OrilliaMatters welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected]. Please include your daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). This letter is in response to a letter regarding a hit and run involving an e-bike and a pedestrian, published Aug. 7.
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I am very sorry to hear that someone was injured on the trails and, worse yet, that it was a hit and run. Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.
With our dog, my husband and I walk the Millennium paved trail and granular trail almost every day. To enhance our ability to enjoy Orillia’s beautiful trails, we recently purchased e-assist bicycles.
As we approach pedestrians from behind, we constantly use our bells since we understand what it’s like from a pedestrian’s perspective. Being both a walker and a cyclist, I am writing from what I believe is a balanced perspective.
The summer is especially dangerous for pedestrians, and it gets worse each year. My experience/observations are as follows:
It seems that faster modes of transportation should yield to pedestrians on multi-use trails. They don’t.
When approaching pedestrians from behind, cyclists and e-bikers seldom use their bells. Most are riding at a fairly high speed compared to a pedestrian, let alone a pedestrian walking a dog. Some bikes don’t even have bells as required by law. Since these bikes approach quickly, we and other pedestrians often don't hear them.
Between Couchiching Beach Park and Hughes Road, the granular Lightfoot Trail is heavily used by pedestrians and cyclists. There are parts of this trail that are very narrow (approximately five feet). In these narrow spaces, pedestrians cannot even pass each other, let alone be overtaken by cyclists. In general, this trail isn’t wide enough to accommodate two modes of transportation.
E-bikes — I commend the city for distinguishing between e-assist bikes that require muscular power and e-bikes that do not. E-bikes with fully powered motors are becoming increasingly common on the trails. The other day, a lady ahead of me on the paved trail had stopped to pick up her dog’s droppings and as she was standing up an e-bike passed her very closely. She said that she had no idea it was even there until it was almost on top of her. Some of the ‘no muscle power’ e-bikes have pedals, but they don’t seem to be fully functional or in accordance with the city’s trail etiquette guidelines.
Bylaws in the city allow dogs on leashes up to 10 feet in length. At best, the paved trail is 11 feet wide. Despite this, cyclists and people riding fully powered e-bikes seem to think that everyone will move out of their way. We rarely see or hear them coming, short of looking over our shoulders every couple of minutes.
The trail through Couchiching Beach Park is very narrow for multiple modes of transportation. In the park, consider separating pedestrian trails from cycling trails. Summer weekends are especially dangerous for pedestrians and, as a new e-assist cyclist, not conducive to both uses on the same trail.
My appeal to the city (council and staff):
Before others are hurt, review the situation and trail guidelines possible in conjunction with a group of citizens. At times, it is unpleasant and unsafe to walk on the trails due to the current situation.
From Couchiching Beach to Hughes Road, restrict the granular Lightfoot Trail to pedestrians only.
As soon as a trail review is completed, post trail guidelines and use restrictions at trails’ intersections with roads.
Identify ways to enforce noncompliance particularly for fully powered e-bikes.
The trails in our city are one of the many features that make our city so beautiful. Let’s continue to enjoy the amenities while ensuring everyone’s safety.
Sophie Mathewson
Orillia
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