Cyclists represent the same danger to pedestrians that cars and trucks do to bike riders, a fear dismissed by too many cyclists.

That’s the consensus on our last column, in which we quoted from emails sent to us by cyclist David Dorken, who said that a fear of speeding bicycles is “irrational” and not backed up by the numbers.

Dorken said only two people have ever been killed by a cyclist in Toronto, and that “we certainly need less fear-mongering about things that aren’t threats to life and limb.”

The response from readers was eye-popping, and speaks to the agitation between riders and others. Nearly 300 people commented on our column since Saturday morning on the Star’s Facebook page, while as of Monday afternoon, at least 80 emails had rolled in.

It’s the biggest response to a Fixer column in years. While a few cyclists took issue with the lack of awareness that some pedestrians show on multi-use recreational paths, the overwhelming verdict is that pedestrians have as much to fear from bikes as cyclists do from cars.

“My 82 year old mother was hit by an adult cyclist riding on the sidewalk,” said Rick Henry. “The female cyclist knocked my mother down (and) told my mother it was her fault because she wasn’t paying attention.”

Eric Garsonnin said it’s his experience that on multi-use recreation trails, shared by cyclists and people on foot, “their idea of sharing is, get out of our way, our momentum is important.”

“These days, operating a bike is anything but passive,” said Yolanda Lefort. “Who has the power in this situation? It’s the person with the moving vehicle, of course.”

“Let’s agree, according to the law, pedestrians always have the right of way. There is little chance of being killed or injured by another pedestrian,” said another reader.

“I can’t count the number of times I’ve been walking on a sidewalk or trail and had a cyclist whiz past me at Mach 1 with no warning, scaring the hell out of me,” said Isobel Taylor. “Irrational fear? Not.”

“The onus is on cyclists to slow down in areas where there are pedestrians,” said Pam Powell, adding that her mother, who is nearly blind, “walks every day to see my dad in long-term care. On numerous occasions she has had cyclists (pass) so close she can almost feel them touch her.”

Scott Cathcart, who said he’s been a cyclist in Toronto for 49 years, pointed out a “hierarchy” on roads and trails. “Pedestrians are first in importance. The reasons are plain — no protection and they move less rapidly. Cyclists second.

“In all cases a cyclist has to defer to a pedestrian. A pedestrian can do whatever the heck he/she wants. It’s the bicyclists’ job to ensure their safety.”

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Two things were made clear: Dorken’s viewpoint is rejected even by other cyclists, and that pedestrians have plenty of reason to be afraid, despite the numbers saying they are unlikely to be killed.

In a future column, we’ll share an enlightened email from a cyclist who explained the rights and responsibilities of cyclists and pedestrians better than anyone who commented on Facebook or sent us an email.