From ARC:

Sept 18th - Eglinton & Leslie - 7:30pm

On September 11, 2006, a 47-year-old male cyclist was killed near the
intersection of Eglinton Avenue and Leslie Street. Eight years after
the regional coroner's report recommended rear side guards on large
trucks, the last five cyclist fatalities in Toronto have all involved
a collision with a large truck. Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists
(ARC) asks how much longer will all three levels of government
continue to ignore basic safety for cyclists on our streets?

ARC marks these deaths on our roads with a memorial because
those dying are our fellow cyclists. It could happen to anyone,
it could happen to any one of us. It doesn't matter if the cyclist
is at fault, rich or famous, what matters is that a cyclist has died.
ARC will hold a public memorial at 7:30pm, Monday September 18, at the
site of the crash.

Anyone who rides a bicycle is vulnerable, but straightforward ways
to improve the conditions for Toronto's cyclists were identified by
the Toronto Regional Coroner in a landmark study of cyclist fatalities,
issued in 1998. That study specifically flagged the dangers to cyclists,
pedestrians and small vehicles caused by the high truck beds and
openings between front and rear wheels of large trucks. It made a
number of recommendations that have since been ignored by our
transportation decision-makers. Of particularly tragic relevance
is the recommendation that the trucking industry in Ontario be
mandated to equip large trucks with European-style "wheel guards."

ARC is once again raising its voice about wheel guards on large
trucks. Which of our mayoral aspirants will put themselves on the line
and demand that the trucking industry conform to safety standards
considered "normal" in most of Europe? (This crash was in the ward of
mayoral aspirant Jane Pitfield).

All cyclists welcome:
Meet for a group ride to the crash site at 6:15 pm, Bloor and Spadina, and
at 7:00 pm, Danforth and Pape, to ride to Eglinton and Leslie for 7:30 pm,
Monday, September 18, 2006.

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