Cyclist calls for motorists to be more attentive

A disabled Moncton man says drivers need to be more attentive to cyclists after he was hit by a car while riding his tricycle in the city's north end.

Jordan Whittington said he was cycling on a sidewalk on Mountain Road when a car hit him. He quickly made his way to the hospital.

The accident occurred near Trinity Drive. Whittington said a car was exiting from a store at a good speed and the driver didn't see him.

"The policemen told me it was me who was wrong, that I was not allowed to move there," he said.

Only means of transportation

Biking is the 26-year-old's sole means of transportation after an accident in 2009 left him disabled and unable to drive.

Whittington had to start from scratch and learn to walk again in rehabilitation. From a wheelchair to crutches, he has gradually gained strength and he can now move using a tricycle.

"I can go to the grocery store, to the church. And it is with my bike that I go to university," he explained.

For him, it is clear that motorists must be more careful.

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Whittington bought his three-wheeler at Consolvo Bikes. The manager took him under his wing a little over two years ago. Since then, the young man frequently visits the shop.

"He walked every day, without bike or anything. He was walking with a little cane. We told him we had a second hand bike that might suit him. His parents bought it. He started cycling every day and it made a huge difference in his life," said Jim Goguen.

More bicycle accidents?

Goguen noted there has been an increase in cycling accidents this year and he's been repairing some of the bikes.

"Normally I repaired four or five for a year ... This year I repaired 20 bicycles after accidents."

Goguen explained the increase in repairs comes from the growing popularity of the bicycle in the Moncton area, which he has noticed for a few years at the store.

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But he also makes it clear that cyclists as motorists must pay attention and respect the code of the road. He stresses that it is the responsibility of cyclists to be visible.

"Cyclists must make sure to have lights ... to have visible clothing, too. It's important, especially in the evening," said Goguen.

Like other cyclists, Goguen is looking forward to upcoming cycling projects in Moncton and a link that will connect the city between the north and south.

The Codiac RCMP were not able to provide figures related to the number of cycling accidents in the Greater Moncton area.

• Rabbit Brook Bike Trail links Moncton's north end to university area