In a struggle betwen cyclist and motorist, the outcome is not surprising.
I wonder with the high drama that follows the event will help our society learn anything from the tragedy. I doubt it. We already have cyclists and motorists polarized over the cause and the cure. The family of the cyclist, Darcy Sheppard, have retained the services of Aboriginal Legal Services for both legal support and to handle public statements. Michael Bryant has resigned his position as CEO of Invest Toronto, and has retained Navigator Limited to handle his public image.
In the tidal wave of public drama, will the small voice of reason be heard? Banning prominent Saab owners from the road will obviously not prevent future tragedies like this. I believe there is a physical reality at work here. No matter how much courtesy they afford each other, bicycles and motor vehicles don't mix very well. Give them their own lanes. For example, the small voice of reason from Francine Dick of Toronto writes,
On a recent visit to New York City I saw Manhattan's innovative approach to bike
lanes. One side of the lane abuts the sidewalk, while the other side is marked
with ongoing barriers. Not only does this separate cars and bicycles, it
prevents motorized vehicles from parking in bike lanes and prevents cyclists
from riding into open car doors. It's a well designed system Toronto should look
at. (Toronto Star)
As for an aroused public's ability to to recognize the truth, I am not so sure. I am reminded of a dramatic public polarization when a crazed gunman, Marc Lepine, shot twenty-eight people at the École Polytechnique on December 6, 1989 before killing himself. The women's movement has taken ownership of this incident as an example of violence against women. Canada now has a national day against violence against women, on the anniversary of this tragedy. But the incident, as dramatic and terrible as it was, is not typical of the violence that the average woman has to fear in this country, is it? One scholarly book, deadly dull by the look of it, suggests that such dramatic incidents fire the public imagination and result in broad "categorization" for the cause. This mis-applied categorization results in misapplied cures. The book is The Montreal massacre: a story of membership categorization analysis By Peter Eglin, Stephen Hester. If the women's movement were successful in eliminating societal tolerance for violence against women, would we see similar events like the Montreal Massacre reduced over the years?
Obviously not, because our society has witnessed continued incidents of disturbed loners opening fire in public places, especially schools. I think continued incidents like this are more accurately predicted by Gladwell's concept of a tipping point. Incidents like this repeat themselves precisely because of their drama and public interest.
The Montreal Massacre had far less to do with tolerance of violence against women in this country, as it showed society's failure to identify crazed loners and prevent their descent in to madness and violence. I have four immediate family members with chronic, severe mental illness. There are precious few community supports for them. But speaking out for better care for the mentally ill does not grab the same sort of headlines. Our society, horrified to inarticulation, continues to treat mental illness like a dirty little secret.
Let's be honest about the cause for tragedy, cut through the drama, and look for positive cures. No matter how dull, boring, or disturbing the truth may be.
