spider
Senior Member
At 2 PM on a summer day in an urban area on a 2 Km stretch of road deemed busy enough to have traffic lights?
|
|
|
- Thread starter rp07
- Start date
LNahid2000
Senior Member
I love how all your anti-bike posts only include anecdotal evidence.
typezed
Active Member
So how about you look at the bike lanes of College or Harbord or Queens Quay (even while a mess of construction) or the better considered, better constructed, better supported bike lanes of Montreal. No, forget it. You'll only see what you want to see passing by in the air-conditioned comfort of your Buick. If you're serious about your investigations you could get out of the car and walk for a bit and see what life is like for those not in cars, and then report back. No? Stupid of me to even suggest it?
My point was that the bulk of roads in the city aren't in heavy use at any time, that's why we used to play road hockey on them. They're even designed to keep other people's cars off them. But people still consider them necessary.
Why is Dawes Rd. now a bike lane? Because there's high demand for cyclists to get from the autocentric mess of Eglinton and Vic Park to eastern edge of the Danforth? Or because Berardinetti campaigned on the removal of Birchmont and Pharmacy in her ward and Dawes is in the ward of cycling friendly Janet Davis? Recreational riders on a sunny summer afternoon might chose Taylor Massey instead. Doesn't mean those lanes aren't used by some people at some time. Might be good for anyone who needs to get to the Centennial College campus behind the Walmart.
Last edited:
spider
Senior Member
If anything I witness personally with my own eyes is anecdotal wouldn't all observations by anyone be anecdotal rendering the word useless.
I do look at the bike lanes you mention when I am downtown, they are well used in nice weather and I have absolutely no problem with them.
I do have a problem with some folks insisting that downtown bikers needs be imposed on suburbanites who don't need them or want them. Suburban cyclists are happy to ride on the sidewalk which is rarely a problem because there are few pedestrians on them anyway.
If you can't believe me jump in an air conditioned Buick and come on out and have a look. Your observations may be considered anecdotal or useless so maybe you should just stay home.
nfitz
Superstar
That's absurd. I hated cycling on sidewalks when I was in the suburbs, and only did it because there were a few spots where it was too dangerous to merge with traffic entering expressways, who frequently violated the highway code. The ride was always rough, especially when there was a joint out of alignment. And when you did pass a pedestrian (which are certainly sparse, but your still passing them every minute or so) the speed differential between the pedestrian and cyclist was dangerous.
Now that I don't live in suburbia, there's much less need to actually cycle - as I can quickly walk to most stuff.
That doesn't necessarily mean that one needs separated bike lanes in the suburbs ... but it also doesn't justify such absurd statements.
I never cycle on the sidewalks for the reasons mentioned as well as because it is generally illegal.
typezed
Active Member
I don't know when you conducted your survey of how suburbanites are happy to cycle, but I wasn't consulted. I recently lived in the suburbs (Scarborough Cliffside), cycled and would never use a sidewalk. First, because it's illegal, but also because it's unsafe, mostly because you're less visible and less predictable. There probably are places in the suburbs (nearing highways) where it might be prudent for some riders to use the lightly populated sidewalks, but overall it's bad practice. Anyone who cycles regularly or intends to go a significant distance knows that.
For my usual destinations I could develop routes that would mostly avoid awkward confrontation with traffic. But the suburbs, at least lower Scarborough, are divided by ravines, highways, cul-de-sac neighbourhoods and railroads. Sometimes the only route is a busy arterial, often at choke points where traffic is already a mess. Providing safer ways to negotiate these would increase the options for people, of all different ages and lifestyles and comfort levels. I can't see that as a bad thing. Doesn't mean that everyone has to fully commit to cycling always, everywhere, but it opens up choice. But I get it. You like your life and don't want to see anything change. Many people are like that. But it's a funny stand for a iconoclast.
For my usual destinations I could develop routes that would mostly avoid awkward confrontation with traffic. But the suburbs, at least lower Scarborough, are divided by ravines, highways, cul-de-sac neighbourhoods and railroads. Sometimes the only route is a busy arterial, often at choke points where traffic is already a mess. Providing safer ways to negotiate these would increase the options for people, of all different ages and lifestyles and comfort levels. I can't see that as a bad thing. Doesn't mean that everyone has to fully commit to cycling always, everywhere, but it opens up choice. But I get it. You like your life and don't want to see anything change. Many people are like that. But it's a funny stand for a iconoclast.
Last edited:
salsa
Senior Member
NIMBYism strikes again.
http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/0...y-construction-of-1-million-don-valley-trail/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/0...y-construction-of-1-million-don-valley-trail/
ehlow
Senior Member
Everything seems to "draw community outrage"..
WislaHD
Superstar
Except for Eglinton Connects it seems.
Speaking of, when can we expect Connects to be completed? Around the time of the Crosstown opening or is this going to be a project that will take longer? (I ask because I do not know whether I'll be living here in a decade from now)
ehlow
Senior Member
Except for Eglinton Connects it seems.
Speaking of, when can we expect Connects to be completed? Around the time of the Crosstown opening or is this going to be a project that will take longer? (I ask because I do not know whether I'll be living here in a decade from now)
The year Toronto gets the olympics, the year a Toronto sports team wins the playoffs, the year Canada has a world cup team, the year either the SLRT or Scar-subway is built, the year andrewpmk rides an LRT, or the year one of the Ford brother's kids is elected. When one of those events occur, it will be the year Connects will be completed.
Looking down Eglinton you'll see a beautiful vista of midrise buildings, big trees with shade, patios, wide sidewalks and bike lanes, and a statue of David Miller, truly "St Clair-izing" it and winning the war on the car forever.
salsa
Senior Member
Except for Eglinton Connects it seems.
In this case, the outrage came from outside the community.
aquateam
Active Member
The city should have a statue of Miller somewhere. Maybe have it block a lane of traffic on St. Clair.
Ford should also have a statue, complete with crack pipe.
nfitz
Superstar
Perhaps we could do it Soviet-style and put statues up of him everywhere!
The Golem
Active Member
Was on Sherbourne yesterday and there are now posts up along this stretch of the bike lane.Yes they have wider streets, but most importantly they have the political will. With the insane amount of traffic in Manhattan, you would think that the car idiots would be yelling about the impending traffic chaos, like they do here. But the smaller streets in Toronto shouldn't prevent us from building separated bike lanes. If Sherbourne had a proper barrier, either bollards or concrete curbs, then this wouldn't be happening. It's so simple.
