B.C. considering raising fines for dooring, implementing safe-passing rules
No penalties exist in the province concerning crowding cyclists on the road
The provincial government of British Columbia is the latest to put drivers on notice when it comes to dooring, the Victoria Times-Colonist reports.
With provinces around the country having recently sharpened the teeth of their respective legislation, B.C., says Transportation Minister Claire Trevena, is taking notes, and considering raising fines for dooring and mandating a safe passing distance. “We’ll monitor what [other provincial jurisdictions are] doing, see how effective it is,” Trevena said.
Currently, the fine for dooring in British Columbia is $81, with two demerit points against a driver’s record. In Ontario, for example, the province slaps drivers with a fine of $365 and three demerit points. Along with that, Ontario drivers must give riders a metre’s clearance when passing, or face a $110 fine and two demerit points. In New Brunswick, where Ellen’s law was introduced this past June, a driver will get a $172.50 fine and lose three demerit points for crowding a cyclist on the road.
Trevena’s ministry, the Times-Colonist reports, is considering bringing these ideas to Canada’s westernmost province.
The provincial transportation minister isn’t the only provincial authority with something to say about dooring, either. The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, or ICBC, has publicly backed the “Dutch reach” as way for motorists to avoid opening their doors into the path of vulnerable cyclists.
“This is easily preventable with a handy trick,” ICBC said. “Open with your hand farthest from the door. It makes you twist a little in order to reach the door and remind you to do a shoulder check before proceeding.”
At present, B.C. doesn’t currently have a legal framework to specify how close a motorist can get to a cyclist.
