**TIMMINS POLICE SERVICE NEWS RELEASE**

The Timmins Police Service is in receipt of a number of complaints in regards to
motorist behavior when approaching or overtaking cyclists on area roadways. A number of “near-miss” situations involving cyclists have been reported to the Timmins Police Service recently.

The Timmins Police Service is issuing a “Traffic Advisory” in an attempt of have motorists be
more mindful of their legal obligations when meeting or overtaking cyclists using the curb
section of any area roadway.

There is a shared responsibility between cyclists and those persons operating motor vehicles to
conduct themselves in keeping with the statutory requirements spelled out in the pertinent
subsections of section 148 of the Highway Traffic Act in order to prevent collisions from
occurring.

Noting that bicycles are deemed to be “vehicles” under the Highway Traffic Act, the following
subsections are highlighted, (4) Every person in charge of a vehicle on a highway meeting a person travelling on a bicycle shall allow the cyclist sufficient room on the roadway to pass.

(5) Every person in charge of a vehicle on a highway who is overtaking another vehicle or
equestrian shall turn out to the left so far as may be necessary to avoid a collision with the
vehicle, and the person overtaken is not required to leave more than one-half of the
roadway free.

(6) Every person on a bicycle or motor assisted bicycle who is overtaken by a vehicle or
equestrian travelling at a greater speed shall turn out to the right and allow the vehicle to
pass and the vehicle overtaking shall turn out to the left so far as may be necessary to
avoid a collision.

(6.1) Every person in charge of a motor vehicle on a highway who is overtaking a person
travelling on a bicycle shall, as nearly as may be practicable, leave a distance of not less
than one metre between the bicycle and the motor vehicle and shall maintain that
distance until safely past the bicycle. 

(6.2) The one metre distance required by subsection (6.1) refers to the distance between the
extreme right side of the motor vehicle and the extreme left side of the bicycle, including
all projections and attachments.

The Timmins Police Service depends on individual motorists to be courteous and responsible in
regards to other persons using a shared roadway. Commercial motor vehicles and those vehicles equipped with wider mirror arms are asked to be particularly careful when meeting or overtaking cyclists.

Filed under: Local News