Foothills safety campaign asks cyclists and vehicles to share the road

The Foothills traffic patrolis stepping up effortsto keep the peace between cyclists and motorists this summer.

DarcyBeaudette, a peace officerwith the M.D. of Foothills, says thenew Share the Roadcampaign is aimed at educatingmotorists and cyclists about road safety. It comes after officers received multiple complaints from both groups in the large rural municipality south of Calgary.

• Turn the lights on after dark, police remind Calgary cyclists

"Of course, there's opinions from motorists that these cyclists are taking over the entire road and they're being unsafe and they're not following traffic laws and so forth,"Beaudettetold the Calgary Eyeopener.

"But we're also hearing that [motorists]do not want to pass safely."

• How to keep your bike safe as thefts rise in Calgary

Beaudettesaid the Foothills Patrol has been handing out pamphlets to cyclists and posted roadside signsto informdrivers tostay alert,remain patient and slow down when passing.

Part of the education campaign is teaching cyclists what equipment is required when riding on the road. The required equipment includes a headlamp, a red tail lightand at least one red reflector mounted on the rear of the bicycle.

Mixed message

While he praised the initiativefor trying to improve road safety, Tom Maier, president of the Highwood Cycling Club, said the new signsmay actually be a source of conflict between motorists and cyclists.

"It's more of a negative messaging with regards to talking about regulatory and legislative enforcement and talking about fines and other things,"Maier said.

Maier said the campaign's focus should be on more positive messaging around safe driving, cycling advocacy and safety education.

"These are awesome roads that we have in the M.D. of Foothills and Rocky View County, and we're going to see more and more cyclists riding them,"Maier said.

The one metre rule

Under the Use of Highway and Rules of the Road Regulation,cyclists are not permitted to rideside by sideon Alberta roads.

Ontario now allow cyclists to ride two-abreast, and New Brunswick recently passed Ellen's Law, requiring drivers to stay one metre away from cyclists or face a$172.50 fine and three demerit points.

Maier said introducing similar legislationin Albertacould improve safetyfor both motorists and cyclists.

"It makes you more visible,"Maier said."It makes you more like a motorist, so it actually makes the vehicle slow down."

For more information on the Share the Road campaign, visit the M.D. of Foothills website.

• MORE ALBERTA NEWS |'We are making the same mistakes': Alberta Holocaust survivor condemns violence in Charlottesville
• MORE ALBERTA NEWS |Calgary the 5th-most liveable city in the world (again)

With files from the Calgary Eyeopener