Ching-a-ling…
District of North Vancouver Coun. Jim Hanson is calling for mandatory use of bicycle bells in the municipality.
Bringing a motion at the June 23 council meeting, Hanson said a bell bylaw would help enhance safety and social etiquette, promote safe passing and improve visibility.
“We mandate bicycle helmets, we mandate horns on cars – bells on hikes are just one more step towards creating a safe and courteous cycling culture,” Hanson said.
Hanson rang forward the idea after hearing from the cycling advocacy community on the issue.
The councillor added it would be valuable for the district to lead in the proposed change as none of the North Shore municipalities have mandatory bike bells in their bylaws, and the Motor Vehicle Act in B.C. does not currently require bells on bikes.
The City of North Vancouver and District of West Vancouver do not currently regulate bells on bicycles, however both provide safety tips on their websites. In Vancouver, the city has a street and traffic bylaw that states “no person shall ride a bicycle upon a street unless the bicycle is equipped with a bell capable of being used as a warning.”
At the provincial level, the Motor Vehicle Act doesn’t explicitly require a bicycle bell, but cyclists and passengers must wear a safety helmet. The act states a person operating a cycle on a highway has the same rights and duties as a driver of a vehicle.
Coun. Lisa Muri supported the motion but said she thinks there should be a future discussion about cyclists using existing bike lanes.
“There’s some on the road, there’s some in the lanes, there’s some on the sidewalks. It is very confusing, and I think the community needs to have that discussion,” Muri said. “But for this, I will absolutely support it.”
Bike bell enforcement might be challenging, councillor says
Coun. Jordan Back said he supported the intent behind the motion but added he was unsure how enforcing bike bells would work. “Social community pressure” and education might be the better avenue to pursue, he said.
As an example, Back said riding along the Spirit Trail in the City of North Vancouver, people will see signs that say “slowly roll” because it’s a multi-use path.
“You recognize that when you’re riding your bike or your scooter on a multi-use path, there’s going to be people walking, rolling, kids, dogs, and you have to ride appropriately,” Back said. “So I don’t think mandating bells on bikes is going to shift that culture… I think anytime you start mandating something like this, it just is going to create a whole other thing for us to try and manage and enforce.”
Mayor Mike Little shared support for the motion, but suggested staff get more clarity on the law in B.C. before considering a municipal bylaw.
In a statement, the Ministry of Transportation and Transit has confirmed that bikes are not required to be equipped with bells or horns under the Act and that local governments may establish bylaws for use of multi-use trails that could include requiring cycles to be equipped with bells or horns.
The motion carried with Back opposed.
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
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