Friday, December 25, 2009

Mass On Church Street



mass on Church, originalmente cargada por Commodore Gandalf Cunningham.
Great Shot ... CM ride today Bloor and Spadina  6PM

Thursday, December 24, 2009

CM November video - see Tino blush!



Merry Christmas Cyclists


Cycling Infrastructure, Maintenance, & Stalled Implementation of 2008 & 2009 Approved Bike Lanes

4 December, 2009 - 15:40 — yvonne
Below is a letter that I sent to the General Manager of Transportation Services in mid November.
November 16, 2009
City of Toronto
Transportation Services
Toronto City Hall
100 Queen St. W Floor 23E Toronto, ON M5H 2N2
Attn: Gary Welsh, General Manager - Transportation Services
RE: Cycling Infrastructure, Maintenance, & Stalled Implementation of 2008 & 2009 Approved Bike Lanes
Mr. Welsh,
I am writing to express my deep concern about the state of cycling infrastructure in Toronto, and in particular, about the very limited number of kms of on-street bike lanes that have been installed this year, despite the many kms of bike lanes & contraflow bike lanes that have been approved both this year, and last.
Of the 52.8kms of bike lane projects approved in 2008, only 34.9kms have actually been installed by November 16, 2009. And of the paltry 16.2kms of bike lane and contra-flow bike lane projects approved in 2009, a small fraction of only 0.7kms** has actually been installed. It also appears that none of the proposed 5.3kms of sharrow treatments have been implemented. (** numbers have changed modestly since this letter was written)
While I understand that the municipal strike and federal stimulus projects have been setbacks for staff, neither I nor the members I represent understand, given the very pressing needs of our city’s tax paying cyclists, why your department has not prioritized the implementation of this long overdue cycling infrastructure.
Considering that 2010 will be an election year, and we all know what that means…, what is your department’s plan for not only getting these approved treatments applied, but also, for moving forward with the approval of additional lanes next year? How do you intend to meet the 2012 deadline for completion of the Bike Plan / Bikeway Network? Can we expect to see the lanes mentioned above scuttled until 2011 due to the election?
I understand that the much anticipated arrival of our Public Bike Share program in Summer 2010 will force the cycling department to focus infrastructure enhancements in the downtown core where the program will be rolled out, and that at least initially, the focus will be on the upgrading of existing bike lanes. While I agree that these upgrades are important, I also believe it is essential to add far more on- street bike lanes than are currently envisioned in the Bike Plan. What additional infrastructure is being planned to accommodate the abundant number of existing cyclists in the core, as well as all the new cyclists that will use the public bike program?
While there is some Communication about cycling done by Transportation through Bike Month, and Bike Winter, I am also concerned that not enough thought has been given, or funds allocated, to much needed public education campaigns targeted to ALL road users about road sharing, and our shared responsibilities. We know the power of marketing and communication to affect behavioural change, and yet these seem to have been completely overlooked in the budgeting for the implementation of the Bike Plan. I strongly believe that infrastructure and public education must go hand in hand if we are to successfully incorporate bicycles into our transportation network.
Additionally, while it is heartening to see more bike lanes going in every year, it quite dangerous, and a source of endless frustration for cyclists across the city, to see these lanes serving all too frequently as road-side stopping/parking for cars, delivery trucks and city works vehicles, rather than as dedicated space intended for the safe passage of cyclists. I would like to ask for your support at the November 19th Toronto Police Services Board meeting, and beyond, where I will give a deputation asking that the fine for parking in a bike lane be doubled to $120, and that parking enforcement be instructed to prioritize enforcement/ticketing of vehicles stopped illegally in bike lanes.
Finally, given the yearly increase in the number of Torontonians cycling year-round, and the encouragement that seems to come from the cycling department to ride all winter through the ‘Bike Winter’ program and ‘Coldest Day of the Year’ ride, I would like to know if Transportation Services will be helping to keep cyclists safe on the road this winter by clearing snow out of bike lanes (rather than using them to store snow), and off of paths across the city? The winter snow clearing pilot done along a portion of the Martin Goodman Trail in 08/09 was well received by all the trail users, pedestrians and cyclists alike – will this maintenance be repeated and extended during the winter 09/10 season?
On behalf of all members & supporters of the Toronto Cyclists Union, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to review and consider the concerns and questions expressed above, and for the work you and your cycling team do on our behalf.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Yvonne Bambrick Executive Director, Toronto Cyclists Union
http://bikeunion.to
@ Centre for Social Innovation
215 Spadina Ave. Suite 400
Toronto, ON M5T 2C7

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Charley in New Town (1948)


'New Town' is an entry in a Central Office of Information-sponsored animated series featuring the everyman character Charley, and promotes an escape from grimy, smoggy towns and arduous commutes to work. ...

Monday, December 21, 2009

A New Brazilian Wedding



casorio_willian_priscila21, originalmente cargada por luddista.
Wedding Willian & Priscila, Sao Paulo | Brasil

Kris Kingle Mass December 25



Frohe Weihnachten II, originalmente cargada por photo-maker.
KrisKringleMass - Critical Mass December 25th. 
Bloor and Spadina Meet 6PM Ride 6:30PM. 
Bring something to share.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Ghost Bike For Al Sheppard Moved


Due to construction the Ghost Bike for Al Sheppard had to be moved to the nearest ring post.
Photo taken this morning. Big thanks to the Bike Pirates for the heads up work.

West Texas Bicycle Ride

Sunday, December 13, 2009

The Mayor Afraid To REALLY Stand Up For Toronto Cyclists (Updated)


Profile: David Miller
Became mayor in Nov. 2003. He will pass on the torch of shame to the next mayor in late 2010. He inherited a 10-year Bike Plan (2001) which called for 495 km of bike lanes. Thus far 112km have been built ... never mind everything else 'the plan' called for. Here is a fine article in the paper today saying the same thing.

Quote:"I've always been a strong believer that bicycling is an essential part of Toronto's transportation strategy. 
That’s why we have developed the Toronto Bike Plan which is a comprehensive cycling promotion strategy encompassing: bicycle friendly streets, a bikeway network, safety and education, bike parking, and promotion of combining cycling and transit." (2007)

He is in Copenhagen today bragging about how much he has done to combat climate change. I rode my bike to work today choking on car exhaust and trying hard not get doored. Got the Message.

In the meantime, I have some advice for Mayor Miller: Come out for just one critical mass, one memorial ride for a fallen cyclist or even show some real appreciation for bike culture.  One bike photo-op per year during Bike Month ain't enough.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

The Star Map - How We Commute


http://www3.thestar.com/static/googlemaps/starmaps_090610.html?xml=091021_commuting_cyclists.xml

Bike Pirates On Holiday

Yarrr!! The Pirates say:
"Please note that we will *most likely* be closed all of the shifts the week of Christmas - Starting Monday December 21 to Saturday December 26.
This is due to two of our prominent keyholders having to leave the city. We will post changes to our hours (due to illness, bad weather or apathy) on the front page of our website whenever possible so please watch that space." www.bikepirates.com

Friday, December 11, 2009

Dapper in the Bike Lane



DSCN0847, originalmente cargada por adl2k.
 Photo: Tweed Ride Chicago

 More Dapper in the Bike Lane Photos (NPR)

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Bloor Cycle Redux (new photo)



Back alley southwest of Bloor and Dufferin.

Postcards by Tino


A selection of original  Toronto Cycling Postcards  are available exclusively  at the fine Hoopdriver Bicycles on College  (just east of Dufferin)   More samples

Monday, December 07, 2009

A Better Ring?



http://www.cyclehoop.com/

Features

  • Simple, elegant and robust.
  • Clamps onto existing street furniture.
  • Quick and easy to install around the city.
  • Compact design saves space and reduces street clutter.
  • Prevents bicycles falling over and blocking pedestrians.
  • Secure design reduces the risk of bicycle theft.
  • The perfect solution for increasing cycle parking in cities.

Anti-bike Mayor Miller in Copenhagen




Mayor Miller in Copenhagen: 
"Oh, that's what real bike-friendly city looks like."

Witnesses Sought Queen & Shaw - Nov. 25


Saturday, December 05, 2009

A Brace o' Ha' Pennies... Hey!!



A Brace o' Ha' Pennies... Hey!!, originalmente cargada por whymcycles.
1997 By Schwinn.

Thursday, December 03, 2009

Logan's Azuki (Bike Glam)



logan's azuki, originalmente cargada por ( kurtz ).

For The Birds

Street Art Richmond and Spadina

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

A Ghost Bike For Mississauga


Memorial ride and ghost bike for an unknown cyclist killed in Mississauga on November 25, 2009. Thank you to all who rode and the awesome Bike Pirates for providing the Ghost Bike.
Scott Ossington wrote about the ride with many photos here

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Monday, November 30, 2009

Fox On Bike (by Sara Thielker)

Toronto Star Editorial

Published On Mon Nov 30 2009 - Of Bikes and the City

Amsterdam is known as "The Bike City," but Toronto remains a long way from earning any such designation. The evidence for that is painfully apparent, from city hall to the city's streets.

City hall recently spent $10,000 on an in-house program that involved buying 10 high-end Dutch bicycles for environmentally conscious municipal workers to use during the day instead of a car. The program was launched in June, but the bikes have been used by city employees just 28 times since then. This from a city workforce large enough to represent Canada's sixth largest government.

Perhaps there would be better uptake for the program if there were more safe places to ride. But Toronto has been disappointingly slow in following its own bike-lane plan. That strategy originally called for creating 500 kilometres of on-street bike lanes by 2011. With less than half that amount completed, the deadline has now been pushed back to 2012.

And even where bike lanes are already established, the cycling community doesn't appear to get much respect. A rival newspaper recently found a police cruiser illegally parked in an Annette St. bike lane. When even those obliged to enforce the law feel free to ignore a rule designed to accommodate cyclists, it becomes obvious that a cycling culture has yet to take root here.

Toronto's bike plan directs the municipality to "shift gears toward a more bicycle friendly city." Unfortunately, some key spokes appear to be missing. (Note: Meanwhile, Montreals' Bixi program appears to be a big success. Go figure.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

New Bike-Friendly Cafe Opening Next Week


SONIC will open on December 1st at onCecil Street just east of Spadina. Check it out.

Postcards by Tino

A selection of original 
Toronto Cycling Postcards 
are available exclusively 
at the fine Hoopdriver Bicycles on College 
(just east of Dufferin)  


More samples

Friday, November 27, 2009

kickin' cars - street art cluj napoca


HA!

Fossil Fuels


Thursday, November 26, 2009

Rafaele 'Drive'


"Mucho macho no vale mucho." (Lola Flores) Translation: Too much macho ain't worth much. 
BUT ... some of the wildest fixie tricks ever.

Making Cyclist Harrassment Illegal

More info on making Cyclist harrassment illegal;
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/06/cyclist-harassment-against-the-law.php

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Bike Birdy



., originalmente cargada por tocvo.
by Charles O'Hara

La Linea 215

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Bike Symbols added to Bike Lanes



Bike Symbols added to Bike Lanes, originalmente cargada por Times-Up.
New York (2008)

Cops Get Caught Parking In The Bike Lane

News Toronto & GTA
Bike lane backlash
Cop spotted by Sun parked illegally to get his lunch gets dressing down from superiors
By BRYN WEESE, SUN MEDIA

A police officer returns from a west-end cafe after leaving his cruiser in the bike lane on Annette St. for at least 20 minutes. (Bryn Weese, Sun Media)
A Toronto Police officer who parked his cruiser in a bike lane to get his lunch is getting no love from his superiors, who are coming down hard on his "stupid" and "unacceptable" actions.

On Sunday,the Sun witnessed a city cop sitting inside the Grillway Cafe, at Runnymede Rd. and Annette St., while his cruiser was blocking a bike lane on Annette.

The officer was parked there for at least 20 minutes before leaving the cafe with a can of pop and a paper lunch bag.

But instead of protecting their own, Toronto Police brass called the officer's parking actions "stupid" and "unacceptable."

EXAMINE ISSUE
Last week, cycling advocates brought the issue of blocking bike lanes for non-emergency reasons to the attention of the Toronto Police Services Board, which asked Chief Bill Blair to examine the issue.

"That's not kosher at all. It's right in our procedures that, outside of exigent circumstances, you do not park illegally, and that includes in bike lanes," said Sgt. Tim Burrows, of the force's traffic services department. He added higher-ups at the force were "incensed" when they heard about the Annette St. incident.

http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2009/11/24/11900526-sun.html

Monday, November 23, 2009

The Guardian Bike Blog


The Guardian Newspaper publishes a very good Bicycle blog. Hmm. 


How come Toronto's media including the CBC cannot get it act together on this? Graphic by Marriedtothesea

Rollin'.



Rollin'., originalmente cargada por somnambulant.
By Wes Hodgson, along the Elora Cataract Trailway

Sunday, November 22, 2009

CBN | 5TH ANNUAL TORONTOTHEBETTER MOVIE SERIES


Community Bicycle Network is pleased to announce, on behalf of Toronto the Better (www.torontothebetter.net), the upcoming bicycle film event:

2009/10  5TH ANNUAL TORONTOTHEBETTER MOVIE SERIES

[WWW.TORONTOTHEBETTER.NET]
We invite you to PWYC Movies, Discussion and Action about everyday economic choices for A BETTER TORONTO AND A BETTER WORLD

NOVEMBER, 2009  MOVIE, DISCUSSION, ACTION: Bicycling in Toronto:
- Where Are We, Where did we Come From?

- Where Are We Going?

PEDAL POWER 

(double bill with “The Bicycle fighting AIDS with Community Medicine”)
When? Tuesday Nov.24th @ 8.30 PM

Where? OISE Room 5-260,  252 Bloor St West


Plus TorontotheBetterPrizes, Shopping Cards and Photo Auction

Logo for Pedal Power Design by Warren Brown  

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Friday, November 20, 2009

Women & Bikephobia


The Toronto Star had a very good article about women and cycling in Toronto a subject which Nancy Smith Lea has done some great reserach on.

In particular, the city should take note of Nancy Smith Lea findings but are they listening? Tragically, no. Read Nancy's fine article here:http://nancy.smithlea.ca/?page_id=3

Photo: Bloor and Yonge Street with  new sharrows.

College and Manning 9:20 AM


Where the Bike Lane begins and ends. Meanwhile the rhetoric at City Hall goes on. Quote from Mayor Miller at a transit symposium on Thursday:

"The City of Toronto is not building any new roads," he said. "Our goal is to accommodate all future transportation use by a combination of cycling, walking and public transit."

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Park In The Bike Lane? Welcome to Toronto!


Photo: ARC and it's Guaranteed Bike Lane Action

Star Article The Star reporter, without hardly even trying, catches driver parked in the bike lane for 15 minutes doing paperwork and playing with Blackberry.

You could call and report it: 416-808-6600 (but please don't hold your breath)

The New Scooter Lane



Photo: Gabi Sarlay.
Toronto, earlier this week.

Bad Cyclists? Nah, Mostly Just Bad Drivers


Another fine article in the Guardian The myth of the evils of cycling bad behaviour ...

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Action Alert


Action Alert: Fine Increase & Added Enforcement for Bike Lane Parking infractions!





 
Reply
 

Toronto Cyclists Union

 to Tino
show details 4:00 PM (20 hours ago)
ACTION ALERT:  lend your voice in support of added enforcement for parking/stopping in bike lane infractions, and to double this fine from $60 to $120.

RE: Toronto Police Services Board meeting, Nov 19, 2009

The Toronto Cyclists Union will be making a written and in-person deputation asking that the fine for parking / stopping in a bike lane be doubled to $120, and that Toronto Police - Parking Enforcement be compelled to have it's officers begin prioritizing the ticketing of all manner of vehicles stopped or parked illegally in bike lanes throughout the city.

**Please take 5 minutes before 10am on Thursday November 19th to email your support for both of these requests being made on your behalf by the Toronto Cyclists Union.

TO: alok.mukherjee@tpsb.caJoanne.Campbell@tpsb.ca
CC: <Hugh.Smith@torontopolice.on.ca>, <lpawlow@toronto.ca> , <fbalda@toronto.ca>, <info@bikeunion.to>

Subject: Bike Lane Parking Enforcement & Fine Increase

*Here is some text you can use - or compose your own:

As a cyclist (and occasional driver - if this is the case) in Toronto, I would like to express my support for an increase in the set fine amount for parking / stopping in a bike lane to $120.

Additionally, I believe that Parking Enforcement Officers should prioritize more rigorous enforcement of the no-stopping in bike lanes bylaw.

Cars, delivery trucks and buses parked in bike lanes are a serious threat to the safety of cyclists in Toronto.  Cyclists are most vulnerable when they are forced to swerve out of a bike lane to go around motor vehicles stopped in the lane dedicated to the safe passage of cyclists.

Sincerely,
Your name
Toronto Cyclists Union member / supporter.

Thanks for taking a few minutes to help us improve cycling conditions in Toronto!  Thi s is a first, but very important step towards getting motor vehicles out of bike lanes.

Cheers,
Yvonne

-::- -::- -::- -::-Please forward this to your friends!

Monday, November 16, 2009

1960 Bowden



1960 Bowden, originalmente cargada por hebegbeez.
The Future is now or, hey, never was. Thanks to Todd Tyrtle for the find.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Toronto's Specter Pastes Up Brooklyn



IMG_4435, originalmente cargada por jakedobkin.
Stylish!