Earlier this week, the Chief of Police for the city of Toronto, Mark Saunders announced that his force have not enforced traffic safety laws since 2013. This has lead to tragic increase in pedestrian and cyclist deaths in the city.
There is a growing concern as thousands of people are hit by cars each year in Toronto, sometimes left for dead as people watch them die on road. Earlier this week, Christye “Pink” Tingey was riding her bicycle near Stevenson Road and Laval Drive where she was hit and killed by a hit and run driver. Other motorists in Toronto drove around her body as she lay dying in the road.
I just spoke to Cst. George Tudos with @DRPS, who says it’s “disturbing” motorists driving near the scene this morning did not stop, instead went around the cyclist, who was lying in the middle of the road. #OshawaFatal @GlobalDurham
— Brittany Rosen (@BrittanyGlobal) November 22, 2019
An independent comparison between several major cities by Ian Dennis Miller shows that the data of pedestrian and cyclist deaths in Toronto is not slowing, but instead getting worse. Toronto is a world leader in these deaths and the only major city where the problem is getting worse, the study indicates Toronto is more dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists than each other city. As other cities make improvements to transportation, improve safety for pedestrian and cycling, Toronto is heading in the opposite direction. A direct outcome of a bias police force that refuses to do their duty of protecting its citizens.
There are thousands of reports from Canadians on social media showing an unprecedented amount of unprovoked violence and aggression towards pedestrian and cyclists. Violence that falls on deaf ears when reported to Toronto Police.
“For years … there was no proof drivers here were becoming increasingly rude, dangerous and simply heartless. Then, last Thursday, Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders produced a report that verified that gut instinct.”https://t.co/dpTVxujKnN
— Walk Toronto (@Walk_TO) November 21, 2019
Toronto Police Chief seems too incompetent to even admit there is problem
As deaths in Toronto continue to rise, the extent of the problem becomes more evident as a cultural one. Both the police and Canadians seem to routinely blame the cyclists, elderly slow walkers or people using ear pods for the increased deaths.
The comment is not sitting well with people at all 😬https://t.co/RcTGfu5bi0 #canada #canadian #news
— Narcity Canada (@NarcityCanada) November 22, 2019
There are calls for the Toronto Police Chief to resign to help improve public safety in the city. Something that the current Mayor, John Tory and Mark Saunders seem inept at dealing with.
The meaningless “To Serve and Protect” decals on police cruisers should be peeled off: the police did not have our back, their own data shows there was and is a problem and they ignored it. For that, the Chief must resign. #FireChiefSaunders https://t.co/2gzPemy9Ch
— Pedro Marques (@MetroManTO) November 22, 2019
As well as accidents, there are also regular reports of road rage and cars intentionally running into people walking or on bikes. I guess if it not enforced and someone is in your way, why not run them over. Right? No.
Driver charged after being caught on camera slamming into cyclist in Markham | CBC News https://t.co/AU5MmxZvDZ
— J David McLaughlin (@CyclePlanner) November 24, 2019
Canadians like to criticise Americans’ inability to deal with gun deaths – but our own unwillingness to do anything about pedestrian deaths seems based on a similar myopia, and more Torontonians are killed by cars than guns. https://t.co/d5LcxqBuVH
— Jennifer Keesmaat (@jen_keesmaat) November 23, 2019
In the @TorontoStar today I call for the chief of police to resign – as a start. The city has been gaslit by its own police force w a callous disregard for life. This is a scandal and, as people in the Church Wellesley village know, it is a pattern. https://t.co/0TXxvMnhWK
— Cyber Shawn (@shawnmicallef) November 23, 2019
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