The death of a 71-year-old Halifax cyclist who collided with a vehicle door is renewing calls for improved safety measures on the road.
“Any death on the road is one death too many,” said Sara Kirk, a Dalhousie University professor and road safety advocate.
The cyclist has been identified as Nouman Ali, an engineering professor at the university.
Dalhousie’s faculty of engineering said in an email to students that Ali was a dedicated professor and researcher and a “pillar” in the department for more than three decades.
“Dr. Ali left a lasting mark through his teaching, research, and service to the university,” the statement read.
“He dedicated his life to education and mentorship, supporting generations of civil engineering students. His research in transportation engineering and pavement design helped make a difference in communities beyond Dalhousie.”
Kirk says she was devastated to hear her colleague was the victim of the collision.
“I was horrified. He was such an incredible academic and a great community member,” she said.
Ali was cycling along Strawberry Hill Street around 1 p.m. on July 17 when the driver of a parked pickup truck opened the door and hit Ali.
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Ali was taken to hospital with what police described as life-threatening injuries, and later died from his injuries.
The truck’s driver was issued a summary offence ticket, but Halifax Regional Police say it was unrelated to the dooring incident.
“The ticket was unrelated, it was for an inspection,” said spokesperson Const. Mandy Paquet. “There have been no other charges in the file but it is still being investigated.”
Paquet adds that the force’s accident reconstruction unit is taking part in the investigation.
For Kirk, the fatal collision is a symptom of larger issues in the municipality, particularly regarding driver awareness and infrastructure that she believes prioritizes cars over other modes of transportation.
“This whole issue that … we do not create safe and supportive environments for people to be moving around if they’re not in a car. And that’s a problem,” she said.
David Trueman, co-chair of the Halifax Cycling Coalition, says he was devastated to hear about Ali’s passing as well.
He notes there are safety precautions drivers can take to prevent “dooring” a cyclist, such as checking their mirrors before getting out or using the Dutch Reach Method.
“So the idea is that you train yourself to use your right hand to reach over to open the door. And in doing so, you’re naturally turned and in your peripheral vision you would catch that there might be someone approaching,” said Trueman.
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Paquet echoes the sentiment that drivers should be aware of possible cyclists and that safety should be a priority for all on the road.
“Especially with more bike lanes coming up in Halifax, we’re seeing more cyclists on the road, so obviously with that you’re going to see more accidents just with the sheer number of people that are on there,” she said.
Ultimately, that’s why Trueman says he believes better infrastructure is needed.
“We need … safe cycling infrastructure. That separates bicycles from cars and trucks,” he said.
