Tip: download an light app on your phone. People who don’t look after their safety now probably won’t change their habits anyway, despite the new law. I doubt very much reflectors during the day have an added safety benefit and in the evening, the law requires lights anyway. I am not talking about hi viz safety vests here, but bike lights in the dark. Sadly, I think these laws have minimum impact: responsible cyclists are already aware they should be visible. Safer Roads Ottawa hands out reflective material such as the reflective tape for your front fork and seat stay, as well as bike lights and reflective ankle bands (You can never have enough ankle bands in your kitchen drawer) Do these reflector laws work? They also hand out reflective bands to keep your pants away from the chain ring. Safer Roads Ottawa often hands out self adhesive reflective tape. While you have to have front and rear reflectors (and lights front and back when it is dark) you can get away with reflective tape on your seat stays and front fork. (I do bring strong lights for evenings though). I checked my own bike and I better get my act together: I only have reflectors on my pedals and nowhere else. My bike with one reflective tire and one without. I believe in the Netherlands, reflective tires are mandated. I do like the reflective tires though, they make an incredible difference in the dark. Personally, I am not sure that reflectors are very effective they are often tiny. When I posted the link on Facebook ten days ago, there was genuine concern, some tongue in cheek advice, ridicule and of course angry white man trolling that “95% of the cyclists break all the rules all the time” (and they should also pay for their own bicycle paths). Even a bike ride on the new paved trail at Gracefield might get you in trouble if you don’t have that reflective band around your ankles… Lac Blue Sea with is that a reflective patch on her shoe? Attention commutersĪnd think of all the commuters who bike from Ottawa to say Place du Portage. Many of us cross the river for a ride to Aylmer, Gatineau Park or Jacques Cartier Park and beyond. The Quebec region near Ottawa is so much part of the National Capital Region that we tend to forget there are different laws across the river. But especially for Ottawa cyclists, this is a bit of a trap. Lamp posts in Gatineau National Capital Region Recently, one cyclist in Montreal racked up 381 dollars in fines for missing reflectors (and a faulty brake). The police in Montreal are out ticketing cyclists who don’t have reflectors/tape on their bikes. I was advised they will crack down on it after a short education grace period. Out cycling on the Quebec side yesterday morning, a QPP officer kindly told me that I must now remove my ear buds, law is now in effect. Read more about the details here: some good and some questionable regulations. More reflectors on your bike, cycling with prudence on cross walks, no more demerit points for cyclists, no more signalling of an intention to stop for cyclists, hands on the bar override signalling when needed. In Quebec province a new law aims to make cycling safer. Are reflective ankle bands the solution for the casual summer cyclist? Reading Time: 6 minutes
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