WINNIPEG — The provincial NDP government is hoping to pass a law that would force drivers to move over at least one-meter when passing cyclists on the road.
It started as a private members bill by backbencher Dave Gaudreau, but Premier Greg Selinger said Monday he hopes it gets the support of the legislature.
“It will save lives and make for a safer driving experience,” the Premier said.
Cycling advocates say they’ve been pushing for the ‘one-meter’ rule for years.
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“We need to have some space in order to maneuver safely,” Dave Elmore, a Can Bike instructor said. “I think there is no question that many people don’t ride bicycles because they are afraid of actually having to ride in traffic. It would be great to have separation of bikes and cars, but we are not going to have that for many, many years.”
It’s not clear if the bill will be considered this session as the legislature is only sitting 12 days prior to the start of the campaign for the April 19 election.
While cyclists say it would help create awareness, Jon Benson isn’t sure how it would be enforced.
“If you make it law, that creates a conversation,” Benson said. “But is that something that’s going to be a top priority for people to enforce? I doubt it would be.”
-With files from the Canadian Press
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