I am right there with you Tino. This year again was about cyclists doing it on their own without the help of City Hall and with a whole lot less money. Yes there are a few exceptions but none of them are Councillors. They should be congratulated for a job well done, forget about the likes of Heaps.
Overall it was a good year for me. This is my first year cycling for transportation in almost 25 years. Sure, it was filled with frustration at drivers and the infrastructure that encourages their idiocy. That was overshadowed, though, by the environmental, physical, and social benefits I've found through cycling. As this is my first year, I don't really know any better and am living with things the way they are.
That said, I really hope to see some serious improvements in cycling infrastructure in the coming years. I want to see more bike paths and lanes and fewer vehicles parked in them. (Maybe we should stage a park-in in the middle of Queen street ;^)). In the long term I would like to see some roads go car-free and a large reduction in the number of cars on the roads of Toronto (congestion charge, anyone?)
And while I'm dreaming, I'd like to see an attitude adjustment on the part of many drivers. The idea that some vehicles have more right to be on the road than others has to go. I don't really know how to make that happen, though. It certainly isn't much help that the city itself loudly broadcasts the message that people on bikes are second class citizens by failing to provide the proper, and promised, infrastructure for them or for failing to tighten (and enforce) parking bylaws. I'm torn as to how to bring about that change. On the one hand, civil disobedience can be warranted and good for a cause. On the other hand, it can backfire and generate animosity.
Probably the best thing that could be done to help the cause, though, is to get more of us out of our cars and buses and onto our bikes. Sites like this are definitely helpful in that respect. I can say that at least in my case, this site and others like it are what helped me realize that cycling was a viable option and gave me the support I needed as I got started. Thanks!
Streamlining the approval process at City Hall was important, I feel Heaps should get some recognition for seeing why the Bike Plan was being held up.
I feel 2008 will be a good year for cyclists!
Yes, there's some truth to the look-see at the approvals process, but the Bike Plan is really not that adequate and we have to examine the quality of bike facilities vs. just so many kms/year. This means putting them in direct, useful, longer links in more critical city core areas instead of often going for the easier-to-do residential side streets in less central areas. And some bike projects getting big bucks aren't always that useful but other civic projects can actually do a lot more good than one might think, though St. Clair is a failure.
(Oh, really nice banner picture of a high point for me btw - thanks!)
Comments
Darren_S
This year.
Fri, 12/21/2007 - 13:17I am right there with you Tino. This year again was about cyclists doing it on their own without the help of City Hall and with a whole lot less money. Yes there are a few exceptions but none of them are Councillors. They should be congratulated for a job well done, forget about the likes of Heaps.
Todd Tyrtle (not verified)
Overall it was a good year
Fri, 12/21/2007 - 17:22Overall it was a good year for me. This is my first year cycling for transportation in almost 25 years. Sure, it was filled with frustration at drivers and the infrastructure that encourages their idiocy. That was overshadowed, though, by the environmental, physical, and social benefits I've found through cycling. As this is my first year, I don't really know any better and am living with things the way they are.
That said, I really hope to see some serious improvements in cycling infrastructure in the coming years. I want to see more bike paths and lanes and fewer vehicles parked in them. (Maybe we should stage a park-in in the middle of Queen street ;^)). In the long term I would like to see some roads go car-free and a large reduction in the number of cars on the roads of Toronto (congestion charge, anyone?)
And while I'm dreaming, I'd like to see an attitude adjustment on the part of many drivers. The idea that some vehicles have more right to be on the road than others has to go. I don't really know how to make that happen, though. It certainly isn't much help that the city itself loudly broadcasts the message that people on bikes are second class citizens by failing to provide the proper, and promised, infrastructure for them or for failing to tighten (and enforce) parking bylaws. I'm torn as to how to bring about that change. On the one hand, civil disobedience can be warranted and good for a cause. On the other hand, it can backfire and generate animosity.
Probably the best thing that could be done to help the cause, though, is to get more of us out of our cars and buses and onto our bikes. Sites like this are definitely helpful in that respect. I can say that at least in my case, this site and others like it are what helped me realize that cycling was a viable option and gave me the support I needed as I got started. Thanks!
Steeker
Dang you look all comfy
Sat, 12/22/2007 - 23:28Dang you look all comfy there,,,, =8^) (Steeker)
Anonymous (not verified)
Streamlining the approval
Wed, 12/26/2007 - 18:10Streamlining the approval process at City Hall was important, I feel Heaps should get some recognition for seeing why the Bike Plan was being held up.
I feel 2008 will be a good year for cyclists!
hamish (not verified)
quality, not quantity
Sun, 12/30/2007 - 00:23Yes, there's some truth to the look-see at the approvals process, but the Bike Plan is really not that adequate and we have to examine the quality of bike facilities vs. just so many kms/year. This means putting them in direct, useful, longer links in more critical city core areas instead of often going for the easier-to-do residential side streets in less central areas. And some bike projects getting big bucks aren't always that useful but other civic projects can actually do a lot more good than one might think, though St. Clair is a failure.
(Oh, really nice banner picture of a high point for me btw - thanks!)