The BC Human Rights Tribunal is hearing a complaint that the City of Victoria's bike lanes, particularly on Pandora Avenue, are biased against people who are blind. (Black Press Media file photo)
Hearing begins into blind community's complaint against BC Transit, City of Victoria
Complainant says bike lane infrastructure biased against blind pedestrians
A human rights complaint against the City of Victoria and BC Transit began this week.
Issued by vice-president Oriano Belusic on behalf of the Canadian Federation of the Blind, the complaint contends Victoria bike lane infrastructure, particularly on Pandora Avenue, is biased against people who are blind and creates safety issues for them when they try to get to 'floating bus stops,' which are stationed on medians accessed only by crossing the street's busy bike lane.
In July 2018, Belusic told Black Press Media that trying to get to the bus stop was like "playing Russian roulette."
"Without eye contact, you really don't know if you're going to get whacked by a bike," he said.
In its claim, the Federation of the Blind asks the City of Victoria to rip out the floating bus stop islands and allow buses to pick up riders from the sidewalk.
The hearing is set to run from Aug. 10 to 28.
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