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

Harold Donald Bilodeau’s Memorial

It was a horrible week for cyclists. Darcy Allan Sheppard had been killed by and enraged Michael Bryant. Dragged along Bloor Street, he was finally dislodged from the car by being bashed off the side of a mailbox. There was lots and lots of press. Unfortunately, a day later another cyclist was hit. His name was Harold Donald Bilodeau, he was in his sixties and he was struck by a street car.

Surprisingly he lived for three more days before he succumbed to his injuries and died on the third. As is the ARC way we held a memorial a week after the death of the cyclist.

We met Thursday night at the corner of Bloor and Spadina. We were about thirteen people. We rode down to the site of the crash at Spadina and Nassau. We were not sure how to proceed really, this was our first memorial in which a street car was involved. Usually we would take the lane for a minute of silence, but were we to take the street car lane?

No.

It was decided that we would take the turn lane beside the street car track. We unfurled our banner and held our vigil. We hung around for about a half hour. People seemed interested. A TTC supervisor pulled up in a giant SUV and talked to us for a bit about what happened.

Harold Donald Bilodeau had been waiting for the light to change so he could turn left onto Nassau. No one is sure why he decided to run the red. Some say it is the confusing lights that are present at that intersection. But one thing is for sure, he didn't hear the street car that ran into him.

ARC is not about putting blame on cyclists for their deaths, we just lay flowers and hope that it doesn't happen again. We can only hope the city will look at the intersection and maybe do something about the christmas tree lights that pass as traffic signals.

May you rest in peace Harold Donald Bilodeau

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