[CKcycle] Ride of Silence

The May 19 Ride of Silence is a great idea. As per the email below and the attachment, Chatham-Kent's bike collision record is about four times the provincial average (per 100 bike trips) The stats are from police reports. As you know, many collisions go unreported. There is also some doubt that the fatalities number is complete - it tends to include only "dead at the scene" and not subsequent deaths in hospital. For a route, maybe we could follow the streets with the highest accident rates From Competitive fitness Grand to St Clair St Clair to McNaughton McNaughton to Lacroix Lacroix to Park Park to Queen Queen to William to King King to Third Third to Raleigh to Richmond Richmond to Keil Keil back to Competitive Fitness If my math is right that's about 12 kms - done slowly (commemorating dead and injured) and allowing for traffic lights and stop signs be about an hour. Going through the city with numbers at a slow speed on arterials we might need a parade permit but it's probably the best way to draw attention to the issue of cycling safety. Comments? Regards John Sigurjonsson Member Services Cycle Chatham-Kent 519-352-0883 -----Original Message----- From: Member Services CCK [mailto:memberservices@cycleck.ca] Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 2:03 PM To: Todd Smith; Alan Myers ; Bill Schram ; Bill Weaver; Dick Bulsink ; Dick Haines; Doug and Dianne Flook; Faye Geddes ; James Lively ; John Bloxham ; John Jordan (reservations(a)jordan-house.com); John TeSligte (jkam(a)ciaccess.com); Kate Blonde; Ken Snider ; Lance Meredith; Laurel Cammarrt ; Leo Denys ; Lynn O'Brien ; Matt Ytsma ; Maureen Geddes ; Michelle Bogaert ; Mike and Janet; Nancy Snobelen; Paul Gardiner; Paul Mayrand; Paul Roy (plro(a)rogers.com); Peter Martin; Richard Phillips; RICK GRAY; Sheldon Parsons ; Sid Ebare ; Susan Bates Cc: Mike Domony (mikedo(a)chatham-kent.ca); Rob Browning; CKmayor(a)chatham-kent.ca Subject: LATEST BIKE/CAR COLLISION STATS FOR C-K We just received the 2008 stats on 2008 bike/car collisions in C-K. Thanks to Mark Ceppi in Traffic Engineering for his continuing help with this. We now have the collision statistics for the years 2002 through 2008. I'm attaching a summary of those numbers. As you see, 2008 ties with 2003 for the lowest number of reported collisions, the number of incidents involving personal injuries is the lowest in the seven year stretch, and there were no fatalities at the scene. Good news! The averages over the past seven years are more meaningful than this one year's record: -Average annual collisions with vehicles per 100 trips in C-K is at least 400% of the provincial average. Our streets and roads are not safe for cyclists. -Fatalities are under-reported. They reflect deaths at the scene, and do not include injured cyclists who die after transport to hospital. A well-reported case of two cyclists struck in Blenheim is an example that doesn't show up in the statistics. -Over the six years 2002 thru 2008, 66% of collisions happened in intersections. Two things we can learn from this: 1) We need to make intersections safer for cyclists. 2) This is lower than the 75% average in Ontario, and tells us that our mid-block infrastructure is not as safe as in other Ontario communities. - The greatest number of collisions happened on arterial ( main) streets. We need to make them safer. Let's not ignore the facts: -Cycling in Chatham-Kent is less safe than in other Ontario communities. The municipality is legally responsible for providing safe passage for all forms of transportation. A huge potential legal liability lurks here. -Many people in C-K choose not to cycle because they (rightly) feel unsafe. As a result, we are a less healthy, more polluted, less attractive community. -Those who choose to cycle pay a penalty in injury, property damage, and in some cases death. -We know how to resolve these risks at moderate cost. Other Ontario communities have done it. Council has approved the budget for C-K catch-up efforts (subject to annual revue). Many municipalities have all the stakeholders (Police, Traffic Engineering, Cycling Reps) do an annual review of these kinds of statistics to identify opportunities for improving safety. -Let's do it! Regards John Sigurjonsson Member Services Cycle Chatham-Kent 519-352-0883