The story below certainly suggests the cyclist could have been charged with a criminal offence - perhaps criminal negligence.
But the fact remains accidents, sometimes tragic, do happen. And when an accident happens, even if there are tragic results, the accident should not be elevated to criminal wrongdoing.
Momentary inattention to the road (which amounts to careless driving) happens to all drivers. Remember, 'there but for the grace of God...".
http://bit.ly/oDHnDN
A cyclist who was going the wrong way on a one-way street when he struck a 56-year-old woman and fractured her skull will be fined $400, whether the woman lives or dies.
In a case that raises questions about the strength of the province's traffic laws, the 49-year-old man — whose name was not released — was charged with careless driving under the Highway Traffic Act. He faces no criminal charges or jail time.
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As someone who has been involved a bit in cycling advocacy, I will cite another aspect of this issue. Many cyclists, rightly noting that they are "vulnerable" on roads dominated by large motorized vehicles, refuse to accept the fact that a bicycle too can be a menace. This leads to the assumption that cyclists need not obey traffic regulations (such as one way streets), because any risks affect the cyclist only. As cycling becomes a more important transportation mode, this fallacy will have to be corrected.
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