that everyone knows that it’s something that we’re going to be ticketing for in the future, but this is all education,” said Const. Craig Barlow. “There’s definitely a grace period.”
Barlow said it's a similar approach police took when new rules regarding cellphone use while driving were introduced in Ontario.
There were several cars pulled over who drove too closely to the uniformed police officer on bike. Generally, patrol officers on bicycles wear uniforms and are easily identifiable as police.
“Regardless we still have people who pass too close to us,” Barlow said.
The cars pulled over at Somerset Street between Kent and Lyon streets on June 21 didn’t receive tickets, but got a friendly warning from police officers as well as a handout with more information about the changes to the Highway Traffic Act.
Safer Roads Ottawa’s Kale Brown said bike shops in the area have been canvassed as well to educate cyclists about the new rulesl.
Brown said most of the education has been centred around telling cyclists that if they are not impeding traffic, they can legally take the lane and don’t have to ride along the curb. He said it’s especially important in areas where cars can park on the side of the road and cyclists are at risk of being hit by a door.