Bike Lane Diary

Happy Bike week!

Like the over 120 people who signed the petition on the first day, these
Cyclists make Toronto great.

These wonderful people are riding their bikes across Canada
to raise funds for Cancer Research. Inspiring.
Way to go Maxine and Dave!

From the Prelinger Archives.

Last photographed Feb. 22.

From the Star this morning (p. B2): Go West, cyclists
Leafy Royal York Rd. will get bicycle lanes as part of reconstruction of the street from Mimico Creek to Usher Ave. in central Etobicoke. City Council spent most of the morning yesterday discussing the painting of lines to mark the bike lanes before approving them in a 37-1 vote.
What isn’t said is that they aren’t proper bike lanes – 1.25 m instead of 1.5 m, and the only reason they’re happening is that a few people pushed Council into a corner. Without the pressure (for which we were royally dumped on), nothing would have been done about delineating space for cyclists. The lanes would have remained "bicycle friendly," without any markings.

Comments from some people who were there at City Hall for the vote:
"As far as we're concerned, 1.25 m is the new standard width for bike lanes in Toronto. The next time a reconstruction project like this comes up in a suburban area, someone will be pushing for 1.0 m. By the time Glenn gets bike lanes in Scarborough (if he ever does), they'll be down to 0.5 m, and he'll be telling cyclists in Scarborough they should be happy, because that's the best compromise he could get.
There's a saying somewhere about those whose goal is compromise had better be ready for defeat.
It would all have been a bit more palatable if Giambrone, De Baeremaeker and Chow had defined the goal as 1.5 m bike lanes, and made it clear that they were conceding something. But they didn't. Their starting point was compromise. The dictionary definition of compromise, by the way, is: the settlement of a dispute by mutual concession. In this case, one side did all the conceding. Nobody, at any point, suggested narrowing the travel lanes for motor vehicles in order to accommodate full bike lanes.

In this world, there are givers and takers. In this city, cyclists and pedestrians are the givers. Bless us all for our generosity."

Personal note: Despite our 'bike-friendly' councillors almost ruining the whole plan ... west-end activists like Rhona and Janice and Martin Koob and many others fought the good fight to make it happen. ;-)

Yonge north of St. Clair.

A big thank you to all who came out to ride (about 60 or so). I also wish to thank
Darren Stehr, Dan Abramsky, Marichka Melnyk, the Kuellmer Family and Jessica.
A very moving ride. More photos soon.
For great panorama photo by Jun Nogami click here


Darren Stehr (photo above) did an amazing job documenting the ride with his photos

Ride of Silence. Please join me and other cyclists at Bloor and Spadina (southeast corner) at 7 P.M on Wednesday, May 18th. This ride is being held on the same day in many other cities all over North America.

Dan Abramsky and I will be on CBC Radio this afternoon, around
3:30 p.m. talking about tonights ride. Listen in.

There is also a second ride in the East End available. For more information on this ride please download this flyer (.pdf)

Many more Bike Photos on the Flickr website which is currently running
a Photo contest called 'Coolbikes'.

6:35 p.m.

This photo came via email from a reader of this blog. Location and photographer unknown.
I will let the image speak for itself.

Results from the BBC vote for Best Technological Innovation since 1800:

Bicycle - 59%
Transistor - 8%
Electro-magnetic induction ring - 8%
Computer - 6%
Germ theory of infection - 5%
Radio - 5%
Internet - 4%
Internal combustion engine - 3%
Nuclear power - 1%
Communications satellite - 1%

Makes you think, does it not?

A great place along Dundas East. I'd call it Cycle Sanity.

Found this one a long time ago I forget where. Makes me laugh every time.
Never mind the bullochs? ;-)

According to a letter ARC received from a suburban Toronto
Councillor, all cyclists should be required to wear bright clothing
when they ride. I guess if there is no strength in numbers
then you might as well stand out.

If you can.
Top photo by Fred Askew. Used by permission.

Installation by David Woodward.

Artwork by Sally McKay.

Happy May Day! Image contributed by Chris. Photographer and location unknown. (US?)