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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, July 18, 2014 | 6 Cycling season is here and with it comes the need for cyclists and drivers to respect the rules of the road -- and each other. Too often motorists and cyclists cross paths with serious, sometimes fatal, consequences. We all know that when motorists and cyclists collide, it's the cyclist who pays the physical price. The driver could face legal consequences. Although motorists often nd the slower moving cyclist frustrating and distracting, the reality is that bicycles are vehicles under the Highway Traf c Act and, therefore, have the same privileges of using the road. They are subject to the same traf c laws that govern cars, trucks and motorcycles. In addition to the action on the road, there are other safety issues to consider. Drivers or passengers opening their car doors in the path of cyclists, for instance, contributes to one of the most frequent car-bike collisions, often resulting in serious injury to cyclists. As well, who can forget the dramatic and well-publicized confrontation between Toronto bicycle courier Darcy Sheppard and former Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant that cost Sheppard his life and Bryant a career and a marriage? Share the Road became the rallying cry of recentlyelected Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon after her offduty OPP of cer husband Greg Stobbart was killed in 2006 by a truck that was attempting to pass on a narrow section of Tremaine Road. McMahon fought to enact Greg's Law, a bill intended to speci cally target drivers who are caught driving while suspended. According to the Burlington-based Share the Road Cycling Coalition, ways cyclists can improve safety include, among other things: · Following the law -- it's the safest way to ride. Cyclists have the same rights and duties as other drivers and need to follow the same traf c laws · Be predictable -- ride in a straight line, signal turns and check behind you before turning or changing lanes · Ride with caution around parked cars and position yourself in the eld of vision of a motorist pulling out of a parking space. Ways motorists can improve bicycle safety: · Respect cyclists as legal road users with the same rights and responsibilities as motorists. Drive courteously and with tolerance. That cyclist is your neighbour and you're sharing the same road · Obey the posted speed limit, and don't drive too fast for conditions · Check over your shoulder, and always check your blind spot. A cyclist could be there. Earlier this season the Town of Oakville, in partnership with CAA, launched the Watch for Bikes program at Town Hall to encourage the community to be aware of their surroundings when using roadways. It's handing out `Watch for Bikes' decals and encouraging residents to pick up the sticker that can be placed on car side mirrors at the Town of Oakville community centres, Town Hall, Central Library and the Oakville CAA Store at 360 Dundas St. E. Cycling is fun, too. Cycle Oakville, founded by local Town Councillor Pam Damoff, hosts a variety of rides in town. Its rst glow-in-the-dark ride is tonight (July 18) at Midnight Madness. Visit www.cycleoakville.ca. Share the road F O Editorial R W A R D T H "Connected to your Community" N K I N G 447 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 52 | Number 86 I The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS The Angela Bruce Chapter IODE, formerly the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire, in Oakville presented $1,000 bursaries to 10 graduating high school students. From left are Alexandra Florent (St. Thomas Aquinas); Rohan Adel (White Oaks ­ South Campus); Kiri Wilson-Todd (White Oaks ­ North Campus); Karly Farrell (Gary Allen); Jessy Kang (Abbey Park); Lujza Csanyi (Oakville Trafalgar); Alena Gairilenko (T.A. Blakelock); Krystof Sznajder (St. Ignatius of Loyola); and Jilysa Haye (Holy Trinity). Absent from the photo is Anam Tufail (Iroquois Ridge). | submitted photo Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production My View SANDY PARE MARK DILLS Ontario must not leave anyone behind Kevin Flynn Ontario Minister of Labour Oakville MPP MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution A s Premier Kathleen Wynne promised during the election, the Ontario government has returned to Queen's Park for a rare summer sitting to pass the budget and re-introduce bills Ontarians were counting on before the election. I was proud to introduce two of those bills as one merged bill -- the Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act -- Wednesday (July 16). The rst part of it deals with the minimum wage. When we came into of ce in 2003, the minimum wage had been frozen for eight straight years. We didn't think that was fair, so we increased the minimum wage over time from $6.85 to $11 per hour. We are now taking the next step by tying future increases to the provincial Consumer Price Index (CPI). What this means is that every April, the government will announce the annual CPI rate, and in October, the minimum wage will increase by the same amount. This gives workers stable and predictable annual raises that match increases in the cost of living, and will ensure full-time workers are above the poverty line after taxes and bene ts. In the past, adjustments to the minimum wage were subject to the political process, making it difcult for business and families to plan. Linking future adjustments to the cost of living is fair, transparent and responsible, and it's the right thing to do for both business and people who work. The second part of the act focuses on protecting vulnerable workers and leveling the playing eld for business. We all know the nature of work is changing and our rules must keep up. That's why we're proposing several measures to help protect temporary, precarious, and vulnerable workers, such as: · Requiring employers to provide employees with information about their rights under the Employment Standards Act · Protecting foreign workers from being charged recruitment fees and having personal documents, such as passports, withheld by employers · Removing the $10,000 and six-month caps on the recovery of wages owed through a Ministry of Labour order to pay · Protecting temporary help agency workers by making businesses that use them more directly responsible for health and safety, as well as the payment of wages and vacation time. Our government is committed to building up Ontario, but it is of great importance that while we do so, we don't leave anyone behind. The Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act helps ensure that, all while creating fairer jobs for our workers and a level playing eld for our businesses. CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 5040 Mainway, Burlington ON L7L 7G5 or via e-mail to; ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.