A motorcyclist was taken to hospital after a collision with a dog on the 6300 block of Headquarters Road, north of Courtenay, Friday afternoon.
“This was a motorcycle versus a dog,” said Courtenay Fire Department Chief Don Bardonnex. “A dog came out of the driveway and the motorcyclist hit it. He [motorcyclist] is stable, fortunately, with minor injuries, getting transported to hospital. We aren’t sure whether it ran out in front of him, or if he just didn’t see it.”
The dog, identified as a yellow lab, died as a result of the collision.
This was the second motor vehicle incident involving a motorbike in the Comox Valley in less than 24 hours.
Thursday evening a motorcycle was involved in a collision with a car on Fitzgerald Avenue. No further details were available on that incident.
Bardonnex said with the improved weather, there are more motorbikes on the road.
“Motorists in general… It’s hard to see the cyclists,” he said. “They have their lights on all the time, but people take quick looks when they are pulling out of intersections and driveways. Take a little bit longer during the summer. There are going to be a lot more motorcyclists, and cyclists, coming out.
“So we just have to be a little bit more aware. As soon as this weather comes around, more bikes are on the road, and the more bikes there are on the road, the more likelihood there is of accidents. Everybody looks for cars, but they just can’t seem to get it into their heads to look for something smaller as well.”