“Where there is a marked bike lane, the starting presumption should be that there may be a cyclist travelling in that lane, and a turn across a bike lane is only appropriate after a driver confirms that the lane is free and not occupied.” According to Justice Walkem of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Steinebach v. Skittrell , this is the standard motorists should hold themselves to when t

For your average cyclist, being yelled at to “ get in the bike lane ” or “ get off the road ” by a cavalier car driver can be blood boiling. It’s no surprise when we see that familiar interaction boil over, a frustrated cyclist smashing his bike off some dangerous driver’s front hood . Now as a survivor of violence and lawyer for people who’ve experienced violence, I urge extreme caution in these

As a lawyer specializing in helping injured cyclists and cycling law I am frequently asked “Do I need to purchase bike insurance?” The question is a complicated one, and because of that the safest answer is “Yes”. There are a huge variety of insurance products on the market. Before you purchase an insurance policy it is important to establish exactly what you are trying to insure and why. The prim

On October 12, 2021, Fatima and Valdemar Avila were tragically killed in a motor vehicle collision on Parkside Drive in Toronto. More lives lost due to inattentive and dangerous driving. The local community is grief stricken and angry. Residents who live alongside Parkside Drive had raised concerns repeatedly about road safety issues. Those calls for action have gone largely unanswered. They knew

Sometimes while cycling, I see the haunting image of a silver sedan in the corner of my eye. It’s not physically there, it’s a flashback from when I was hit by a car. Flashbacks are common after experiencing trauma, and road traumas are no exception. People on bikes don’t have the same protection as people in cars. Being driven into by someone in a car is violent, unexpected, and often accompanied

*The following applies to civil proceedings where a cyclist sues for damages resulting from a crash with a car. Municipalities across Ontario are abuzz with an ever-increasing number of cyclists. Sadly, too few bike lanes squeeze cyclists and car drivers into tight and poorly conceived infrastructure. This too often results in collisions. When a crash occurs between a motor vehicle and a vulnerabl

March 16, 2020, was a day of uncertainty and fear for many. The pandemic had in an instant taken over our lives. The world shut down. I remember running across the city in those early days, it was quiet but tense. We didn’t know what to expect. But we knew we would need to work together. Today, marks the 1-year anniversary of people on bikes banding together to provide a safe and impactful volunte

With the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontario has seen a surge in the number of cyclists taking to the streets to deliver food to people rightfully staying at home. People have took to their bikes to earn a living and help their communities. These cyclists are frontline heroes and I applaud you all. I also want you to know your rights in case the unfortunate happens, a crash. Most of my bike crash cases inv