Family of man hit by cyclist pleads for bike lanes
A man rides on the sidewalk, right past where Brian Okamoto and his sister, Karen, leave flowers and a sign where their dad was hit while walking. (Rick Madonik/The Toronto Star)
Nobu Okamoto spent his final days at Toronto Western Hospital, unable to see, move or speak to the loved ones at his side.
His son, Brian, 35, whispered, “I love you” into his ear while his daughter, Karen, 31, often turned on the radio so her baseball-loving father could listen to the Blue Jays play.
Last Monday, the 74-year-old father of three died, several weeks after he was struck by a cyclist while walking on Finch Ave. W., near Sentinel Rd. He was going to the bank.
The 33-year-old cyclist was handed a ticket for riding on a sidewalk in North York, a fine of $3.75.
On Wednesday morning, Brian Okamoto and his sister, Karen, took a bouquet of flowers to the scene where their father was hit.
A nearby hydro pole was transformed into a tribute for the man they fondly remembered as a caring father with a penchant for telling jokes.
“It’s been really tough, no question about it. My mom is really stressed out and we’re just trying to be strong about it,” said Brian. “It’s just been really upsetting.”
Police said Okamoto was struck around 10:15 a.m. on Aug. 4, suffering head injuries, cuts and scrapes to the right side of his body. His family said Okamoto also had a fractured skull, dislocated shoulder and internal bleeding.
An autopsy is currently being done.
The “concerned and remorseful” cyclist remained on the scene, according to a police report.
Investigators are looking at possibly charging the cyclist because of Okamoto’s death, his children said. However, Staff Sgt. Leah Gilfoy of 31 Division was unable to confirm that.
Last month, a cyclist struck a 56-year-old woman, fracturing her skull after she fell onto the paved road. The 49-year-old man was charged with careless driving and fined $400 under the Highway Traffic Act.
Drivers who injure or kill a person can be charged criminally with dangerous driving. However, the charge only covers motorized vehicles.
The Finch Ave. W. sidewalk, between Sentinel Rd. and Tobermory Dr., is frequently used by cyclists as well as pedestrians. The slight slope means westbound cyclists often accelerate to fast speeds, said Brian Okamoto.
During Wednesday’s visit to the area, the siblings had to step onto the grass several times to avoid oncoming cyclists.
“I try not to get angry or upset anymore, but you still feel it in your blood when you see it,” Brian said.
Although Nobu Okamoto was a private man, who enjoyed walking on the waterfront and reading newspapers at the Toronto Reference Library, his children decided to share their story to highlight the dangers of sidewalk cycling.
“I just want justice done because I’m a cyclist too,” said Brian. “I think there needs to be more enforcement. I ride my bike downtown and I see dangerous things happening all the time.
“It’s not safe at all.”
The Okamoto family recently told local councillor Anthony Perruzza about the incident, pleading for more bike lanes to increase safety.
While civil litigation against the cyclist is an option, the family hasn’t entertained the idea.
“We haven’t committed to anything yet,” said Brian. “We’re just grieving now.”
--Liem Vu, Staff Reporter
This is horrible. We need greater patrolling of cyclists on the sidewalk and increased fines.
Posted by: AS | 09/01/2011 at 08:13 PM
Let's stop invoking contrived idiocies such as the 'War on the Car' or 'entitled cyclists' or 'unregulated cyclists'. The fact is bicycles, like other vehicles, are regulated by the Highway Traffic Act, where they're theoretically entitled to ply city roads. In Toronto bicycles with wheels 24 inches or under are also allowed on the sidewalks.
That cyclists are often illicitly on the sidewalks attests to the chasm between what's legally due and the hazards inherent in availing oneself of these entitlements. Do people really think that cyclists WANT to be on sidewalks? It's long past time we start integrating the needs of cyclists into a greater transportation plan. The more they're marginalized the more scenarios such as the one in the article are likely to repeat.
Condolences to the family on their loss.
Posted by: Luke Siragusa | 09/01/2011 at 08:22 PM
This is a sad story, and the cyclist involved should be held accountable for his or her recklessness.
However, most cyclists who use the sidewalk do so because there is no safe portion of the road to occupy (happens all the time in the suburbs where cars are not looking out for bikes). Furthermore, most sidewalk cyclists approach pedestrians at safe speeds.
Given the above, please do not make the false generalization that sidewalk cycling is dangerous. Yes, a reckless individual on a bicycle can be a danger to pedestrians, in the same way that a reckless pedestrian can jay-walk into a bicycling lane and cause a cyclist to crash, or how a passenger or driver can recklessly open a door into a cyclist's path leading to serious injury and even death for the cyclist.
Pedestrians, Cyclists, Motorists all can be reckless and cause injury and death to one another. For those saying that there should be absolutely no bikes on sidewalks, I hope you at least avoid being hypocrites by also advocating that (1)there should be bike lanes placed on all major roads throughout the suburbs to give bikes a safe place to ride off the sidewalks, (2)pedestrians should never ever jay walk, and should be liable for any damages they cause by doing so, and (3)motorists should never ever park or stop in bike lanes and should be liable for any damages they cause by doing and, (4)motorists who open their doors into cyclists' paths should be liable for damages they cause by doing so.
Posted by: April Smyth | 09/01/2011 at 08:59 PM
As a person who relies on their bike as a mode of transportation, the fact that many people are saying that we should never be on the sidewalks is disturbing. There have been many times where I've been nearly run over by cars when biking on roads without a bike lane and I choose to exercise extreme caution when using the sidewalk on roads without bike lanes because it's dangerous to ride on the road. Yes, there are some a**holes like the cyclist in this story but some of us slow down for pedestrians, give them the right of way at all times and go out of our way to avoid them on the sidewalk. I feel very strongly about this; a woman told me to get on the road when I yielded the right of way to her on the sidewalk, just as a bus pulled up in front of another cyclist on the road so closely that the cyclist had to screech their brakes to stop in time. Yes, there was a bike lane. No, the bus driver didn't take it into consideration. We're not all bad.
Posted by: Michelle | 09/01/2011 at 09:17 PM
I work at York University and frequently bike to work from my apartment downtown. 80% of the ride is great, but I dread the stretch of my ride that goes along Finch Ave from Wilmington to Sentinel. At times, the traffic and condition of the road is too much to deal with and I reluctantly use the the sidewalk. I feel squeamish about it. Most drivers and most cyclists are responsible, but mixing them on wide multi-lane streets like Finch where traffic moves quickly is a recipe for disaster. The city desperately needs more bike lines, especially outside the downtown core where car traffic moves much faster.
Posted by: Adam | 09/01/2011 at 10:38 PM
PEDESTRIANS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY OVER ALL VEHICULAR TRAFFIC!
PEDESTRIANS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY OVER ALL VEHICULAR TRAFFIC!
PEDESTRIANS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY OVER ALL VEHICULAR TRAFFIC!
PEDESTRIANS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY OVER ALL VEHICULAR TRAFFIC!
PEDESTRIANS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY OVER ALL VEHICULAR TRAFFIC!
PEDESTRIANS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY OVER ALL VEHICULAR TRAFFIC!
PEDESTRIANS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY OVER ALL VEHICULAR TRAFFIC!
PEDESTRIANS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY OVER ALL VEHICULAR TRAFFIC!
Posted by: Frank R. | 09/02/2011 at 12:40 AM
As a regular cyclist I fully support a crackdown on dangerous behaviour by cyclists (dangerous operation of a vehicle). It has to go both ways: we want respect from city planners, drivers, and pedestrians - well, we have to behave respectfully then.
It is so very sad what happened to this man and the victims in the other cases cited in the article.
Posted by: Andrew | 09/07/2011 at 08:59 AM