My column today was supposed to be about Montreal’s coming municipal election. But that changed when, early Sunday morning, as most of us were slowly waking up to a gorgeous late-summer weekend, a 31-year-old woman was killed in a collision with a truck on Parc Ave. in the Mile End.

The cyclist was killed near the spot where last November — less than a year ago — an 11-year-old boy died after being hit by a truck while attempting to cross the street. It’s where many who live in or frequent the area have long been saying is dangerous.

Yet, here we are again, mourning another death.

In 2013, 55-year-old Suzanne Châtelain was riding her bike on Parc Ave. when a driver suddenly opened the door of a minivan. When she swerved into the centre of the road to avoid being hit, she fell and was hit by a bus. She later died from severe head injuries.

Drivers opening car doors without looking are a common hazard for cyclists and one of the main reasons why we need more protected bike........

© Montreal Gazette