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National team cyclist ticketed twice in High Park during snowstorm

Noah Ramsay was riding in the empty area when he received the citations

Photo by: David Shellnutt

National team rider Noah Ramsay was riding in High Park in Toronto on Tuesday on a snowy day, when he received not one, but two tickets from Toronto Police.

According to David Shellnutt, The Biking Lawyer, the authorities ticketed the cyclist even though the park was deserted. “TPS Constable Hall spent valuable time and resources ticketing cyclists for safe yields, Idaho Stops,” the lawyer said.

Riding in the park seemed safer

The reason he was riding in the park was for out of a concern for his safety.

Hamilton cops ticketed teenager in hospital who was hit by motorist

“In 2022, Noah was training near Port Credit when a motorist furious at him for being on the road became so irate, he pulled a gun on him. With that experience in mind and seeing the weather forecast, Noah decided to cycle in High Park. He feels safe from motorists there and he knew with snow in the air pedestrians would be scarce,” Shellnutt added.

 

Park was empty

“I had to work out with a few cadence and short sprints planned so I wanted to do it, or I would have to deal with less cars and things of that sort. I stopped for a moment at the top of Colborne lodge, and as continued with my ride, a cop was driving up the hill and saw me. He followed me towards the north gates, but as they saw, I was just doing laps of the park,” he said.

The officer decided to wait for him at the north end of the park to do another lap, the road, ‘cross and MTB rider said.

“As I came by him he pulled out from behind me, but there were two cars in front of me at the stop sign, the first car went, and as the second car rolled up to the stop I saw he didn’t signal, so I slowly rolled next to him, and slowly rolled a left-hand turn then continued on, and the officer followed me south, and turned on his lights and pulled me over. And he gave me my first ticket.”

Toronto cyclists took over High Park to protest police ticketing

Ramsay said he continued on riding, and then noticed the officer apparently switched sides of the road when he came through again as he headed to the north gate. After that, he saw that he drove his car facing oncoming traffic, and waited in a parking spot for Ramsay to roll through those same stop signs again.

Police officer asked him he wanted another ticket

“I saw him so I made an effort to come to as much of a stop as possible without actually going zero or unclipping my foot, I did that for both stop signs, but as I rode past him, he asked me if I wanted a second ticket,” Ramsay said. “He flipped his car around, turned on his light and siren in the empty park and drove probably 60 km/h to pull me over when he spoke to me the second time he was very upset that I hadn’t unclipped and came to a complete stop at both stop signs even though there had just been two cars and I believe two commuters who had rolled that same stop sign that he was ticketing me on.”

According to Shellnutt, In neither case were any pedestrians at or near the stop signs. The ticket comes at a time where there are ongoing discussions to create safe times for cyclists to ride over the 20 km/h speed limit, an effort to create a compromise between all park-users, such as pedestrians, dog walkers and families. The pilot project would allow cyclists to use the park for training during “off-peak, early morning hours. If it gets approved by council, it could begin in the summer of 2023.

Former elite cyclist assaulted by motorist in hit and run in High Park

Given that the park has been the site of many ticketing sprees the past few summers, Shellnutt fears 2023 will be much the same.

“Our office is deeply concerned that we will see another summer of TPS targeting cyclists,” he concludes.