Cars, bikes or pedestrians: Who owns the road?

Canada's cities are getting increasingly crowded — particularly in downtown cores. More and more cars are squeezing cyclists off roads, forcing bikes onto sidewalks and squeezing out pedestrians.

In Toronto, Rob Ford has unabashedly attacked the cycling culture, removing bike lanes and famously stating: "What I compare bike lanes to is swimming with the sharks. Sooner or later you're going to get bitten ... Roads are built for buses, cars, and trucks, not for people on bikes. My heart bleeds for them when I hear someone gets killed, but it’s their own fault at the end of the day."

[ Related: Urban cycling advocates raise safety concerns ]

In Vancouver, cyclists continue to push for improved bike path and safety campaigns.

And in Montreal, cyclists have taken to social media and crowd-sourcing to out police safety blitzes and shame drivers who don't respect their right to the road.

According to the Canadian Automobile Association, about 7,500 cyclists are seriously injured each year, most often at an intersection crowded with cars, cyclists and pedestrians. The CAA has set up an educational website about bike safety — but it doesn't take long at any given intersection to see how easily accidents can happen.

[ Take the quiz: Test your bike safety smarts (CAA) ]

Impatient pedestrians cross despite flashing warnings, if at crosswalks at all. Cyclists run lights or stop signs and jump back-and-forth from sidewalks to roads. Cars cut across lanes, turn right without checking for crossing pedestrians or cyclists, or open doors without looking behind them.

As cities get busier and tighter, we all need to figure out how to share the road. So we ask you: How can we reduce accidents and improve safety for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers?

Have your say in the comments area below.