First Annual I Bike TO Award Nominations Wanted

I nominate Bike Pirates. That place / those people is / are the best.

1) Bike Pirates. I've seen the white bikes and think that they stand as a serious reminder to people about the dangers of not giving respect to cyclists. We really need some more CityTV coverage of what they do!!!

2) Bells on Bloor: A continuing drive to get bike lanes on Bloor st. Very active participants in Critical Mass, and promoter of the parking meter party.

Both are very worthy of recognition.

Here's a few ideas of some groups and individuals who should be considered for the award

• TCAT - Toronto Coalition of Active Transportation. These fine folks advocate to the city constantly on behalf of Pedestrians and Cyclists of all kinds.
• iBikeTO - A cyclist's resource for Toronto. With loads of great information, news, events, profiles, editorials and opinions, and your feedback and ideas, and even civil disagreements between us.
• BTAC - Bicycle Trade Association of Canada - perhaps a bit pre-emptive as they only just started their own advocacy efforts, and the fruits haven't yet blossomed. But at least they recognise that the industry itself has a role to play in advocacy, and they have some deeper pockets to get some good things done.
• Gil Penalosa, Executive Director of Walk & Bike for Life. He does great presentations where he shows how easy (and cheap) it is for cities to reduce their car dependencies, and improve walking and cycling for everyone. He shows how these actions helps make a better city.
• Darren Stehr - Here's an individual who does his own bit to improve the life and culture of cyclists in the city, even if he's a bit of a curmudgeon on his own blog, TorontoCranks
• Steve George - the author of Bike Of Doom who writes about his rides on a $99 department store bike. Even a cheap bike can be a good ride.
• CAN-BIKE - for developing and delivering an excellent cycling education program.
• CAN-BIKE instructors - who have both teach their students and the motoring public what and why they are teaching their students out on the "dangerous" roads.
• City Cycling Staff - who have to continue to advocate for cyclists within the city bureaucracy for cyclists in spite of the apathetic attitudes from their peers and superiors.
• Critical Mass participants - who show the city how much fun it is just to ride their their bikes.
• Toronto BUGs - Toronto's Bicycle User Groups. These groups, with varying level of formality, are all over the city. They most often help their employers make a more cycling friendly environment.

More later...

Today is the last day to give us your ideas of whom you think is worthy of our I Bike TO award.

If know of a person or a group that you don't see in these comments, Tell us now as we close the nominations at midnight tonight.