Quebec drivers are ‘cowboys,’ cyclist says

MONTREAL РOn a sunny terrasse outside the Maison des Cyclistes caf̩ Sunday, members of the cycling community were asking themselves searching questions in the wake of a tragic accident Friday in Rougemont that saw a pickup truck plow into six cyclists on Highway 112, killing three.

For Martin Mainville, 57, an avid cyclist and small-business owner, a major part of the problem is that there are too many roads in Quebec without paved shoulders.

He pointed out that – unlike Quebec – Vermont and adjacent New England states tend to pave their shoulders with high-quality asphalt. He noted that for highways especially, having paved shoulders helps drivers prevent accidents: “Unpaved shoulders erode faster and make for a more unstable situation – there is no safety margin.”

Quebec drivers, he observed, will slow down when passing cyclists, but don’t always leave enough room. “Here in Quebec,” he said, “the drivers are cowboys.”

When asked about the law requiring drivers to give cyclists 1.5 metres of room when passing them on a highway, Mainville said he’d never heard of it.

Isabelle Meilleur, 35, cycled for 10 days in August on La Route Verte after hearing raves about its beauty. While she found parts of the path were lovely, she was dismayed by the treacherous biking conditions she encountered.

“It’s very dangerous,” she said, explaining that many points on the official guide are not indicated or marked properly. “It’s a joke.”

There is not enough room when big trucks pass, she added. She said she wouldn’t recommend La Route Verte to anyone – especially families – and that she wouldn’t ride on it again herself because it is too dangerous.

Meilleur said that while cars would usually slow down for riders, there are certain points on the roads where there is just not enough room for both cars and bikes.

“There is not enough space on the side,” she said. “The space was so small sometimes that we had to walk our bikes on the side of the road because we were so scared.”

Jean-Yves Garsslin echoed Meilleur’s concerns about the dismal conditions of gravel shoulders on country highways, describing them as “deplorable.”

The 53-year-old cyclist, who works in the printing business, pointed out that roads such as Highway 112 were not designed to accommodate bicycles. “Cars and bicycles sharing these types of roads won’t work,” he said.

He suggested having a car follow cyclists with a flashing light on top. “We have to prevent accidents,” he said.

Mainville also suggested having a car with flashing lights lead a cyclist group while another car with flashing lights could follow the group as a safety measure.

But he questioned whether such procedures could be implemented. “Who can afford to hire two cars?”

amacgregor@thegazette.canwest.com