Applause rang through the Saint John council chamber as its members unanimously backed a motion from mayor Don Darling to have him write a letter to the Minister of Public Safety supporting Ellen’s Law and the development of an active transportation education program.
The law would stipulate drivers stay at least one meter away from cyclists on roadways and is named after international cyclist Ellen Watters who recently died at the age of 28 after being struck in a collision with a vehicle in Sussex while biking.
Darling, who is a cyclist himself, says he knows how scary it can be on the road and has had a number of close calls.
“Where transport trucks, or cars or trucks, sort of come back in on you far closer than I would like,” he says.
“I’ve had to brake aggresively, I’ve been on the road and stopped at a stop sign just like any other vehicle would and have had motorists pull up beside me and tell me — not in very polite words — get off the road.”
Darling said that he has reached out to the mayros of Fredericton and Moncton and they pledged their support as well.