Looming TTC Strike Marks First Day of Bike Week 2006

The timing is uncanny.
Another TTC wildcat strike looming (or has already happened, according to a friend who passed by a CP24 videographer covering bargaining talks who said the transit commission went on strike as of midnight, but that may be jumping the gun) and another nightmare for subway, bus and streetcar commuters.

This comes in the wake of this year's Bike Week, beginning today running through until June 11. The theme of this year's Bike Week is 'Bike to Work,' which was the original message promoted in the first official City of Toronto bicycle event, organized in 1988.

According to the city's Web site, they note that "While it is important to promote cycling in general, there is a specific need to encourage more bicycle commuting. Promotion needs to begin by changing attitudes, reinforcing that bicycle commuting can be both practical and enjoyable."

The Star's cover yesterday featured Councillor Glenn De Baeremaker, CBC Radio reporter Kevin Sylvester, Oliva Chow and Jack Layton among avid cyclists in the city. It also came up with a cycling manifesto for everyone -- pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. "We look. Left. Right. Motorists: check your rear-view mirror/ We obey the rules. We respect each other's right to be there. No one may ride above the law. Cyclists: get a light/ We slow when the light turns amber. Then we stop. All of us."

What was particularly alarming was that the city built only a single kilometre in bike lanes last year, despite its Bike Plan to build a connected network of bike lanes throughout the city in the coming years.

Included in the Bike Week festivities are bicycle art shows, races, pancake breakfasts, trail building workshops and safety workshops.

On a somewhat related note, I passed by this brilliant bike on Bloor Street near Brunswick tonight. Someone has literally made their bike into a Harley. So impressive! Maybe they should add that to the manifesto too. "We will accessorize our vessels with the highest quality of tassel and camouflage."