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Bistiict of Columbia Bicycle

Auvisoiy Council




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Repiesentative foi Chaiiman Nenuelson
Bistiict of Columbia Bicycle Auvisoiy Council

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K5$", Septembei 29, 2u14


uoou afteinoon Chaiiman Wells anu membeis of the committee. Thank you
foi the oppoitunity to testify on Bill 2u-884, the "Bicycle anu Notoi vehicle Collision
Recoveiy Amenument Act of 2u14". Ny testimony iepiesents the position of the
Bicycle Auvisoiy Council foi the Bistiict of Columbia, which I will chaii staiting
0ctobei 1st. The Bicycle Auvisoiy Council was establisheu by law, anu its membeis
aie appointeu by the B.C. Council to auvise the Nayoi anu the Bistiict goveinment
on bicycling issues within the context of ensuiing safe anu convenient bicycling in
oui city.
The Bicycle Auvisoiy Council suppoits Bill 2u-884 anu the exemption of
cyclists fiom the uoctiine of contiibutoiy negligence. 0nuei the cuiient law, if a
paity is founu to be even 1% at fault in a collision, they can be uenieu the iecoveiy
of any uamages. This paiticulaily buiuens cyclists foi seveial ieasons:
2
1. Cyclists, like othei vulneiable ioauway useis, aie likely to sustain injuiies
in a collision with a vehicle, while the uiivei may walk away unhaimeu.
It's a simple mattei of speeu anu mass. Because they aie
uispiopoitionately injuieu anu moie likely to sustain uamages in a
collision, contiibutoiy negligence uispiopoitionately buiuens cyclists anu
othei vulneiable useis.
2. Theie iemains confusion anu misunueistanuing among NPB officeis anu
the geneial public iegaiuing laws foi cyclists. Too often cyclists aie
impiopeily ticketeu at a collision, anu theieby impiopeily assigneu fault.
0nuei the cuiient uoctiine of contiibutoiy negligence, even if the uiivei is
founu to be 99% iesponsible foi the collision, the injuieu cyclists is
pieventeu fiom iecoveiing any uamages, so eiiois oi misapplication of
bicycling laws aie paiticulaily haimful. I woulu like to mention that the
BAC enjoys a longstanuing ielationship with NPB anu we will continue to
woik togethei to bettei euucate officeis anu the public on laws foi
cyclists.
S. This confusion anu misunueistanuing is fuithei peipetuateu by the
insuiance inuustiy who consiueis claims baseu on the laws of the
juiisuiction. That means that in BC, claims aie uenieu wheie the uamageu
paity is ueteimineu to be 1% at fault, iegaiuless of whethei the fault was
uue to an inaccuiate acciuent iepoit, misunueistanuing of bicycling laws,
oi a legitimate offense.

S
Again, the BAC woulu like to expiess its suppoit of the bill, which woulu
pioviue cyclists the oppoitunity to faiily iecovei uamages in the unfoitunate event
that they aie stiuck by a vehicle. 0n behalf of the ovei Suu cyclists who aie involveu
in a collision each yeai, we woulu like to thank this Committee foi its leaueiship on
this issue anu ongoing effoits to make the Bistiict of Columbia a moie bicycle-
fiienuly city. Thank you.