Caught in the headlights A voice for those who don't have gas

What to do about trucks

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Photo by crappy camera phone

On Wednesday February 22nd, a  crowded room met Olivia Chow, MP for Trinity Spadina.  She, who has been tireless in her resolve to make the government apply mandatory side guards to trucks in Canada.

While the meeting began with some confusion as to if the meeting was being streamed on the internet or just video taped to be shown later, it finally got under way.  Oliva was joined on stage by four people.  One was a friend of Jenna Morrison, the other three were what remained of the Hartmann family.

Jenna Morrison was killed when a truck overtook her at Sterling and Dundas West.  Ulrich Hartmann who died when a dump truck passed to close to him while he was riding to work.  Two of the many.

To be fair, these people did not get run over, they were pulled under the trucks, when the vehicles passed to close to them.  Had their been a law in place to have side guards on trucks, there is a good chance that these people and countless more would not be dead.

A friend of Jenna Morrison’s, Michael, spoke first. He thanked some people who had helped with the memorial ride, those others who had been there for the Morrison family during their time of loss.  He told the audience of the emptiness of her passsing, how he misses her every day and how so many others as well.

The Harmann family carried the theme.  Each member giving their own heart wrenching memories Ulrich, a man who seemed so incredibly wonderful.  The Mother, who I am sorry I can’t remember her name as the children each spoke eloquently about the loss of this treasured family member

After, a member of Olive’s office gave a short report on what is being done in that weird place taht seems to put the safety of their people ahead of profits, socialist Europe.  The Euroean Union has what could be done and what had been done in Europe.  Since implimentation of a European Union law that made it mandatory for all trucks to have side guards, cycling and pedestrians deaths have dropped by 31%.

Here in Canada the trucking industry says it would be to price prohibitive to install them, but a report shows that they can pay for themselves by the amount of gas saved in three years.  The cost of the side guards are from $600-$2000.

In 1996, ARC, Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists in conjunction with the Coroner's office had a report commissioned to find ways to save cyclists.  One of the recommendations the Coronor suggested was side guards on trucks.  Had this one recommendation been followed, many cyclists and pedestrian lives would have been saved.

Now as horrible as these stories were to hear, it is worse to know that they could have been avoided.  Back in 1996, ARC Advocacey for Respect for Cyclists, were a force behind a coronor’s report about what to do as there were many cycling deaths.

One of the points made in the report was that side guards for trucks should be made mandatory.  This was 1996, twelve years and how many preventable deaths?

But how liable it is for this to happen.  According to Olivia she has seen a softening in the stance of the Federal Transportation minister who is warming up to the idea if he can be convinced that these actually save lives.  Even the trucking industry seems to be warming up to the idea.

One of the stumbling blocks is what our neighbour to the south thinks of the idea.  The United States would no doubt have to be on side before Canada would consider this.  A visiting American cycling advocate told those who attended that the issue of side guards were not even on the radar of the Transportation industry, government or cycling advocates.