MONTREAL – Claude Lapointe loves to bike, but a few years ago he was hit by a car.
“I don’t feel safe at all in Montreal,” he said. “Not since my accident.”
This morning, there was another bike accident at the corner of Ontario and Frontenac, when a 36 year-old cyclist collided with a city of Montreal street-sweeper.
“The cyclist was severely hurt on his head,” said Manuel Couture, spokesperson for the SPVM. “Now he’s in stable condition, at the hospital, and we do not fear for his life.”
“Bike safety is an important priority for our administration,” said Aref Salem, the Executive Committee member responsible for Transportation in Montreal, in a written statement. “We are still waiting for the final conclusions on this investigation. For this reason, I cannot elaborate on this unfortunate accident.”
In April, a 33-year-old cyclist was struck and killed by a crane truck on St-Denis.
READ MORE: Mathilde Blais killed while cycling under viaduct on St. Denis
Velo Quebec CEO Suzanne Lareau says there are actually fewer bike accidents now than there used to be.
“In the last 20 years, there are more cyclists in the Quebec province, and less accidents. Less deaths, less severe injuries,” said Lareau.
” Why? Because when there are more cyclists, you are more aware of cyclists. The drivers are more aware. But less accidents doesn’t mean ‘no accidents’.”
Lareau urges everyone to slow down, and reminds cyclists and drivers they need to share the road, and the responsibility.
“Drivers drive a machine that can kill everybody,” she said. “So you have more responsibility on your shoulders than a cyclist, but it doesn’t mean a cyclist can do anything–no, they must respect the rules if they want to be respected by drivers.”
As for Claude, he says he now always wears a helmet.
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