See that bike lane? Pedestrians, it's not for you

A London cyclist who collided with a pedestrian is asking those on foot to stay out of dedicated bike lanes for their own safety — and the safety of those on bikes. 

Robert Dore, 51, of London, was out on his bike for a 40 km ride when he collided with a pedestrian standing in a bike lane on Dundas St. The collision caused Dore to fall and break his wrist.

Dore, who has now been outfitted with a cast, is warning cyclists to be cautious — even in dedicated bike lanes — and reminding pedestrians to stay on the sidewalk.

"There were a fair amount of students just hanging out in the bike lane and most of them moved," said Dore. 

Most of them, but not all.

"I was trying to get around one of them as I was going, and he looked me right in the eye and stood his ground and didn't move," he said. Dore ended up striking the pedestrian, going over his handlebars and breaking his wrist when he landed.

Dore is scheduled to get surgery for the broken bone. The pedestrian didn't appear to be injured, said Dore.

It's not the first time Dore has dodged pedestrians in bike lanes. "I would say anybody who cycles around the city has run into some issues, for sure," he said.

Pedestrians walk in Dundas bike lane

When CBC News visited the site of Dore's collision, numerous students were walking down a stretch of the bike lane, next to the sidewalk. Both Catholic Central High School and H.B. Beal Secondary School are right on Dundas, where the city has installed new separated bike lanes.

"I hate to say it, it seems typical London," said Dore, who thinks bylaw officers should encourage pedestrians to keep off the city's bike lanes.

"From an overall safety perspective, we are outside every day monitoring both the safety of students and the community members on both Dundas Street and King Street to ensure that there is respect for cyclists," said Beal principal, Todd Woollings. "Some of our students themselves use these bike lanes."

CCH sends multiple messages throughout the year to parents, makes regular announcements students, and encourages staff to try to scan the bike lanes when they are outside, a spokesperson for the Catholic school board said. 

Bike lanes are designed to give cyclists a safe place to ride, away from traffic and pedestrians, said London's active transportation program manager Daniel Hall.

"This works as intended most of the time, but inevitably there are situations where people walking use the bike lane or people cycling are on the sidewalk," said Hall.

"In these situations we need to be aware of others, show compassion and yield to each other."

Hall urged pedestrians to stay on the sidewalks and asked cyclists to ring their bells or call out if someone is in their way in a bike lane.

"Much of the cycling infrastructure is new to Londoners and there will continue to be a learning curve for how we all navigate it safely and appropriately," said Hall.

Reed echoed that sentiment. 

"Just be aware that you still have to be cautious," said Reed. "And I would say to pedestrians and others, a bike lane is for cyclists. Be respectful. There is plenty of sidewalk there."