Equal Access to Public Space

Confusing personal space with public space entitlements is a malady that appears to have afflicted society of late. With motorists seeing a red flag whenever there's bicyclists on the road. Despite that, under the Highway Traffic Act bicyclists are considered vehicles with road-sharing entitlements, motorists continue to be resentful, somehow overlooking that their vehicles are potential death-deliverers at a ton and more, bearing down on a 20-pound conveyance and its rider.

What are mirrors for? What are brakes for? What about common sense and civility? How about ordinary caution while steering a metal monster alongside a two-wheeled contrivance meant to deliver the rider as handily and more environmentally friendly than a mechanical device? What, exactly, is the hurry? Why, precisely, view the other fellow with such disdain, with utter disregard for his/her safety because they expose themselves to danger.

Hoping against hope that this will represent yet another trip where they have managed to avoid being reminded by yet another driver that in that driver's opinion they and their bicycles have no right to mess around on the road. Interfering with the flow of traffic. Inconveniencing drivers intent on getting to their destination in good time. In Ottawa, back in July, five bicyclists, single file, on a marked bicycle lane were mowed down, one after the other.

Almost every day there's a brief news item relating an unfortunate encounter between a motor vehicle and a bicyclist. But who might anticipate that a brilliant lawyer, a former Member of the Provincial Parliament, and Ontario Cabinet Minister, accustomed to formulating and passing rules and regulations, would belligerently overlook his obligation to safely practise what he so elegantly preached?

Michael Bryant has been charged with criminal negligence causing death, and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death. Can criminal charges be more serious than that? Even if, as he claims, there were mitigating circumstances, where the bicyclist became just as aggressive as he was, impairing his ability to adequately steer his vehicle with the cyclist hanging on, there are always brakes to be relied on.

What Mr. Bryant engaged in was denial, attempting to evade his responsibility. He avers compassion and regret for the family of the man whose death he caused through carelessness, belligerence and stupidity. There's also the initial ingredient of egotistical entitlement. Yet Mr. Bryant requests that the media respect his family's and his own right to privacy. How might he be entitled to that when he engaged in a very public misdemeanor?

His entitlements have already been evidenced in that despite the seriousness of the charges against this man, he was set free on his own recognizance, without the formality of a bail hearing.

One life destroyed, the other come to a sudden screeching halt.