I just saw a link posted over on Velonews about a site called Cycleliciousness. It basically deals with Copenhagen bike culture, along with information to help people around the world to "Copenhagenize" their streets. I've spent some time there and I have to say it felt like bike paradise (well, other than the whole Nordic climate thing).
Cargo bikes? Check! Cycle Commuters outnumbering Cars? Check! Cute Cycle Chix? Check? Fitting lots of C-words into that list? Check!
I'm looking forward to adding this site to my list of bike-nerd rss feeds. Dear Copenhagen: Next time I visit, I'm bringing a bike!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
Critical Mass : Celebrating Friends
It is finally available! 10 years of photos of Toronto’s Critical Mass in a book. That is how long I have been photographing CM and you while riding my bike. I have taken those photos, just over 200 of them in colour and b&w, and put them into a 9″ x 7″ softcover book of 224 pages. Follow this link to purchase yours today, http://www.lulu.com/content/1528476 If you place your order before December 4th you should have it by December 24th.
The following people contributed to the book.
Foreword by Derek Chadbourne
Edited by Rick Conroy
Contributions by (in no particular order) Martin Reis, Tammy Thorne, Roger Moore, Henry Martinuk, Tanya Quinn, Chris Carlsson, Jim Swanson, Leanne Eisen, Margaret Hastings-James, Tooker Gomberg, Paul White aka Steeker, Herb Vanden Dool, Jacob Allderdice, Brandon Zagorski
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Poll: What are 'Sharrows'???
Take this poll to see if you know what 'Sharrows' are. Soon to be on a street near you.
My bicycle license
Got this many eons ago. If memory serves me well, I also had to take a bicycle rodeo course to get it. Regardless, you could not ride in the City if you did not have one. Pincourt is an island between the Island of Montreal and the mainland.
Poll: Licenses, what do you think?
Friday, November 23, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
In somewhat related news, if you have any good bike photos (not season specific) then there's a call out now for Bike Month Poster images.
Metro Hall's booked for the week of Jan7-11 to showcase submissions the top 3 pics which will be printed up as full colour glossy posters.
(Remember this gem submitted by Martin from the spring?)
links can be sent to cboucha@toronto.ca or call me at 416-392-7592 with any questions/ ideas/concerns
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Send us cycling in snow pics!
So we can post them here for all to see. Yes, the above is not a snow pic.
Send the pics to darrenstehr@gmail.com
Please put "Snow Pic" in the subject and nothing larger than 600 pixels across.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Great Bike Art On Richmond
We're pretty lucky in Toronto to have great artists like Janet Bike Girl. You can check out her artwork at the annual and very popular 401 Richmond Marketplace in December. Thursday December 6 - Sunday December 9 / Thursday + Friday 11 - 8 / Saturday + Sunday 11 - 5.Janet's photos on Flickr
Show details
Postcard
Sunday, November 18, 2007
scared/mad
I was riding westbound on the Lakeshore bike lane this afternoon when about 25 metres in front of me, at the corner of Logan and Lakeshore, another rider was crossing into the intersection on a green light. He was moving pretty fast when he was suddenly cut off by a driver making a right turn up Logan. He swerved to avoid the car. His bike slid out from under him and careened into the intersection, while he flew off the bike and hit the pavement.
The driver didn't stop - just carried on, perhaps oblivious to what had happened. When I got to the cyclist he was still lying on the pavement face down. He was spitting blood, his face was a mess, his arm was broken (at least it looked it), he was in shock, but he was conscious. The second person on the scene was an off-duty paramedic who happened to be driving by. I rescued the guy's bike from the road, the paramedic checked him out and called an ambulance. We hung out on the side of the road and waited for them to come and figured out what to do with his bicycle.
It scares me when I think that it could easily have been me riding into that intersection. It really scares me when I think about how much worse the ending to this story could have been. It pisses me off that the city creates infrastructure for cyclists that puts them at danger. It is unfathomable and beyond infuriating to me that the driver didn't see what happened and just drove away.
The driver didn't stop - just carried on, perhaps oblivious to what had happened. When I got to the cyclist he was still lying on the pavement face down. He was spitting blood, his face was a mess, his arm was broken (at least it looked it), he was in shock, but he was conscious. The second person on the scene was an off-duty paramedic who happened to be driving by. I rescued the guy's bike from the road, the paramedic checked him out and called an ambulance. We hung out on the side of the road and waited for them to come and figured out what to do with his bicycle.
It scares me when I think that it could easily have been me riding into that intersection. It really scares me when I think about how much worse the ending to this story could have been. It pisses me off that the city creates infrastructure for cyclists that puts them at danger. It is unfathomable and beyond infuriating to me that the driver didn't see what happened and just drove away.
City orders cyclists to stop imitating.
The City of Toronto issued by-law 3045-49. It orders cyclists to immediately stop imitating the City's car drivers. Cyclists will no longer be able to;
1) Ride on sidewalks
2) Blow red lights
3) Ride the wrong way on one-way streets
4) Operate a bicycle impaired
5) Ride while using a cell phone
The CAA is reportedly very upset with the City because it still allows cyclists to speed and run down the elderly in crosswalks. The CAA said this should remain a privilege of tax paying motorists.
1) Ride on sidewalks
2) Blow red lights
3) Ride the wrong way on one-way streets
4) Operate a bicycle impaired
5) Ride while using a cell phone
The CAA is reportedly very upset with the City because it still allows cyclists to speed and run down the elderly in crosswalks. The CAA said this should remain a privilege of tax paying motorists.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Critical Hot Chocolate and Film Night
Welcome all,
The Community Bicycle Network wishes to thank all the participants of Critical Mass by hosting a warm chocolate filled film night. All are welcome at 8pm, after the ride, at 761 Queen St W (Queen and Euclid).
Hot Chocolate will be supplied inside by Choco-sol, fair trade organic South American coco company on a pay what you can basis.
Films on Nov 30th
8pm
Documentary on Critical Mass Toronto, filmed three Masses back by Ryerson Students
8:30pm
Martin Reis and his stunning shorts
9pm
You Never Bike Alone.. The origins of Critical Mass: Vancouver
For further information, call CBN at 416-504-2918 or come on down.
The Community Bicycle Network wishes to thank all the participants of Critical Mass by hosting a warm chocolate filled film night. All are welcome at 8pm, after the ride, at 761 Queen St W (Queen and Euclid).
Hot Chocolate will be supplied inside by Choco-sol, fair trade organic South American coco company on a pay what you can basis.
Films on Nov 30th
8pm
Documentary on Critical Mass Toronto, filmed three Masses back by Ryerson Students
8:30pm
Martin Reis and his stunning shorts
9pm
You Never Bike Alone.. The origins of Critical Mass: Vancouver
For further information, call CBN at 416-504-2918 or come on down.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
Open house - Revitalizing Union Station
Open house - revitalizing Union Station
This Wednesday, Mayor David Miller and councillors will host an open house in Union Stations’ Great Hall from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. on November 14 to obtain public input for the revitalization of Union Station.
It'de be great to have people drop in whenever possible and voice the need for cycling infastructure as part of this project.
Details and a copy of the Union Station Master plan are at
http://www.toronto.ca/union_station
hope you can make it out.
This Wednesday, Mayor David Miller and councillors will host an open house in Union Stations’ Great Hall from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. on November 14 to obtain public input for the revitalization of Union Station.
It'de be great to have people drop in whenever possible and voice the need for cycling infastructure as part of this project.
Details and a copy of the Union Station Master plan are at
http://www.toronto.ca/union_station
hope you can make it out.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Friday, November 09, 2007
Bicycle Class 101
Hello all,
My name is Geoffrey and Martino recently gave me permission to contribute...and thank you all. I have a serious issue to bring up. I wish to ask all of you who read as to your ideas on a bike class. This class Will be held in the format of Free University and Bike Pirates. I want to build a class on bike with a flexible curriculum and focus.
Classes will be every week, at Bike Pirates...Tuesday nights . Discussions will be formulated by the interests of the people that attend. If one person has a question on bike mechanics, it will be discussed, if one person wants to commit to mechanics, a workshop will be organized by the people interested. If a person wants to talk about bike safety, history, bike lanes,...etc, it will be discussed. Organizing community events is the goal of such a class.
Any thoughts, feedback is a must on this community project in the works.
My name is Geoffrey and Martino recently gave me permission to contribute...and thank you all. I have a serious issue to bring up. I wish to ask all of you who read as to your ideas on a bike class. This class Will be held in the format of Free University and Bike Pirates. I want to build a class on bike with a flexible curriculum and focus.
Classes will be every week, at Bike Pirates...Tuesday nights . Discussions will be formulated by the interests of the people that attend. If one person has a question on bike mechanics, it will be discussed, if one person wants to commit to mechanics, a workshop will be organized by the people interested. If a person wants to talk about bike safety, history, bike lanes,...etc, it will be discussed. Organizing community events is the goal of such a class.
Any thoughts, feedback is a must on this community project in the works.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Sunday, November 04, 2007
a question of style
Right around the same time Tino asked me to contribute to BLD (Thanks, Tino!) another friend sent around this link to a cycling blog from Copenhagen:
http://copenhagengirlsonbikes.blogspot.com/
I have been thinking about the question of bike style ever since. Does a Toronto bike style exist? Or has it been crushed under the heavy weight of the omni-present, monolithic, ever-so-practical, MEC reflective jacket? How about some serious Italian style like this gentleman captured on a Sunday morning on the Piazza della signoria in Florence...
http://copenhagengirlsonbikes.blogspot.com/
I have been thinking about the question of bike style ever since. Does a Toronto bike style exist? Or has it been crushed under the heavy weight of the omni-present, monolithic, ever-so-practical, MEC reflective jacket? How about some serious Italian style like this gentleman captured on a Sunday morning on the Piazza della signoria in Florence...
Thursday, November 01, 2007
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