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New program reminding drivers to 'Watch for Bikes!'

THUNDER BAY - A new program reminds area drivers to be extra careful on city streets, even when parked.
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Area drivers are being reminded to be extra vigilant of cyclists on area roads, even when parked (Doug Diaczuk, tbnewswatch.com)

THUNDER BAY - A new program reminds area drivers to be extra careful on city streets, even when parked.

The Watch for Bikes program was launched in Thunder Bay on Thursday and is meant to remind drivers to always check for bikes when exiting a vehicle parked on the side of the road.

The program was started in Southern Ontario and was brought to Thunder Bay through a partnership between the city of Thunder Bay, Little Lions Waldorf Daycare, and the Canadian Automobile Association.

“The idea is that people will put little stickers on their side view mirrors that say ‘watch for bikes’ and it will just give them a little reminder when they open their door to make sure there isn’t someone riding their bike there,” said Adam Krupper, mobility coordinator with the city of Thunder Bay.

Marilyn Grudniski, CEO of Little Lions Waldorf Daycare, spearheaded the idea to bring the program to Thunder Bay because she wanted to ensure that children riding bikes will be safe on area roads.

“If you would open that door and a child would be biking along and smack into that door, you can image the damage,” she said. “It’s a way of keeping our children safe.”

According to Krupper, a cyclist hitting an open car door can be devastating, comparing it to riding into a wall.

“In Thunder Bay, we are pretty lucky and we haven’t had a lot of those incidents,” he said. “In places like Toronto, people can actually get killed when that happens, so this is more of a prevention measure for us.”

For drivers, obstructing a cyclist’s path with a vehicle door can result in a $300 fine and three demerit points.

The Watch for Bikes stickers are available at all 12 Little Lions Daycare Centre locations, EcoSuperior, and the local CAA office. The stickers will also be added to all city of Thunder Bay fleet vehicles. 

Last year, Thunder Bay received a bike friendly community award from Share the Road Cycling Coalition, and Krupper and Grudniski both said that Thunder Bay has become a very bike and pedestrian friendly city.

However, with more cyclists and pedestrians venturing out onto local roads, it is more important than ever to be extra vigilant.

“Now that we are putting the bike lanes in and encouraging more people to be biking, we have to be even more careful and I have a responsibility as a driver to be careful and this is a good reminder having it on the mirror because I see it all the time,” Grudniski said.





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