October 20, 2022 - Toronto’s High Park became a focus of controversy in July as police descended on the park to monitor cyclists. Over 60 tickets were issued according to a report on CTV.ca. Many cyclists felt harassed while police stated they were responding to complaints.

David Shellnutt, a personal injury lawyer and cycling advocate who runs @TheBikingLawyer, a popular social media channel, sent an open letter to Mayor John Tory in an attempt to bring down the temperature and find solutions as cyclists voiced concerns.

There were further claims that a man, reported to be an off-duty Toronto Police Services (TPS) officer, assaulted a female cyclist, while another rider was allegedly hit by a TPS SUV. No charges were laid in both incidents. Mayor Tory responded with, “I support the work the Toronto Police are doing.”

Cycle Toronto, a local advocacy group, quickly waded in. A protest ride on Aug. 11 organized by Shellnutt saw approximately 400 riders. An open statement from Shellnutt, Lanrick Bennett Jr. (Bicycle Mayor of Toronto), and Jess Spieker from Friends and Families for Safe Streets, called for municipal leadership to implement infrastructure changes to reduce danger and conflicts for park users, end/review the targeting of cyclists, investigate other incidents, and refocus traffic safety enforcement against dangerous driving.

But incidents continued as police began ticketing cyclists on Shaw St., while a Kitchener man was arrested for two hit-and-run incidents that saw a pedestrian killed and a cyclist injured.

Another hit-and-run in High Park saw Marcel Zierfuss, a former top-level rider for Canada, the victim of verbal abuse. The driver then veered into Zierfuss and eventually braked suddenly in front of him, forcing a rear-end crash, a damaged bike and a bloody nose. Zierfuss said that for the first time he no longer felt safe riding in the city.

Cries of a double standard arose when more videos surfaced showing Toronto bicycle cops failing to obey stop signs and stop lights, while cyclists in High Park and on Shaw St. were targeted for similar alleged infractions.

Shellnutt was adamant against the double standard, but supports the Idaho Stop, as it allows cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs, whereby they can safely bike through efficiently and at low risk — just like the Toronto bike cops did.

In mid-September, Shellnutt sent another open letter to Tory and Chief Ramer of the Toronto Police Services Board requesting the revocation of tickets previously issued in High Park and Shaw St., a thorough review of the merits of enacting the Idaho Stop, the diversion of available funds to Cycle Toronto to assist with safe cycling videos, and the promotion of safe cycling via their social media platforms.