Spotted today as I was riding by at Bloor and Dufferin. (1:30 p.m.) Dedicated to the woman, age 33, that was killed by a dump truck on August 9, 1997. (Very sorry, I do not have the name of the fallen cyclist)
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Third Ghost Bike in Town
Spotted today as I was riding by at Bloor and Dufferin. (1:30 p.m.) Dedicated to the woman, age 33, that was killed by a dump truck on August 9, 1997. (Very sorry, I do not have the name of the fallen cyclist)
Toronto Cyclist Traffic Report
This Traffic report brought to you by the Bike Joint. No bikes for sale but a mechanic with a big heart."Heavy smog this morning all over the city. Take it easy on those uphills. Winds are calm, high humidity.
Drink extra water. Due a subway delay things are moving slowly along Bloor and the Danforth. Slalom time.
Cars are just pylons. Not bad in the bike lanes, although an SUVr at Bloor and Spadina has decided to park in the bike lane and get a double double. What an asshole. I say offer her a free coffee crisp with her free parking spot when she gets back. Happy Bike Week and ride on."
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
It's Just Smog
Today is by far the worst smog day of the year. I have counted over 20 crappy air days thus far, but 'officially' it's only the second. The photo is from the 'Great Smog' in London in the 50s, when thousands died from smog in just one week in London, UK. Source
My concern is this: What is the difference between thousands dying at once or thousands dying over a longer period of time from the same polluted air?
"It'll pass."
That's what they said then. That's what they say now.
So, what is Toronto doing about it?
Read the City Staff Report.
My impression is not much.
I wonder how many people are not riding their bikes on smog days.
(Photo: Spadina & Bloor 3 p.m.)
Bike Week The Big Winner?
Bike Week 2006 got off to an appropriate start yesterday when many TTC commuters were forced to pedal instead of ride.Robert Sangster, a regular cyclist downtown, said he has never had such a hard time finding a spare bike stand to lock up his wheels.
"You never see this many bikes," he said. "I guess Bike Week has really worked with the help of the TTC." Because the GO Train doesn't allow bikes on the train during rush hour, Stuart Retallack says he had to ride to the University of Toronto from Port Credit. "It's been a big inconvenience ... I guess there's no better way to kick off Bike Week," Retallack said. Julie Black says wildcatting TTC workers put the lives of cyclists at risk. "Not only are we breathing in all the fumes from people forced to drive, but there are so many (more) cars on the road a bike rider could get killed," she said. The 17th annual Bike Week, from May 29 to June 11, encourages all Torontonians to ride their bikes. Toronto Sun
CITY OF BICYCLES :: MAY 30 TO JUNE 30
YASI'S PLACE 299 WALLACE AVE. (W. OF LANSDOWNE)
OPEN DAILY 10-6 p.m. TORONTO BIKE WEEK EVENT
View all the images in this photographic installation. Download the images.
They belong to all who ride. Artist Statement
OPEN DAILY 10-6 p.m. TORONTO BIKE WEEK EVENT
View all the images in this photographic installation. Download the images.
They belong to all who ride. Artist Statement
Monday, May 29, 2006
In Praise Of Riding Like A Jerk
In Praise of Riding Like a Jerk. by BillDozerHere at MESS, it's our interest to bring all bicyclists in the urban setting together. And we want not only to bring us together with a cry of unity, but to celebrate the differences that make the city the great American melting pot that it is. On this note, however, I have reached an impasse. There is a division among city cyclists that cuts me to the heart, and I feel the difference is nearly irreconcilable. I'm talking, of course, about commuters versus messengers. This difference is most analogous to the political differences between liberals and radicals. Now, in my last blog, I wrote about how being a bicyclist doesn't make you a revolutionary. I still believe that to be true, but I also believe that riding your bike a certain way can make you like a revolutionary. (read on in the comments or follow the link above)
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Critical Mass May 2006 (Photos by Steeker)
120 riders. Beautiful ride.Nice to see so many friends. Including some new ones like John and Darren Jenkins.
Winnipeg
Shaun Martin said police and some of his fellow cyclists were jawing at one another before all hell broke loose.
"People started arguing with the cops. There's some anti-establishment sentiment going on here. I guess some guys got aggressive and things got out of hand," he said. "It was just crazy. Absolutely crazy."
Police Insp. Steve Pilote said five adults were arrested in total and face traffic-related charges in addition to possible charges stemming from the scuffle that broke out.
Critical Mass members, who gathered outside the Public Safety Building following the arrests, said some cyclists were injured and one might have suffered a broken leg but Pilote said any injuries were relatively minor.
"I don't know of anybody that has any injuries that were of any consequence," he said. "I would expect there might be some scrapes and bumps on both sides but nobody went to the hospital or anything like that."
Several Critical Mass members were arrested earlier this month for allegedly disrupting traffic to protest Operation Charging Bison, a military exercise that took place in Winnipeg.
http://winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg/2006/05/27/1600823-sun.html More
Friday, May 26, 2006
Bicycles? No, Thanks? (Letter to The Star)
Bloor St. makeover excludes cyclists - May 26, 2006.The Bloor St. makeover scheme, while laudable in some ways, is a gross insult to cyclists. There's a dire need for safe east-west bike travel on city streets, yet the city is consistently failing to share our public space well enough for cyclists and address pressing problems like climate change, smog, rising energy prices, peak oil and obesity. Bloor St. is direct, flat and long. The subway beside it offers great access and has also taken away any streetcar tracks which could impede rearranging traffic lanes. For a measly 1 per cent of the total cost of wasting perfectly good wide sidewalks, 8 kilometres of bike lane could be painted onto the street from Sherbourne St. to High Park. Even the $1 million the city has somehow managed to find for the project while claiming poverty and raising taxes, would bring us a real cycling asset. If we in Toronto ever wish to start to make progress on the largely obliterated Toronto Target or our ever-increasing smog problem, we need to provide safety for cyclists. - Hamish Wilson, Toronto - (Original article in the comments) More
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Scorchers Tonight!
Including a couple of my photos.
Congrats to Steve Brearton for curating
a fabulous, inspiring, and fascinating
exhibit. Not to be missed.
Adam Giambrone, Mayor Miller, etc.
Nowhere in sight. Go figure.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
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