BikingToronto - Information about Cycling in Toronto

I was rather amazed to read that headline in the Toronto Sun, quoting City Councillor Michael Thompson of Scarborough (a pretty car-friendly and cyclist-hostile place, infrastructure-wise) about the causes of the horrific crash of a big truck last week that killed a wife and mother instantly:

It's the drivers who use the intersection where a 39-year-old mother was killed Wednesday who are the problem, not the design, the city councillor for the area said yesterday.
"It's people being inattentive," Councillor Michael Thompson said yesterday at the scene.
"It seems to me that very intelligent people get into the cars and it dumbs them down."

Labels: carnage, news

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Toronto is now officially planning to be the Greenest city in North America

Whether these plans actually come to fruition is the most important question, but knowing the answer... what we want to do... is a good start:

First off, the city wants to set up a program called "Live Green Toronto" that will encourage individuals, residents' groups, and other neighbourhood organizations to take action in areas such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, local food production, water conservation, tree planting, green roofs, compact fluorescent, and the use of native plants. I like what I'm hearing! Let's just hope they can deliver the goods.

Other eye-opening details include: doubling the amount of trees (from 17% to 34%), mandating that taxis and limousines shift their entire fleets to hybrid or low-emission vehicles, establishing a program to promote roof gardens, and expanding the bike lane/trail network from 300 km to 1,000 km.

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New Map on BikeFriday!

This friday is the 12th monthly BikeFriday!

Last friday I added a new feature to the BikeFriday site - a map that has all the group commutes / bikepools on it. There are little green bike icons at all the start points.

I've also put a red marker at the Grassroots-Annex store, as I think they're doing a Bikers Breakfast this friday, but am waiting for them to confirm it, so that's tentative at the moment...

There's another breakfast event in the works too... stay tuned!

Go to the BikeFriday site to see the new map! :)

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Photo of the Day: Mon, July 23rd

Toronto Bike Week: Bicycle Polo

More Bike Polo!

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Photo of the Day: Sun, July 22nd

posted by Joe on Sunday, July 22, 2007

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Photo of the Day - Sat, July 21st

posted by Joe on Saturday, July 21, 2007

Ride for Heart: the Gardiner

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The whole Adult Bike Helmet Issue... Again

posted by Joe on Friday, July 20, 2007

This will be in the news forever.

Today, it's a Globe & Mail news item about mandatory helmet use by all cyclists.

What these articles NEVER mention is that in accidents involving car occupants and/or pedestrians, the injured are NEVER wearing helmets. If it's much more likely that someone will be hurt while in a car or as a pedestrian, shouldn't helmets be mandatory for them?

I've posted about this before, using official statistics from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, but if you don't feel like reading my earlier post, here's the most important bits:

I find it interesting that only about 10% (~500 out of ~5000) of traumatic head injuries suffered by children happened while cycling - yet helmets are mandatory for them. 90% of child traumatic head injuries did NOT happen while cycling.

only about 2.5% (~300 out of ~12,000) of traumatic head injuries suffered by adults happened while cycling. 97.5% of traumatic head injuries did NOT happen while cycling. In fact, most of them happened in motor vehicle accidents.

I used to wear a helmet. Now I don't.

Wearing a helmet does not determine whether I get hit by a car or not. Whether I get hit or not depends on the driver, and that I ride my bike in a safe manner (which I do).

It's a given that if I suffer a head injury, it will be less serious if I am wearing a helmet. However, given that according to the CIHI, only about 300 adults are hospitalized per year with cycling-related head injuries... the chances of me being hit and suffering a head-related injury that a helmet could mitigate is very small.

Of 2500 Major Head Injuries Annually in Ontario
49% motor vehicle involvement - including pedestrians, excluding cyclists
35% falls, 6% homicide, 2% suicide, 6% other causes
less than 2% Cycling
(Source: Canadian Institute For Health Information 2001/2002) [link]

I base my behaviour on the statistics. Not the hysteria.

Also, and this is a biggie... biking is a lot more fun without a helmet. Try it on some quiet sidestreets and you'll thank me.

Good links:

[source]

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Toronto's Weekly Carnage

posted by Joe on Friday, July 20, 2007

Bicycle, motorcycle accident leaves two hurt

Two people have been rushed to hospital after a motorcycle and bicycle collided in north Thornhill this morning.

Charges Likely In Fatal Big Rig Crash

A 39-year-old woman was killed instantly, while seven others were hurt including a driver who's in critical condition. A father managed to grab his child out of a baby stroller before the truck mowed it down, leaving behind a crumpled heap of twisted metal and fabric.

Kitchener senior killed in Richmond Hill hit and run

The driver of the vehicle that struck and killed a 70-year-old man out for a walk in Richmond Hill Tuesday night fled the accident scene, York Regional Police say.

Man charged after truck hits wife

A 74-year-old Burlington man is charged with dangerous driving causing death after a pick-up truck hit his wife.

Truck Rolls On 401 West, Causing Major Traffic Chaos

"The rig overturned, slid 80 metres on its right side. The cab burst into flames," he described. "We were afraid of an explosion (so) actually closed the westbound express and collectors for awhile."

Car strikes boy, 14, on bicycle on Chemong Road

A 14-year-old boy was taken to Peterborough Regional Health Centre last night with unknown injuries after he was struck by a car while crossing Chemong Road on his bike.

Motorist Hurt In Crash

A driver was rushed to hospital in serious condition after his car crashed into a pole near Islington and Finch at about 4:30am Monday.

Tractor Trailer Rollover Injures One, Shuts Down 401 Ramp At Islington

A tractor trailer rollover Sunday evening sent one man to hospital with serious injuries and caused the closure of the Islington off-ramp from the eastbound 401.

Man Lucky To Be Alive After Car Rollover

A man believed to be in his 30s, was taken to hospital and treated for minor injuries after his car rolled over on the Queensway at Windermere early Sunday.

Teen dies in single-car accident east of Toronto

A 15-year-old girl is dead after being ejected in a car crash near Uxbridge, east of Toronto, early Friday morning.

"In a split second, as a result of a drunk driver, my whole world has been destroyed," says Zhang. "My loving wife is gone forever and my son is clinging to life."

TTC Reminds T.O. Drivers About Passenger Safety

If you've ridden on a Toronto streetcar or bus, more than likely it's happened to you at least once. There you are, stepping off a TTC vehicle minding your own business, when out of nowhere comes a speeding car, ignoring signage and safety.

About Toronto's Weekly Carnage:
Toronto's Weekly Carnage is inspired by NYC's Streetsblog Weekly Carnage feature. The aim of this series of posts is to bring attention to the death and destruction wrought by automobiles and an auto-centric culture. Pursuing policies promoting walking, cycling and public transit could help reduce the carnage.

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Photo of the Day - Fri, July 20th

posted by Joe on Friday, July 20, 2007

Sidewalk Cycling
(which is bad, of course)

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South East Toronto Bicycle User Group Meeting Tonight

From the BikingToronto Inbox:

TONIGHT Thurs. July 19th, 7 - 9

SET-BUG (South East Toronto Bicycle User Group), formerly the Dundas EAST group, also known as BEAST (Bike East) will meet here at South Riverdale Community Health Centre (955 Queen St. East.)

Agenda:

1. Happy moment: the Greening of Dundas has begun!

2. Uncertain but optimistic - Bike Lanes on Eastern Avenue and Leslie, review status and proposed north south connector.

3. Maybe Sad - looks like Dundas Bridge may remain a "missing bikelane link" (even though recently reconstructed). See Martin Koob's recent article http://biketoronto.ca

Contact info:

Paul Young

Health Promoter, South Riverdale Community Health Centre
955 Queen St. East,
Toronto, ON, M4M 3P3
tel (416) 461-1925 ext. 241
fax (416) 469-3442

paul@srchc.com

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Bridging the Railyards at CityPlace

Dealing with railways and highways in Toronto are a fact of life when cycling this city. In many places only the major "arterials" tunnel under or bridge over these man-made barriers, which makes crossing them a challenge, as it requires biking on a major road.

Every once in a while though, there's a piece of good planning that creates a tunnel or bridge that connects two formerly seperated areas of the city. One that I discovered this past winter is a little tunnel that ducks under the railway tracks at the south end of Monarch Park. It's a good alternative to dealing with busy traffic on Greenwood or Coxwell in the winter... although in the summer the Coxwell Hill between the Danforth and Gerrard is a whole lot of fun.

Anyways, the Star wrote about a proposed bridge in the new CityPlace condo neighbourhood that would connect it with Portland Street at Front - tying it into the city north of the railyards, as well as building another connection between downtown and the lake.

The proposed 120-metre bridge would allow pedestrians, cyclists, baby strollers, wheelchairs, joggers, rollerbladers – anything but a car – to safely cross the rail corridor and step right into CityPlace's planned 3.2-hectare North Linear Park. From there, a plotted extension of Dan Leckie Way would lead under the Gardiner Expressway down to the water's edge.

Another great option for getting to the lake without worrying too much about cars.

The article also mentions some other improvements to connect the harbourfront with the rest of the city:

» Construction has begun on a $50-million tunnel to join Simcoe and Lower Simcoe Sts., where several highrise projects are underway. Developers and the city are splitting the costs and work is expected to be completed next year.

» Waterfront Toronto hopes to eventually take Trinity St. from its present terminus in the Distillery District, past the railway tracks and Lake Shore Blvd. down to the waterfront.

» Pedestrian-friendly upgrades are in the works for underpasses at Yonge and York Sts.

It should be noted, that the Yonge tunnel under the railyards is on the list for bikelanes too!

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U of T Scarborough forms new Bikeshare program

Well, CBN's BikeShare is dead... but it's being resurrected on the UofT Scarborough campus:

The initiative, a partnership between the university's student union and the UTSC Bike Movement, aims to encourage an alternative and cost-efficient way of meeting students' transportation needs as the majority use vehicles to get around.
BikeShare at UTSC has received a number of grants and bursaries for the program.

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Photo of the Day: Thurs, July 19th

Bicycle Man on the Beach, in the Beach(es)

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Around the World: How To Find Your Bike at Amsterdam Central

I think every cyclist has a yearning to go to Europe, to see what bike-friendly cities look like first-hand.

The Amsterdam Central Train Station Bike Garage (Architecture Week article) is probably the most photographed parking garage in the world. It was designed specifically for parking 2500 bikes.

But what happens when you can't find your ONE bike in that 2500? The Star has re-printed a Washington Post article about that.

Mary Frances Cullen – Irish, 63, with dyed auburn hair and quick green eyes – sees the lost-bike frenzy dozens of times a day.
Unlike automobile drivers, cyclists don't have keys with panic buttons. At Amsterdam Central, they have Cullen and her crew of bike attendants.
Cullen, who wears a neon lime-green vest, works out of a yellow box on the first floor to help bicyclists in distress. Before this job, she spent eight years causing bikers distress: She was on the city squad that rounded up illegally parked bikes from bridges, lampposts and sidewalks and hauled them to the bicycle pound outside town.

Anyone else thinking that Union Station needs something like this? All those commuters coming in on GO Trains can hop on a bike to get to their downtown office jobs.

[photo credit]

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Around the World: Bicycle "Deathmatch" in Berkeley

I originally saw this on SFist (sister site of Torontoist) - but it looks like the YouTube video has been taken down, so I tracked down another version of it for you. Apparently a car driver drove right into a Critical Mass crowd, crushing 3 bikes and injuring 2 people.

It's rather disturbing, but if you want to watch:

Especially disturbing is the fact that although the cyclists asked police to press charges against the driver, the police refused. The police also refused to interview other drivers who said the driver was at fault and only interviewed other people in the offending vehicle.

I just noticed that this happened back in mid-May... but the Bicycle Civil Liberties Union has a lot of media links about it. Apparently, most coverage was not favourable towards the cyclists.

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Pickering Bike Cops: Making A Difference

I posted about Toronto Bike Cops yesterday... so here's an article for you 905ers in Dufferin Region, and Pickering specifically. Looks like Bike Cops are useful everywhere!

Two police officers on bicycles are patrolling the city's parks and green spaces in a partnership between police and the city. The patrols began in June and run through mid-September. They target specific problem areas.

So far, the bike patrol unit has charged 63 people for various offences including drug possession, liquor violations and engaging in prohibited activities.

How about the rest of the 905? Anyone in York or Peel Regions seen a Bike Cop presence lately?

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The New Family Car is a Bike

Green Living Magazine (which, if I recall correctly, started publication years ago as a City of Toronto environmental newsletter) has a really nice article on the growing movement of commuting with kids not by car but by bike, and has tips about making the transition:

A common sight in the streets of Amsterdam is Mom or Dad peddling the children around town. The kids perch casually on the freight rack at the back or in what can only be described as a cargo box in front of the handle bars. Most have the air of being bored, as if this kind of circus performance was actually the height of tedium. And truth be told, in a land where bicycles rule the road, one can excuse them for appearing unexcited about a family trip to the grocery store.

But here in North America, where the family car has morphed into a gigantic beast with cupholders and individualized climate control for everyone, such plucky devotion to the bicycle seems adoringly quaint and European. We could all use a little more Europe in our lives and what better place to start than with the good ol’ bike?

Green Living has a lot of environmental driving stories (it's a Canada-wide magazine now), but they have another bikey one called "City Cycling: It's the cheapest, fastest, healthiest way to get around" that you can check out.

Check out this BikingToronto post from May if you're interested in that "what can only be described as a cargo box in front of the handle bars" thing... a Bakfiets (Dutch Cargobike).

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Photo of the Day - Wed, July 18th

Baring It

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Around the World: ESPN says Bicycles are the new SUV

Jim Caple of ESPN (which is apparently known for poor cycling coverage) has a piece called 10 reasons you'll want to watch this year's Tour de France. Number 10 is Bicycles are the new SUV:

More importantly, it's good for you, good for the environment and good for the country. Who is more patriotic, the person who commutes to work on a bike, or the guy who slaps a U.S. flag decal on his SUV that gets 12 miles per gallon?

Buying gas gets soldiers killed.

This counts for Canadians in Afghanistan too. We're there because terrorists drove planes into the World Trade Centre, because they've long been upset that western countries have been stationing troops in their countries for easy access to oil.

[via Commute by Bike]

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Around the World: Self-Appointed Saint Cyclists in England

Interesting article from the BBC yesterday about cyclists acting morally superior over in England. This is in no doubt spurred on by the cycling-friendly policies of the larger cities like London.

But has cycling become too politicised? Might government-funded campaigns that flatter cyclists as "heroes" give rise to "conviction cyclists" - people who ride their bikes with an air of moral superiority.

...
But cyclists who may have a "holier-than-thou, high-handed sense of superiority" are in a small minority, says Matt Seaton a cycling columnist for the Guardian and the author of two books about cycling. The vast majority take up bike-riding for practical rather than political ends, he says.
"People who turn to cycling are really thinking about the money they will save, the convenience of being able to get from door-to-door quite quickly.

It's understandable that non-cyclists would get upset at cyclists who go through red lights or ride on the sidewalk... I'm not saying that cyclists should adhere to the same rules as cars, but that responsibility is essential to make sure everyone gets where they're going safely.

However, I don't like people finding out I'm a cyclist and then telling me about some courier who spit on their car, or some schmuck who almost ran over a kid while riding on the sidewalk... it's like they have let those bad experiences pigeonhole all cyclists into an "irresponsible lawbreaker" category.

A small percentage of cyclists are idiots, just like a small percentage of car drivers are idiots. I know that while there are car drivers who drink and drive or streetrace, it doesn't mean all of them do.

[photo credit - BBC]

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South Kingsway Meeting Tonight

Just got this from TCAT:

Sorry for the short notice but there's a meeting tonight (July 17th) about proposed changes to the South Kingsway/Queensway interchange.
The meeting is being put on by the Swansea Area Ratepayers Association (SARA) at 7:00pm at Swansea Town Hall (95 Lavinia, Rousseau Room). SARA is lobbying hard to ensure that the City does not make any changes that would make this '50s highway style interchange more cycle/pedestrian friendly.
Although I don't like the design that the City is proposing -- a weird "link" road costing almost $1 million -- anything is better than what currently exists. Anyway, I think cyclists/peds and all interested in creating a sustainable city should be there to voice their opinion.

Background info:

City of Toronto http://www.toronto.ca/involved/projects/south_kingsway-queensway/index.htm

Villager Article http://www.insidetoronto.ca/printArticle/28971

SARA - www.swansearatepayers.ca (only dated info here -- nothing about interchange)

Meeting Location: http://www.web.net/%7Eswansea/Map/Map.htm

Please make it if you can... here's another auto-centric group that is saying to hell with cyclists and pedestrians, all because they don't want to slow down while driving.

[image credit - City of Toronto]

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The Toronto - Niagara BikeTrain: one man made it possible

It's hard to believe but according to this Star article, one man was the driving force behind the Toronto-Niagara BikeTrain initiative!

Standing in his navy suit and gold tie on a podium in Union Station, Justin LaFontaine doesn't look much like a cyclist. Or a man who can move mountains.
But his passion for the activity and his persuasive abilities quickly become clear after representatives from Via Rail, several tourism operators and two levels of government explain how he convinced them all to work together.

Great job Justin! You're a great inspiration to anyone who wants to make a difference and start something that everyone else thinks is impossible.

Let's hope that the BikeTrain program expands throughout southern Ontario and Canada... there are a lot of great places to bike!

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Toronto Bike Cops: A "Tour De Force"

My wife let me know that there's a nice little article in the 24 hours "commuter paper" about Toronto's bike cops and how they are pretty well the fittest cops in the city, riding up to 100 km a day and working out in the gym on their lunch hours.

I love bike cops. It makes me smile just to see them out there interacting with the community instead of being unapproachable (and frankly inhuman) in a patrol car.

Anyone have any cool bike cop stories?

[photo credit - MyBikeLane Toronto]

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Photo of the Day - Tues, July 17th

Long Shadows

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Around the World: New York City Is Falling Back in Love with Bikes

Streetfilms: Feel the Love: Brooklyn Critical Mass

Cool things happening in New York... lots of new "brass" at their Department of Transportation are extremely bike and transit friendly.

Here's a few links for you... one about the filming of a pro-bikelane commercial, and a Streetfilm about car parking behind taken out in favour of bike parking. Also, a Streetfilm about Brooklyn's Critical Mass - Manhatten's always gets a lot of (police) attention, but the Brooklyn one is also huge and has been running problem-free for years!

Streetsblog: BikeLane Media Blitz Forthcoming

Laura Conaway at the Village Voice caught the filming of a bike lane-related television ad near Lafayette and E. 4th Street yesterday. We're guessing that either MyBikeLane brought in some venture capital funding and is going big-time or the Dept. of Transportation was filming a public service advertisement.

StreetFilm: Trading Car Parking for Bike Racks

In a historic first for New York City, the Department of Transportation has removed on-street car parking spaces in favor of bike racks:

Related: New Bedford L Stop Bike Racks Very, Very Popular (Gowanus Neighbourhood Blog)

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Around the World: Paris launches massive cheap bike rental program

When Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe pledged to cut car traffic in the City of Lights by 40% by 2020 (and subsequently car-based emissions, accidents, etc.) he wasn't fooling around. This past Sunday marked the start of Velib, a cheap bike rental program that has 10,000 bikes around Paris (to be up to 20,000 by the end of the year), with 13,000 people already owning annual memberships.

The program is financed by an advertising company, which finances and runs the program in exchange for exclusive access to the city's billboards.

This seems like a way better deal than the whole Street Furniture debacle here in Toronto. It would've been creative of the politicians to add the continued funding of Bikeshare to that deal.

Here's some news articles about the new Paris enlightenment:

Paris peddles bike service to curb traffic jams, pollution (CBC)

"In the morning, you can go to work in the tram and come home by bike; it depends on the weather, it depends on your mood and on your friends," said Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe Sunday. Delanoe aims to cut car traffic in the city by 40 per cent by 2020.

A French Revolution: This One On Two Wheels, No Guillotine (Streetsblog)

The key, Mr. Aidenbaum said, is to make it easy. "What this initiative does is to take away some of the inconveniences of owning a bike in Paris," he said, "the lack of storage space in Paris buildings, the issue of theft and the hassle of maintenance." First indications are positive. Even before the docking stations opened, 13,000 people had bought annual subscriptions online. On Sunday, some docking stations were so popular that they temporarily ran out of bikes.

A New French Revolution’s Creed: Let Them Ride Bikes (New York Times)

About a dozen sweaty people pedaled bicycles up the Champs-Élysées on Sunday toward the Arc de Triomphe, as onlookers cheered. Skip to next paragraph Enlarge This Image Alastair Miller/Bloomberg News Two tourists rented bicycles Sunday at City Hall. These were not the leading riders of the Tour de France racing toward the finish line, but American tourists testing this city’s new communal bike program.

Bicycles built for vous (Globe & Mail)

Parisians awoke yesterday to find more than 10,000 sturdy bicycles available for their use at 750 locations around the city. It cost next to nothing to take one for a spin. A swipe of a credit card for the deposit, and a 22-kilogram, pearly-grey bike, complete with basket and chain lock, was ready to ride.

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TheStar.com - Man on bike attacked in east end

TheStar.com - News - Man on bike attacked in east end:

"Even those on bicycles can’t escape thieves in Toronto.

A 31-year-old male cyclist was cruising around Dundas and Sherbourne Sts. around 12:20 p.m. on Friday when he was approached by a group of five men.

One of them demanded the cyclist give up the Silver Strong Electrical bicycle he was riding, and began to punch the victim about the face, knocking him off the bike.

The group stole the bike and took it westbound toward George St.

Police say the investigation is ongoing and anyone with any information on this incident are asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477."

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News - Mon, July 16th

BlogTO » Sustainable City - How To Breath Easy In Smogtown

I present to you a few quick tips to make life in smogtown more tolerable.

the ALLDERBLOB » The invisible cars of the Danforth

In fact, it’s cyclists the pedestrian must really take care over, for here, where the Danforth has been “thickened,” so it froths with activity night and day, bikes have been left with a virtual expressway: the piece of the parking lane between moving cars and parked cars is almost two meters wide, wider than a regulation bikelane, providing more than adequate clearance from the “door zone” of parked cars. Too narrow for a car, this de-facto bikelane lets cyclists really zip along. Never mind “Take the Tooker.” This part of the Danforth is a bicycle expressway already, without the fuss.

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Photo of the Day - Mon, July 16th

Hanging there

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Elsewhere - Mon, July 16th

Ride for Heart: The Big Smoke

Streetsblog » New High-Visibility Bike Lanes in Brooklyn

Could be that the NYC Department of Transportation actually listened to groups like Transportation Alternatives, which advocates painting bike lanes a solid color in order to improve visibility and curb blockage by motor vehicles.

Streetsblog » London Releases Its Fifth Annual Congestion Pricing Study

An increase in cycling within the zone of 43 per cent. Congestion Charge generated provisional net revenues of £123m in 2006/07, which will be spent on further improvements to transport across London, particularly bus services.

Streetsblog » An NYC First: On-Street Parking Spaces Replaced by Bike Racks

The new bike racks have been installed at the Bedford Avenue L subway station in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. As the Dept. of Transportation announces in today's press release, "The facility marks the first time car parking spaces have been removed to accommodate bikes".

BikePortland.org » Tour of Tomorrow will put policy makers in the saddle

For the third year, a who’s-who list of regional bigwigs and policy makers from Portland and Vancouver will escape from their cubicles for an up-close look at the highs-and-lows of our regional bikeway network.

BikePortland.org » Bike theft on the rise, is RFID the solution?

One idea that holds promise comes from bike theft guru and founder of StolenBicycleRegistry.com, Brian Hance. He recently published an article titled, “Open Source Bike Recovery - On The Cheap” that details the use of radio frequency identification tags.

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Photo of the Day - Sun, July 15th

posted by Joe on Sunday, July 15, 2007

Watching

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Photo of the Day - Sat, July 14th

posted by Joe on Saturday, July 14, 2007

Waiting

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Photo of the Day - Fri, July 13th

posted by Joe on Friday, July 13, 2007

Rain Gear

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Toronto's Weekly Carnage

posted by Joe on Friday, July 13, 2007

Woman Dies; Child Without Vital Signs After Terrible Accident

A woman and her son were struck down by an alleged drunk driver at 330 McCowan Road near Eglinton Wednesday night. The mishap occurred around 8:15pm. What started as a fun afternoon flying a kite ended in tragedy for a Toronto mother and her three-year-old son, as a collision involving an alleged drunk driver left the 36-year-old woman dead and the tot clinging to life in hospital.

Teen cyclist airlifted to Toronto hospital

The boy, whom witnesses at the scene referred to as Dylan, and another 14-year-old boy were riding their bikes on Lockhart Road at the intersection of Huronia Road when Dylan was hit by a silver Ford Focus, just before 3:30 p.m., police say.

Injured man pulled from burning SUV

A 40-year-old Oshawa man narrowly escaped death when a police officer and a paramedic coming off their shifts pulled him from the wreck of his Hyundai Tucson early yesterday morning.

Man Suffers Life-Threatening Injuries In Dramatic Crash

Police will be looking into what caused an SUV to collide with another car and end up on its roof in the middle of a major intersection in the city's northwest end, landing a man in hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Motorcyclist hurt in crash

A motorcyclist was sent to hospital with serious leg injuries today after he drove his motorcycle into a guardrail as he took the Bayview/Bloor ramp off the northbound Don Valley Parkway.

Man hurt in collision

A two-vehicle collision last night has sent a man in his 30s to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Driver strikes 19-year-old cyclist

A 19-year-old Kitchener woman was rushed to hospital in Hamilton after being struck by a car while biking along Victoria Street yesterday.

Pedestrian Hit (scroll down)

A pedestrian was hit early Saturday morning near College and Augusta. The victim just has a few bumps and bruises and is expected to be okay. Police are investigating to see if alcohol was a factor. No word on charges.

Eastbound 401 Near Ajax Reopens After Serious Crash

"After it hit the tractor trailer it hit that centre median, and it hit the concrete and (burst) into flames," described Const. Dave Woodford of the OPP. "Completely gutted. Nothing left inside or outside the vehicle. Completely gutted."

Fiery crash on 401

Witnesses saw the man's 2007 Hyundai Tucson speeding along the road before it spun out of control, crossed three lanes of traffic and rear-ended the tractor-trailer around 3 a.m., said OPP Const. Julia McCuaig. The car burst into flames on impact.

In the Journal of the American Medical Association (April 2000), I reviewed the effect of speed limits on crash mortality across the U.S. and after taking into account a variety of other factors that might affect deaths due to crashes, the message was clear – speed kills. James argues that lower speeds cause the "greater menace of drowsiness and fatigue." The suggestion that fatigue is caused by lower speeds is as ludicrous as arguing that higher speeds act as a stimulant.

Stupidity, not speed, causing highway carnage

Statistics show that driver distraction is a leading cause of fatal crashes. Maybe we need to take a serious look at banning cellphones, electronic gadgets and navigation screens from vehicles.

Speed kills

I hear them driving through the streets at night, tires squealing, souped-up engines roaring, and I'm filled with dread -- dread that I'll hear a sickening thud that will mean some kid somewhere lost control of his car...

Highway fatalities jump 25% in Ontario

Fatal crashes on Ontario highways are up dramatically in 2007 compared with the same period last year.

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Photo of the Day - Thurs, July 12th

posted by Joe on Thursday, July 12, 2007

Dog Walking

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News & Links - Wed, July 11th

posted by Joe on Wednesday, July 11, 2007

TheStar.com - Bylaw sought for nitty gritty on smog

Torontonians have a right to know what's in the air, says medical officer of health.

TheStar.com - Going green to get the gold

Condo buyers will probably be hearing a lot more these days about bike storage in new developments.

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Photo of the Day - Wed, July 11th

posted by Joe on Wednesday, July 11, 2007

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Elsewhere - Wed, July 11th

posted by Joe on Wednesday, July 11, 2007

NY Daily News: International urban whiz would ban cars in Times Square

Mayor Bloomberg is trying to recruit a world-renowned Danish architect who wants to ban most cars from Times Square - and raise the price of street parking.

Streetsblog » It’s Getting Better All the Time

Clarence Eckerson put together a really nice little StreetFilm featuring some of the public space improvements that are now underway in various parts of New York City:

Bike Lane Diary: One Less Car

Seattle Times: Life in the bike lane

Cycle tracks, notes Lusk, are actually a separated part of the roadway yet distinct from the roadway, distinct from the sidewalk. In their purest form — Odense, Denmark, where 50 percent of all city journeys are by bicycle — the paths even have their own traffic signals.

Bike Snob NYC: Worst/Best of NYC Craigslist: Bike Love

you rode by me with your hat on and on a pretty orange bike with white wheels. your arm muscles were so nice. i want you to hold me. i see you all the time. next time i will yell, but what name should i yell?

TreeHugger: Bike City Berlin

Two years ago, the Berlin Senate decided that bikes should make up 15% of city traffic by the year 2010. Results released from the newest traffic study of the Berlin Development Administration show that the goal could be reached early: the number of bicyclists has more than doubled in the last decade to 400,000 riders daily, accounting for 12% of total traffic.

Vancouver: Vancity Bike Share

Vancity Bike Share wants to see you to get on a bike, share it with others and spread the word about cycling. It is a chance to try alternative transportation, increase your daily exercise and share with your community.

New York Times: A Vision of Free Bicycles

Imagine walking to a sidewalk corner and finding a public bicycle. With a cellphone call or swipe of a card, you unlock it from its bike rack and ride it across town. Once at your destination, you steer to the closest bike rack and, with one more call or card swipe, return the bike to the public network. You pay less than $.50 for the trip, and the bike is once again available for the taking.

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News & Links - Tues, July 10th

posted by Joe on Tuesday, July 10, 2007

National Post: Richard Florida moving to Toronto

Richard Florida, one of the most important urban thinkers since Jane Jacobs, is following her lead and coming to Toronto. The University of Toronto will likely welcome the public intellectual to its Rotman School of Management this fall.

SPACING POLL: Do you think Gardiner and DVP should have tolls?

So the question Spacing poses to you today is: Do you think the City of Toronto should implement road tolls on the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway? Let’s hear your reasons for and against in the comments section.

Open Hand/Open Eye: Cycling in Toronto -- Next Steps

Eight years ago, I stood on the street in Amsterdam and watched hundreds of cyclists rolling through an intersection. I thought then: the Dutch have passed the tipping point. Cyclists in Amsterdam have the numbers, to dominate not only the streets, but the perception of the streets. To a resident of Amsterdam, Rob Ford's "Roads are built for buses, cars, and trucks." must seem self-evidently absurd.

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Photo of the Day - Tues, July 10th

posted by Joe on Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Ride for Heart: Avoid Idling

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News - Mon, July 9th

posted by Joe on Monday, July 09, 2007

Residents oppose reconfiguration of Cyclist-Friendly Queensway-South Kingsway interchange

"What's there now works well and it's already paid for," he said, citing the proposed traffic signals and confusing series of left turns the plan will bring as dangerous impediments to the free-flow of traffic that currently exists.

Glenn De Baeremaeker: The happy-go-lucky, cycle-commuting councillor

As the politician responsible for the state of the city’s watermains, sewers, trash collection and—most importantly—roads, there’s a symbolic dimension to his cycling commitment. It’s also quite clever of him, since every day he gets a close-up look at the city and its dysfunctions that he would never get from the driver’s seat of a car.

My Toronto: Steven Page

Toronto’s a city of ravines that are so often unused. When you do use them, they’re pretty spectacular. They can take you places, too. We have a rehearsal space out by Caledonia and Eglinton and I’d ride my bike regularly from Riverdale to that area using Mount Pleasant Cemetery and the ravines. It’s an exciting way to look at the city.

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Photo of the Day - Mon, July 9th

posted by Joe on Monday, July 09, 2007

Ride for Heart: DVP to the Gardiner

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Elsewhere - Mon, July 9th

posted by Joe on Monday, July 09, 2007

Biking Bis: A virtual ride through London's Tour de France prologue route

The 2007 Tour de France opens on Saturday with a 4.9-mile prologue through the city of London. Bicycle racers will start individually at Whitehall, pedal past the Houses of Parliament, loop through Hyde Park and finish on The Mall.

Streetsblog » 17 Reasons to Make Transit Free

The Tyee, an independent online pub in British Columbia, weighs in with the first in a series of editorials making the case for free transit in the province.

TheWashCycle: Bike racks on taxis

RPUS points us to this story about a "green" taxi company in London that carries bike racks in the cab.

Commute by Bike: Green Transportation Specialist To Workers: “Get off your bikes”

Jacobs Babtie is one of Britain’s largest engineering companies. Their clients include Transport for London, which has a target of achieving a fivefold increase in the level of cycling by 2025. Jacobs’ advises local authorities on sustainable transpor

With Deadline Looming, Mayor Pushes Congestion Pricing Plan - City Room - Metro - New York Times Blog

BikePortland.org » Belmont bike parking an instant hit

Last week, the Belmont neighborhood welcomed two new on-street bike parking facilities to SE Belmont Street. I published photos from Bill Stites the day they went in .... Bill says crews hadn’t even finished installing the racks and people were already

London Cycling Diary: Cycling in Belgium: a photographic exhibition in London

London's gone bicycle crazy in the lead up to this weekend's Tour de France.

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Photo of the Day - Sun, July 8th

posted by Joe on Sunday, July 08, 2007

Rolling around @ the Beach

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Photo of the Day - Sat, July 7th

posted by Joe on Saturday, July 07, 2007

Ride for Heart: Skyline

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Laneway Cycling Tours This Sunday!

I just found out about these... sorry for the late notice.

Two tours are running on Sunday July 8:

The Junction - 11 AM
Charming residential alleys, older industrial areas along a proposed bike path, strange spaces and engaging graffiti. Meet at Dundas West Station, in front of the main entrance at 11:00 a.m.

Trinity-Bellwoods, Little Italy, Queen West - 1 PM
Many laneway homes, new and original, famous Croft Street, and graffiti alley south of Queen St. West. Meet at the south-east corner of Trinity-Bellwoods Park, at Gore Vale and Queen St. West at 1:00 p.m.

Space on each ride is limited so be sure to look for details on Graeme Perry's Laneway website and send email to register in advance.

[via Torontoist]

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Photo of the Day - Fri, July 6th

On the ferry... going to the island

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Elsewhere - Fri, July 6th

Streetsblog » Ninth Street Earns Its Stripes

The debate is over, and as of today the Ninth St. bike lanes are swiftly becoming a reality.

BikePortland.org » Congressman Blumenauer listens, learns at bike roundtable

“I think that you’re going to see an adoption of our version of world-best practices…everything from separated bicycle paths to much more aggressive bicycle boulevards.”

BikePortland.org » Local firm lands contract for Dubai bike plan

Given Dubai’s penchant for the extravagant, Birk and Jones expect the bike plan possibilities to include fully separated, shaded and mist-cooled bike paths (like Qatar will have), and “Cadillac, state-of-art” bike parking.

Commute by Bike: Cycling Article in House & Garden Magazine

“Here in Vermont, we have to get our satisfaction in other ways. Like slowing down to smell our neighbor’s lilacs as we go by them, and getting in a workout when we go for the mail, and lightening our carbon footprint by using less gasoline. We may never pass any cars, but even so, we’ll surpass them all.”

TreeHugger: Beijing To Drive One Million Cars Off the Road Next Month

Beijing will ban one million cars—a third of its autos—for a two-week test of its smog-control measures this month.

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Toronto's Weekly Carnage

High-speed crash on 401 leaves three dead

Police baffled by Highway 401 crash

Police are seeking witnesses to a June 20 accident in which a 53-year-old Mississauga man was killed while changing a tire on Hwy. 401.

Man killed as car hits tree

One man was killed and another was seriously injured when a car hit a tree early this morning in the city’s north-east end.

Multi-Vehicle Collision On Trafalgar Rd. Sends Two To Hospital

Two people were injured, one critically, in a multi-vehicle crash in Halton Hills. Halton Regional Police said the collision happened just after 7am Wednesday on Trafalgar Road north of Highway 10.

Man killed in 400 crash

One man is dead after a single-vehicle accident on Highway 400 early this morning.

QEW traffic snarled by accident

An accident on the eastbound Queen Elizabeth Way near Hurontario Rd. this morning reduced traffic to one lane on the busy commuter route. Four vehicles were involved in the accident, which occurred around 6:30 a.m.

Accident closes Gardiner

Emergency crews were called to the elevated highway near Rees St. shortly before 9 a.m. after the accident left an SUV sitting sideways across two of the highway’s three eastbound lanes.

Strewn in a ditch next to the shapeless wreckage of their 1992 BMW were the bodies of a 31-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman, whose names were not immediately released. Neither had been wearing seat belts.

Three young men dead in separate vehicle accidents

Three men in their 20s died in separate tragedies involving vehicles in the Toronto area.

Driver Charged After Car Totalled In Overnight Crash

According to witnesses the driver involved in the crash was speeding and weaving in and out of lanes before smashing his car into the back of another vehicle.

Eastbound Gardiner Reopens After Crash

The person in the crashed car had minor injuries and was taken to hospital.

Motorcycle Collides With Taxi

Two people were taken to hospital Monday after a motorcycle and taxi collided at the corner of Bayview Ave. and Pottery Rd. Both the motorcyclist and a passenger from the cab were reportedly injured in the crash, but fortunately not seriously.

Driving over the speed limit has become generally accepted, but a growing number of people go far faster -more than 200 kilometres an hour in many instances

Highway fatalities jump 25% in Ontario

Fatal crashes on Ontario highways are up dramatically in 2007 compared with the same period last year,

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News Links - Thurs, July 5th

posted by Joe on Thursday, July 05, 2007

BlogTO: It's Your Turn: Cycling Advisory Committee Nominations Now Open

If you have an opinion regarding cycling in Toronto that you think is worth defending, maybe it's time to step up and get yourself nominated for the new Toronto Cycling Advisory Committee.

Dodgeville » Cyclist’s revenge redux

I wrote about my encounter with a delivery truck driver in an earlier post. With the two of us living and working in the same neighbourhood, it was inevitable that our paths would cross again.

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Photo of the Day - Thurs, July 5th

posted by Joe on Thursday, July 05, 2007

Cruisin' at City Hall

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Elsewhere - Thurs, July 5th

posted by Joe on Thursday, July 05, 2007

Australia "Bike Bus" website

A bike bus is a group of people who cycle to work in a group. It’s called a “bus” because there is a set route and timetable so it can pick up more “passengers” along the way. Cycling is a quick, fun way to get to work while keeping fit and healthy. A bike bus adds sociability and comfort.

The [Australia Government's] Department of Environment and Water Resources, through the Low Emissions Technology and Abatement – Strategic Abatement program, has funded this project to develop and promote bike buses.

This is right up BikeFriday's alley! :)

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BikeFriday in the Mississauga News!

A couple articles appeared in the Mississauga News before and after the most recent BikeFriday (June 29th, 2007). Here they are for your reading enjoyment. :)

Pre-BikeFriday:

Pedal pushers back in style

When a large group of cyclists wend their way from Riverwood to City Hall this Friday in an historic ride, Smart Commute Mississauga’s Glenn Gumulka says they will be showing that riding a bike is a realistic way to get to work.

Post-BikeFriday:

Cyclists make smart commute

Two dozen cyclists made their way from Riverwood Park to City Hall on Friday morning, ushering in the first-ever local Bike Friday.

If you're interested in starting your own Group Commute / BikePool - see the BikeFriday site, or the BikeFriday page on I Bike T.O.

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News & Links - Wed, July 4th

Gedris.org - Toronto Critical Mass, June 2007

Toronto Critical Mass, June 2007

My Toronto: Bill Graham

That’s another thing that I love about living in Toronto: while people talk about how dangerous it is to ride a bicycle on the streets, it really isn’t if you’re careful. It’s a great way to get around...

Bike Lane Diary: Toronto CM June 2007

Over 300 riders. Rock on! Benny Zenga, the Winking Circle & the Tall Bike Stole the show.

TorontoCranks: Bike Share replacement.

It looks like the community is doing what the city could not do in maintaining a bike rental service. The folks at BikePirates have started a bike loan service for FREE!

My Toronto: Elliot Katz

For more than 20 years, Elliott Katz has been exploring and documenting Toronto's wildest green places. The author of The Great Toronto Bicycling Guide -- the iconic blue-and-red pocket book that's now enjoying its 11th printing.

globeandmail.com: Polo opposites

In Toronto, players are now meeting on Tuesday nights in Trinity Bellwoods Park. The event is run by the eccentric Royal Society of Adventurology, whose members serve tea and crumpets and urge newcomers to arrive in "jaunty, sportsperson-like attire,"

BlogTO: 2007 Cycling Maps Are Out

The maps can be picked up at the City Hall, civic centres, community centres and many bike stores throughout the city. An online version is also available on the City's cycling website (although it hasn't been updated from 2006 yet).

Gedris.org Photos: BikeFriday

High Park to Mississauga

The Mississauga News: Cyclists make smart commute (BikeFriday!)

Two dozen cyclists made their way from Riverwood Park to City Hall on Friday morning, ushering in the first-ever local Bike Friday.

Spacing Wire Poll: how many bikes have been stolen from you?

About this time every year a friend tells me they’ve had their bike stolen. Three years ago I had my bike of 10 years stolen from me while I manned a Spacing table only 20 feet away at P.S. Kensington...

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Photo of the Day - Wed, July 4th

Ride for Heart: Lots of Riders

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Elsewhere - Wed, July 4th

BikeShare for New York - You Can Make it Happen (TreeHugger)

New York is itching to get a piece of the action, so this month the Forum For Urban Design, in concert with Storefront for Art and Architecture have organised a “splashy exhibition of European bike-share programs, running a free-bike-rental experiment,

Spacing Wire » Cycling-only streets in Winnipeg

Spacing photographer Bouke Salverda was recently in Winnipeg and snapped this shot of a street sign indicating it’s a cycling-only street on Sundays and holidays.

Streetsblog » Quebec Makes Bold Cycling Statement

The province of Quebec doesn't mess around when it comes to cycling. A 250+ mile long route will be completed this August, making it the longest such route in North America.

Biking Bis - Mexico City's bike plan getting results

Remember back in April when Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard ordered all his city's bureaucrats to set a good example by riding their bicycles to work the first Monday of every month?

Dave Moulton's Bike Blog: Road Cyclist’s Ten Commandments

The Vatican recently issued a set of Ten Commandments for motorists. I thought it appropriate that road cyclists have their own.

Streetsblog » Berlin’s Bicycle Boom

Committed to making cycling a viable form of transportation, the Berlin Senate measures the success of that city's bicycle network by the prevalence of cyclists in the overall traffic mix -- rather than the way New York's DOT does, by the miles of bike lanes...

Streetsblog » Rage on the Bikeway

The Boston Globe ran a front-page story yesterday about confrontations among users of the super-popular tree-lined Minuteman Bikeway in Boston. Police have already filed more reports of clashes between users of the bikeway this year than the previous two...

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You Don't Have To Be A SuperHero To Save The Planet

Inspirational video from the UK.

[via Spinopsys]

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News Links - Tues, July 3rd

Cyclists, motorists square off on pros, cons of bicycle-only lanes on streets (Peterborough)

A proposed cycling lane running along Monaghan Road sparked a heated debate between cyclists, motorists and business owners Wednesday night at an open house.

Dodgeville » Cyclist’s revenge

He then went on to make the typical claims: motor vehicles have precedence over bikes, cyclists have to move out of the way, and that his “road taxes” pay for the road. I countered with the usual rebuttals: I can take the lane if it’s unsafe to share....

Bike Lane Diary: OURS Strikes Again!

We come to make roads safe so citizens of Toronto leave car at home and ride bicycle to work making for cleaner air and more friendly city.

Survey: Should Bicyclists Use iPods? (TreeHugger)

"wearing earphones is just one of a range of crazy risk-taking behaviours on display in bike lanes across the city, as is squeezing alongside giant trucks and buses and blowing through traffic lights.

CANOE Travel - Ontario - Cyclists on track to Niagara

The Toronto-Niagara Bike Train debuts this month -- a bicycle-friendly team of rail cars that trundles between Toronto's Union Station and downtown Niagara Falls.

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Photo of the Day - Tues, July 3rd

Ride for Heart: Cycling Ladies

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News from Elsewhere - Tues, July 3rd