You're probably used to seeing Toronto Police patrol the streets looking for any reason to stop a driver and give him a lecture - and maybe a ticket - for bad behaviour on the road. But for the next week, it won't be cars that are in the sights of many officers. It will be those on bikes.
Police are fed up with cyclists who flout - or worse, completely disobey - the law, the same rules those in cars are expected to follow. Among the worst sins: riding on the sidewalk, not signaling a turn, failing to ride in single file, having two on a single bike, not stopping for a TTC bus or streetcar and the worst of them all, going through stop signs and pedaling past red lights.
Cops may not fine you for the infractions - although they can - but you'll get a stern warning you're not likely to forget. "During this week, what we're asking from our officers is heightened awareness towards bicycle offences related to their safety," explains Sgt. Tim Burrows. "And what we'll have is safer roads, which is the ideal important fact of what we want to get."
A lot of riders admit they weren't even aware they were doing anything wrong. "I don't really know what the laws are," confesses cyclist Hannan Younis. "I guess I follow the pedestrian law instead of the road law."
Some cyclists won't like the scrutiny, but cops think it's vital. There were over 200 bicycle related collisions last year, most of which cops say occurred because cyclists didn't signal their intentions. And with riding season heating up with the warmth, authorities are anxious to keep that number down in 2008.
The blitz continues until Sunday and cops across the entire city have been told to keep up the pressure at least until then.