Dear Editor:
RE: Safety tips for cyclists, Dec. 18.
The tragic deaths of two individuals riding bikes in Wellington County reminds us that we need to redouble our efforts to create safe streets for all road users.
The hard copy of the Advertiser included a “safety tips” article aimed at bicyclists that followed the report of the deaths. I don’t doubt that the article was well-intentioned, but it simply plays to long-standing prejudices about fault.
We don’t know the circumstances of the crashes that cut short these two lives. Indeed, the facts usually don’t come to light until after a full investigation, sometimes requiring litigation.
Therefore the placement of an article about bike lights and reflective clothing served no purpose, except to suggest a cause based on speculation. This is unfair to the victims and their grieving families, and does little to advance the cause of road safety.
Albert Koehl,
Toronto
*Editor’s note: Providing safety tips for cyclists does not suggest a cause of the crashes, nor does it imply who was at fault.