The provincial government finally took a much needed step toward making cycling in our province a bit safer, but it was only a baby step. The recent amendment to the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) to establish a one meter minimum passing distance for drivers when overtaking cyclists may be welcome news for many Manitobans that ride bicycles, however if the goal was to truly make it safer, it could and should have gone further. While one meter would seem to be a reasonable and responsible passing distance at 50 kph, when speeds exceed this level cyclists need and deserve more space.
Cycling advocates have long pushed for clarity of the passing distance, but the hope was to see it at a minimum based on motor vehicle speeds. For speeds exceeding 50 kph, the minimum distance should be 1.5 meters and in all cases, where it is possible and not just convenient, drivers should be required to make a full lane change when passing a bicycle. Clearly this would not apply to most residential streets, however there are many roads where a 50 kph speed limit is in place, but where not only is it possible to change lanes, but also where many drivers are exceeding the 50 kph limit.
Since we are on the topic of more clarity in the HTA, I would be remiss if I did not address a cyclist’s position on the road. The HTA currently defines this as “close as practicable” to the edge or curb. What exactly does that mean and who decides what is practicable? As a cycling educator I define practicable as meaning safe and that can only be determined by the cyclist. Changing road and traffic conditions can require cyclists to take more space or even take an entire lane. Defining the distance from the curb as “minimum” 1 meter and permitting cyclists to take the lane when required for their safety is another long overdue change needed to the HTA. It would also clarify for drivers that cyclists are entitled to a defined space on the road based on their own judgement as to what is “safe” and might even reduce some of the conflict between drivers and cyclists.
There are more changes that cyclists and other vulnerable road users would like to see but as we are moving in baby steps let’s leave that for another day.
Lastly we cannot rely on enforcement to ensure that new rules are followed, we need a robust public education program to ensure that drivers understand the new rules, the consequences and the significant risk that they represent when passing cyclists on our roads. While education will not ensure every driver will follow the rules, I believe that most drivers respect other road users and provided with the facts, will respect the law. Maybe I’m naive, but my many years as a bicycle commuter has not shaken my belief that most people are or want to be reasonable and respectful.
If our government is truly interested in the safety of Manitobans riding bicycles, they need to go further with amendments to the Highway Traffic Act. In a recent speech, New York’s Mayor Zohran Mamdani said safety needs to be “something that is paramount and not something that needs to be negotiated.” It’s past time that our elected officials to put a priority on protecting all vulnerable road users and make the changes to the HTA necessary to ensure their safety.
Dave Elmore
Long-time bicycle advocate, founding member of Bike Winnipeg and cycling educator