How Cyclists See Toronto

If you had to guess which city would be nicer to ride your bike in, would you choose Toronto, Ontario, Canada or Dallas, Texas, USA?

I'm thinking that most people who don't know either city would guess Toronto. Canadians are usually so well mannered, right? Right?

Here's a post from one Texas cyclist who didn't really enjoy Toronto's downtown cycling scene. I think it should be seen as a wake-up call to anyone who thinks Toronto is doing OK when it comes to cycling...

Second Class in Toronto

I would encourage Torontonians to respond to that post as they see fit... I'm looking forward to seeing their comments on it.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Bike Messengers

The recent killing of a bike messenger by a car in Toronto has spurred a great deal of debate about cyclists, cars, and their behaviour on city streets on most popular media here in Canada. It has become quite apparent that some people really don't approve of bike messengers or cyclists in general, and messengers and many other cyclists are quite prepared to hate them right back.

I've got just a couple of things to say here.

Bike messengers are not representative of most cyclists. To put messengers and cyclists into one bucket is like saying that all motorists are just like long haul truckers. The differences between what urban core messengers do and what most commuter cyclists do are huge. Many bike messengers also live in a subculture that is not particularly mainstream, and I think many who bash them are as much annoyed by their failure to meet certain social norms as by how they ride. All that aside, there is something else important to say.

Bike messengers are specialists who are PAID by people working in urban centres to RIDE LIKE THEY DO. People pay them precisely because they can move aggressively through dense downtown traffic. If you've got a beef with the way bike messengers behave, go tear a strip off the nearest downtown office manager, or lobby local politicians to ban the business. Give these people doing something terribly risky in order to make a living a break. As specialized and seemingly reviled as they are, it is no wonder a subculture has grown up around them. They need it as insulation from all us hypocrites.

I am not a Bike Messenger, and Bike Messengers have not approved this message. Hey, waddaya know? I managed to really rant about bike stuff!

R A N T W I C K

Toronto Cyclist Killed in Altercation

Wow, this one is going to get some serious attention, since the driver may have been a figure of note. See article here. As usual, my advice is to beware the comments section of this article. Just don't engage. The people who put up the craziest and most stupid comments are not worth your time. Please remember that crazy stuff like this is the exception, not the rule. You are as safe or more safe on a bike than you are in a car.

Let's also remember that if every fatality suffered in cars was reported in the news, there would be no time for any other kind of news, and we would all be scared witless of driving.

Pet Peeve: Is there ever an incident in which somebody doesn't automatically call for more bike lanes? There are almost no details available on the incident at this time, but the bike lane mantra can't wait on some silly old facts, it would seem.

Keep it alert yet calm, and nobody gets hurt.

R A N T W I C K