Bike safety changes are overdue

Opinion

June 5 would have been Rob Jenner’s 62nd birthday.

Instead of celebrating with him, we gathered where he died — on Wellington Crescent — to sing him “Happy Birthday” and remember a life taken too soon by road violence. This isn’t the way anyone should be commemorated.

But for vulnerable road users in Winnipeg, it’s become heartbreakingly familiar.

I didn’t know Rob personally. But as a fellow cyclist, I knew him. I’d pass him on Assiniboine Avenue. We’d exchange a greeting, a nod, or a wave, the way cyclists are so closely connected, part of a community.

As someone who cycles to work every day along one of Winnipeg’s major bike routes. Rob’s death is devastating. The city decided that green bike route signs would be enough to protect cyclists, but road signs don’t protect cyclists. Safe infrastructure and traffic calming measures do.

As a nurse, advocating for safe infrastructure is my commitment to make this city healthier.

I see the toll our car-dominated culture takes on people’s bodies and minds every day — rising rates of chronic illness related to our sedentary lifestyles.

Cycling, walking, and using public spaces are among the simplest, most powerful ways to build a healthier society. Like I was connected to Rob without personally knowing him. Sharing space through walking and cycling connects us, it makes us move, reduces emissions, and builds safer, more vibrant communities. When our streets are hostile to vulnerable road users, we make our population sicker.

Since Rob’s death, at least 12 pedestrians and another cyclist have been killed. Many others have been injured.

Most of those stories don’t make the news. Like my partner, who lost his hearing because a driver did not stop at a signalized crosswalk.

I believe our city leaders continue to fail us. I often feel like they treat parking spots as sacred and human life as expendable. In my opinion, they stall and postpone critical safety improvements like protected bike lanes and lower speed limits.

It seems like they are afraid of the backlash from drivers instead of caring about my life and that of other vulnerable road users. I have had enough.

I often hear Winnipeg was built for cars. Historically, pictures show that this is inaccurate. Winnipeg had beautiful streetcars, people walking and cycling. Decades of decisions made by councillors and mayors is what made Winnipeg into the car-dominated city it is today.

But it is not too late to change this. Lives should matter more than speed.

I can’t bring Rob back, it is too late for him. But I can honour his life by refusing to accept the status quo. I am demanding better from the people elected to represent me. I am asking all readers to demand better from their councillors too.

Please call your councillors. Ask them why it’s taking so long to implement 30 k/h speed limits in residential neighbourhoods. Tell them to support protected bike lanes on Wellington Crescent. Insist they stop treating road deaths as inevitable,

On June 12, two key motions that will make our streets safer might come before public works. I need everyone to show up. speak out and delegate. Together we can make our neighbourhoods places to connect again. These are our streets.

And we owe it to Rob to fight like hell to reclaim them.

Linda van de Laar is a registered nurse at St. Boniface General Hospital.