A new campaign urges cyclists to slow down and watch for pedestrians
Vélo Québec is using the month of June to launch a new awareness campaign calling on cyclists to follow the rules of the road and be more mindful of pedestrians — the most vulnerable and often forgotten users of public space.
Bike season is back in full swing, and for Magali Bebronne, program director at Vélo Québec, it's the right time to push for safer streets for everyone.
'When it comes to humans, there's no negotiations,' said Bebronne. 'If somebody's putting a foot on the street, you should be stopping and letting them pass.'
The campaign is reminding cyclists to stay alert and slow down, especially in five key areas where pedestrians always take priority: at bus stops, crosswalks, in front of a school bus, near a crossing guard, and on shared pedestrian streets.
Some pedestrians say they feel less safe around cyclists than they do around drivers.
Bebronne said the tension between cyclists and pedestrians isn't new — but it may be growing.
One of the most common complaints is cyclists using sidewalks.
'Pedestrians complaining that cyclists are using the sidewalk — it's not acceptable, it's not allowed in the highway safety code,' she said.
But some cyclists argue the rules aren't always clear or easy to follow.
Bebronne said the right infrastructure — like protected bike lanes — benefits not only cyclists but pedestrians as well.
Sometimes cyclists bend the rules to avoid cars, she added, but they need to consider pedestrians too.
That's why Vélo Québec says better coordination is needed across the board — and that safety starts with everyone.
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