A cyclist was taken to hospital after he was struck in a protected bike lane by a driver that was crossing the lane to get to parking, a nearby resident said.
Vehicle travel on Caledonia Avenue in Victoria was down to one lane on Saturday afternoon around 1 p.m. as first responders dealt with the collision.
An Anawim House resident who did not want his name used said he came upon the injured cyclist and a noticeably dented SUV in the eastbound protected bike lane on Caledonia after hearing a prominent thump.
The resident, who hurried out to render first aid, said the cyclist absorbed the brunt of the impact in his left knee when the driver turned right towards a parkade underneath an apartment building on Caledonia.
“[The driver] just smoked him,” the resident said. “It was a huge dent on the car.”
B.C. Emergency Health Services spokesperson Dan Enjo said paramedics provided emergency care for one person, who was later transported to hospital in stable condition.
Police loaded up the man’s bike — an e-bike with a visible DoorDash food delivery bag mounted on the back — onto a pickup truck around 1:30 p.m.
DoorDash Canada confirmed on Sunday that the cyclist was working on a food delivery at the time the crash.
A company spokesperson said DoorDash has reached out to the cyclist to offer support in navigating the WorkSafeBC process.
Following regulatory changes in September, food couriers are now eligible for workers’ compensation for work-related injuries in B.C., the first province to extend such protections to gig workers in Canada.
Victoria police did not respond to requests for comment.
Bike lanes on Caledonia are partially protected by bollards. Some gaps exist along Caledonia from Blanshard to Cook for vehicles to access buildings.
Note to readers: this story was updated on Jan. 5 with additional information about the cyclist.
