Memorial ride for Darcy Allan Sheppard
From the bike union:
For those who have not yet heard the tragic, and somewhat gruesome news, a cyclist was killed on Bloor St. Aug 31st, after having been dragged and slammed into street furniture before being run over and succumbing to his injuries.
* http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/689220
* http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/forme...
This is a high profile case involving the former Attorney General of Ontario who was driving the vehicle. Regardless of the legal outcome, the developments of which we will be watching closely, we have yet another painfully clear example of the need to better incorporate bikes/cyclists into our transportation network, to better educate all Torontonians about the fact that cyclists have a right to be on the roads, and that we have a responsibility to share this public space, and have more respect for our fellow citizens, cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers alike.
***Please note that there will be a memorial ride for Darcy Allan Sheppard on Wednesday, September 2nd at 5pm.
Meet corner Bay and Bloor - ride West to Avenue Rd. to observe 5 minutes of silence in his memory.
All welcome.
Location:
Bay and Bloor, ride west to Avenue
Bay and Bloor
Toronto, ON Canada
See map: Google Maps
Contact
Web:
http://bikeunion.to
Comments
Doesn't look like any of the
Doesn't look like any of the commentors actually knew Alan Sheppard.
He was the kindest courier I ever met. He gave me a tall-boy on my first day, helped me out numerous times when he saw that I was lost and we even shared a joint together and talked about life. Sheppard wasn't some "maniac bike courier" he was a good stable person who died a terrible death. It'd be awesome if some of these commentor's could show some respect, he meant alot to the courier community. I just came back from a party in his memory with the majority of Toronto's bike courier's (and a few walkers) attending.
I hope something meaningful comes from this clusterfuck of a event. I know I'll miss seeing him zooming down Yonge street with a grin on his face.
RIP Bud.
Bike couriers
Bike couriers are a different breed - soulful, unconventional, eyes of the city.
Something meaningful will definitely come out of this - it already has - we are a collective soul, all of us telling the Michael Bryants of the world to burn in hell.
Peace
I never knew him
From what I've heard he was a fun person who loved life and took great joy in couriering.
With all these news reporters and commentators going around trying to disgrace his memory, it's good to hear the truth from his friends - people who actually knew him.
I hope Darcy can rest in peace and that something positive will come from all this.
Don't Clog Up The Streets
Don't cause a traffic jam, we don't want another cyclist to bite the dust.
Unbelievable......
What an extremely rude thing to say.
A human being has died, and it isn't about cyclists, or about drivers, it is about two people who were involved in an altercation, and the driver of that car SHOULD HAVE COME TO A COMPLETE STOP ! Instead of driving away with A HUMAN BEING hanging off your car !
Duke it out on the street, like real men, as it is better to have a few bruises and a black eye, then be dead.
Shame on you for your comments, YOU are what is wrong with this society and this city !!!!
REST IN PEACE DARCY A. SHEPPARD.
..and a tiny voice in the astroturfers head whispers:
Maybe we should start treating them like human beings instead of impediments to the flow of traffic.
But that's exactly what cyclists are
But that's exactly what cyclists are. Cars are moving at 50km/h. And cyclists cause drivers money and time. Car's fuel economy drops rapidly at 20km/h and there is wear on brakes and huge drain of fuel to get back up to speed any time you have to deal with a cyclist. So there is a good reason why drivers hate cyclists. They cost drivers money and time.
There are various rules on how to behave for a driver and a cyclist but only drivers know them. Cyclists never do or care. I am sure a few cyclists might know but those are very few.
A good solution would be to require cyclists to get licensed so they can be tracked and punished for breaking the rules of the road just like car drivers. When a cyclist knows he gets 2 points and $100 dollar fine for running a stop sign or making an invalid turn or bumping a pedestrian or a car that's when cyclists will start to behave properly. Moreover licensing cyclists will require them to learn the rules of the road properly so they can behave like proper citizens of the road.
We really should introduce driving licenses for cyclists and this will likely decrease a number of these cases significantly as it will educate and make cyclists far more responsible members of the road.
RE: Cyclists cost drivers moeny and time
What a ridiculous over reaction - take a good look around you.
By the time you are long gone due to old age (because you drive an armoured piece of metal that will protect you from the lecherous claws of intimidated cyclists), your grandkids are going to be asking why there were wars to control fossil fuel assets.
And they are going to wonder why the second wave of the industrial revolution continued to output gas-fueled transportation, when so many renewable resources were available - like bicycles.
They will conclude that our era was self-obsessed and didn't give a shit about the future.
Get a life, read a book, have some compassion.
Ignorance is not your friend.
While I agree that there are the bad cyclists out there and many of them skip through stop signs, you will have to understand that a cyclist is governed by a separate set of rules under the HTA. That said, a police officer observing a cyclist running a stop sign can pull over and issue the identical ticket that a driver of a car gets when he or she skips the sign (and i cant even remember the last time i observed a driver of a car come to a full stop at a sign). And before you say that a cyclist will not receive demerit points, you should know that a cyclist does indeed get demerits upon his license, and if the cyclist does not have a license then the demerit points will apply when the cyclist first gets a license.
To add, for those that dont know, lane splitting (or driving beside a car in the same lane) is part of the HTA that applies to cyclists. Many motorists and cyclists are unaware of this, and motorists even get angered when they see a cyclist brush past them when they are locked in traffic. Of course, when the day that I have to pay additional money for riding on the road will be the same day that I take a full lane to myself. And that day, you will have to ride behind me.
FYI- two men have lost their lives by their inability to control there anger. It is an unfortunate event for both, and one that I believe Bryant wishes he had handled differently. His actions were selfish not only to Shepard but also his own family who through ill-thought he failed to think of when the incident was occurring. This is simply a case of road-rage, not a case of a cyclist failing to follow the rules of the road.
Ok
They are both human beings, and impediments to traffic, especially when the busiest intersection is blocked at the height of rush hour. Similar to when the Tamil protest poured onto the Gardiner, this will not help you achieve any sympathy...
"hate," nice choice of words
Every car is part of traffic. Cars slow each other down much more than cyclists do. If you feel so bad about impeding traffic, ride a bike, walk, or take the bus. Hopefully a lot of people will follow your example, and all these impediments to traffic (a.k.a. traffic itself) will go away.
Then, once there are only 4 or 5 cars left in Toronto, each one can go the speed limit (or, Oh Holy of Holies, even faster, praise be) everywhere because there will be no traffic slowing them down.
p.s. Thanks for begrudgingly accepting the humanity of cyclists. It must have been real tough for you to choke that one down.
Driving Drunk...think of this
Hey the news is saying the Darcy had to be removed from his girlfriends residence because he was intoxicated & causing trouble. So what does he do??? gets on his bike & drives drunk down to Yorkville. He was probably still "pissed" about the police incident when he came across Michael Bryant. Then Darcy goes crazy ad we all know what happened next. Perhaps instead of pontificating about cars & bikes on the road you should be talking about how Darcy should have walked to a coffee shop & let his personal situation settle down instead of taking it out in public. Let's face it...it was better that he was driving drunk on a bicycle (as he really only put himself at risk) instead of getting in a car & potentially killing one or more innocent people.
police
Why did the police let him ride home after the incident at his girlfriends place. They knew he was drunk and they would not allow him to stay there, they sent him home on his own accord. If they had taken him home non of this would be news, and he would still be alive.
RE: Driving Drunk...think of this
Darcy didn't take anything out in public. He didn't drag a "one or more innocent people" to their death(s). He is not the aggressor here, nothing is justified.
Alcohol was not a factor.
Learn to spell, show some common decency. Your youtube opinion/rant is not appreciated.
According to news and eye witnesses
Sheppard was drunk
has a history of violence
was wanted in Edmonton for cheque fraud, with a public warning from police to 'not approach him'
and, apparently had Bryant in a headlock AND was trying to crash the car as he also had a grip on the steering wheel.
So, if all that leads to the conclusion that the crash, and subsequent death of Sheppard, were in fact not Bryant's fault. Is the cycling community going to offer a big warm hug and apology for the improper vilification of Michael Bryant?
Not likely...
I cycle as much as I walk and drive. Cars are not the problem. People are. So give your heads a shake from the mentality that Drivers= Evil and Cyclists=Innocent Can Do No Wrong Angels...
everyone cycles as much as they drive
when an imposter, i mean, uh, poster, types " i cycle as much as i walk and drive" that is alarm bells for sympathizer for the devil.
You think because it takes a fraction of a second to stop a 2 ton vehicle, you feel it's a responsibility of the cyclist to crawl into the car to put his foot on the brake? Headlock? Nay. He was trying to stop the Dishonorable MPP as the he had the cyclist by the helmet, in his two fisted monkey grip. His wife was pouring her wine down the cyclists throat, to conceal their evidence. This is where the aspect of his being "drunk" comes in. C'mon, feed the psychological lie of the industry you live and die for, but I don't have to. I ride a bike 100% of the time, my karma gets me where i need to on time, and F**K your traffic jams, we run on universal time, and truth, and our own power, no thanks to you folks in your ego-inflater-cages. You are the impedement to society, you ruin our lakes, air, wildlife with your emissions of a few types. You get lazy and defensive. Hence the outcome, a dead body, and a fool on stage for all to witness the pathetic reflections. Keep the weak white bread arguments coming, you expose yourself with every typed word. Truth is setting a few free, from your inslavement. Much love to those long time couriers in all cities, I have been there and miss you all, I ride gentler roads now on Vancouver Island, the progressive minded oasis. Revolt , it's a choice and a wise one. BICYCLISTA
Karma
Michael Bryant is already well-established as a political loser. One example of his spineless character - Bryant passed the legislative language to ban pit bulls in Ontario, rather than having the courage to challenge the justice system and it's incompetence in enforcing criminal code already on the books.
We are saddened by this tragic and entirely avoidable loss of life - each of us is a flame, and this one will not be put out.
Read Christie Blatchford's piece in today's Globe & Mail - she is brilliant.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/bryan...
Karma baby.
Lets wait for real facts
How could Darcy have Bryant in a headlock, be operating the steering wheel, accelerator and hanging on for dear life?
Bryant was in the driver's seat driving the car you fool.
Whether the rumor Darcy was or was not drinking doesn't matter to the charges against Bryant. Why would you think it matters?
Writing bad cheques is relevant how??
Only in Toronto
...would a cyclist who is driving drunk and who tried to choke the driver be considered a "victim". None of us know what happened, but the rush to lionize the deceased and demonize the driver without knowing exactly what happened simply shows your own deeply held suspicians, flawed or otherwise.
It is tragic that Darcy died, but perhaps he contributed to his own demise (perhaps he didn't, maybe Bryant did overreact). All of that said, if a drunk cyclist came at me in my car instead of taking a deep breath, I don't know how I would react. As a cyclist myself (and a driver) I would never expect to get loaded and then try and choke a driver and expect the outcome to be pleasant.
None of you know what happened, so stop making assumptions. Two human beings, one drunk and one not, but both dealing with reality as they saw it. Darcy's past is irrelevant, and Bryan't status is also irrelevant. Cars being the "devil" and cyclists being the "victims" is irrelevant.
We don't know. It has nothing to do with bike lanes or status or anything else. One or two people got into something. The rest we mostly don't know.
According to news and eye witnesses
I second that.