An Ontario man is reminding the public that it’s illegal to ride bicycles on sidewalks, after he was struck by a cyclist and suffered minor injuries.
In Ontario, cyclists who fail to yield to a pedestrian can be fined $150 under the Highway Traffic Act.
“People have just gotten just a little too comfortable breaking this law,” Joshua Maillet told CTV Kitchener.
“If somebody comes up behind you really fast or towards you really fast, that’s the biggest issue,” Maillet said.
“If they’re not being careful, then it’s just an accident waiting to happen,” he added.
Waterloo Regional Police told CTV Kitchener that cyclists on sidewalks are not a common occurrence. Maillet says he sees it too often.
Brandon Bragg, who owns the bike shop Backpeddling in Guelph, Ont., agrees that cyclists need to stick to the roads.
“Just like a car can’t be on the sidewalk, a bicycle can’t be on the sidewalk,” he said.
“You could hit somebody that didn’t see you coming because they don’t expect you to be on the sidewalk in the first place.”
