Sports & Play
The Toronto Cyclists Union
Earlier this week the Toronto Cyclists Union announced they are officially up and running. The official media launch took place on Tuesday at City Hall Peace Garden amongst cyclists from across the city.
The idea for the union is to be an advocacy organization that provides a unified voice to advance biking as a viable mode of transportation in Toronto. "We will work together with citizens, community groups, bike shops and the City towards the common goals of ensuring that cycling is a legitimate, accessible, and safe means of transportation."
They already have a set of position statements and have criticized the city's failure to implement its own bike plan. The launch of such an organization makes total sense given the popularity of biking in the city and the context of other reports calling on the city to do more to make the city bike friendly.
Membership costs $2/month and you can sign up at Bikeunion.to. The site also offers a newsletter, an events calendar, a detailed map of bike related spots in the city, and opportunities to volunteer. If nothing else the site is a worth keeping an eye on for links out to other bike related links and resources.
Image by of Yvonne Bambrick.
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It's at <a href="http://www.bikingtoronto.com";>bikingtoronto.com</a>
Or maybe I'm just making excuses for them.
As soon as motorized vehicle drivers start obeying the rules of the road (signaling, stopping at stop signs, not parking in bike lanes), then we can start the "who has more right to be on the roads" debate.
You are right that Joe is doing an amazing Job with bikingtoronto.com
There's also ibiketo.ca and biketoronto.ca and bikelanediary.blogspot.com and torontocranks.com and others who are also doing a great job promoting cycling and sharing news and views, each excelling in their own domain.
The Union is not about the website; it's about enabling us to become involved in making cycling conditions better for all cyclists. It is about being a strong voice at city hall. It isn't about one or two angry cyclists who got hurt, it's about families that want to ride with kids, or feel safe about letting their kids ride to school and wherever else kids want to ride to. It about enabling all of us to cycle wherever any of us want to go, and to get there safely.
It is also about showing unity, a count of the numbers of cyclists, and about getting results from the city.
And it is also about fun! The Union plans on throwing bike lane opening parties, having monthly rides (May 25 is the First, see BellsOnBloor.ca for the details. Other fun events are planned as well.
The Bike Union is what we make it. It's Our Bike Union. Our membership and our participation will be what will make the union the success that cyclists so desperately need.
I'm a member and a volunteer. I hope that you'll join us and help us, too.
Just because cyclists' transgressions are less likely to result in death, doesn't mean they are better at following the rules. Ask any pedestrian.
Cars are dangerous, bikes are not.
It's really that simple. Cars are big and heavy and travel at high speeds and if they hit something, that thing gets demolished, while the driver remains safe. Not so with a bike. Bikes on the road are highly vulnerable. As a result, motorists have to be extra cautious.
If a cyclist hits a pedestrian, the result is they both end up with a few bruises. If a motorist hits a cyclist the result is this...
http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/429336
Motorists need to realize that they are travelling in lethal machines and must assume the responsibility or get off the road. Put down that cellphone. Stop fiddling with the radio. Check your mirrors. Watch the damn road.
OBSERVE the rules of the road, WALK your bicycles when on the side walk (DO NOT ride on the sidewalk), don't intimidate pedestrians, ride single file, don't weave in and out of traffic. Stop for stop signs & red lights, observe one way street signs. If YOU are too timid to ride on a busy street and don't want to walk your bike on the side walk put it away.
Not to be nit-picky but the Bicycle wasn't even invented until 1790. Roads on the other hand have been around since the first wheeled inventions. Roads have historically been used for 'large vehicles' whether it's slave driven, horse driven (invented around the Fifteenth Century) or combustible engine driven. Roads were not created out of necessesity for pedestrians or bikes but rather larger vehicles such as those mentioned above.
Bikes can be very dangerous. Thank god I am an adult, not a child. It could have been death rather then a broken collarbone and arm.