Video shows SUV driving down separated bike lane in Toronto's east end

A Toronto lawyer and cycling advocate is calling on the city to do more to crack down on drivers who ignore the rules of the road after a video surfaced showing an SUV driving along a separated bike lane in Regent Park.

The video, which was shot near Dundas and Sumach streets at around 8 a.m. on Saturday, shows a dark-coloured SUV with its hazard lights on, driving along a dedicated bike lane for nearly a minute before exiting the bike-only thoroughfare.

“This video demonstrates the blatant disregard of the rules of the road and vulnerable road user safety. With hazard lights engaged, this motorist continues driving in the bike lane despite ample opportunity to exit it,” David Shellnutt, a Toronto lawyer and cycling advocate, said in a statement to CP24.com.

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Shellnutt, who received the video anonymously and shared it on social media, said the city must do more to protect cyclists and pedestrians.

“We call on the City of Toronto to enact automated enforcement measures with cameras. We ask that the City to look into citizen reporting and citizen ticketing as is being considered in New York City, Austin, TX, and other municipalities, with a focus on equity and income geared penalties that increase with each citation,” he continued.

The city did not provide a statement to CP24.com, calling the incident a “police enforcement matter.”