Following is a well-thought out essay from reader Kevin. Give him your thoughts:
I extend my left arm. It’s the morning rush, and I’m on a bicycle. There are cars all around me. I’m doing a good clip, and approaching a set of traffic lights. In the lane adjacent to the one I’m in, and riding a few metres back there is a black BMW. The lady driving the beamer, probably in her mid 40’s, holding a Starbucks mint mocha Frappuccino and clad in gym attire is initially surprised by my actions and slows. I begin to inch over to the other lane, preparing for my turn. Realizing my intentions, and seeing that her God-given right to catch the green before it turned yellow would soon be abolished, she puts her foot down. She guns it. The noise from the engine is as loud as a city bus at full acceleration. I retract my arm quickly and my handlebars miss the metal box by all of 10 centimetres. Any closer and I would have replaced the BMW hood ornament with my body.
As a full time cyclist, and sometimes as a pedestrian, I have to deal with cars and their drivers every day. I am disgusted by drivers of private motor vehicles. Their actions infuriate me. A very high percentage of the drivers I see on the roads of Toronto are dangerous and inconsiderate, impatient, and grossly undereducated. A world with fewer or no cars would be many steps forward in the right direction.
Drivers are often inconsiderate and create risky situations for other road users. It fascinates me how urban planners ever even conceived of mixing cars, pedestrians and cyclists all in the same space. 150 pound persons are forced to share the road with 2000+ pound automobiles travelling many times faster. In a collision, the car will always win. Yet some drivers simply ignore that truth. The onus is on the drivers of motor vehicles to ensure the safety of all other road traffic. Often, during my commutes by bicycle, I have been very closely tailgated by cars. If I were to suddenly brake, or spill, I could be seriously maimed or killed. On other occasions, I have been squeezed out into parked cars on residential streets by drivers who pass without due consideration to cyclists. Cyclists and pedestrians are the most vulnerable users of the road network; we deserve to be respected to the utmost degree.
Speaking of passing too closely, the Highway Traffic Act of Ontario (the HTA) states that “[bicycles] may occupy any part of a lane when [their] safety warrants it.” Many drivers don’t know this, and believe cyclists should stay well to the right of the road at all costs so that they can pass in the same lane. In fact, this is a very hazardous practice, and my number one gripe with concern to motorists. It’s as if some drivers don’t even acknowledge our presence. Many are just too impatient to spare 3 seconds of their commute to change lanes and ensure the life of someone on foot or on a bike. A few odd drivers have even come so far as to honk me off the road and order me to ride on sidewalk, which is illegal. Another driver decided to give me an earful of sound because I was walking across the street too slowly. I was crossing at the lights, and had the right of way.
Drivers are severely undereducated. The graduated licensing system employed here in Ontario doesn’t do enough to prevent inexperienced and/or careless drivers from using the road network. The Driver’s Handbook, which is required reading for the earning of a license, has limited information on how drivers should treat cyclists and pedestrians. Also, most drivers forget these rules within years of learning them, leaving only their best guesses, or common judgment to guide them – a lot of which is wrong. For example, the law states that drivers going in both directions on a road must stop when someone is crossing at a crosswalk, and can only continue when that person has made it safely to the other side, not simply past the median or yellow line. Drivers are also largely unaware of the safety hazard they present to cyclists when they carelessly fling open their car doors. The “door prize” is an accident that can be avoided if drivers check their mirrors before stepping out of their cars.
In today’s North American transportation climate the car is still king. The tides will change however – as gas prices rise, as congestion increases, and as more people adopt a more sustainable lifestyle, walking and cycling will be seen as very viable alternatives. But for now, being a pedestrian or especially a cyclist can be very intimidating. Drivers operate dangerous vehicles, are often inconsiderate towards the needs of others, are discourteous and impatient, and at times, oblivious. Drivers grind my gears. Now and then, while cycling, I dream about what a car-free world would look like. The next moment, my thoughts are interrupted by an idiot who is attempting to squeeze me off the road. I carry a pen and paper for instances like this. The police help me out.
Comments
James (not verified)
Jealousy
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 09:31Kevin,
On the weekend I read an essay arguing that bike lanes are fruitless and cycling is twice as safe as driving a car (in terms of fatalities anyway). Here's the essay: http://mighkwilson.com/2009/10/which-cycling-politics-doom-or-possibility/
I agree with a lot of what he has written, but at the same time, the writer is from Florida and I'm convinced that Toronto drivers have a lot less respect for cyclists than almost anywhere in the world.
I was in Virginia for 10 days last month (DC area) and I was amazed at how much respect drivers gave me down there. It was such a change from cycling in Toronto. I would pull up to a 4-way stop and drivers would wave me past, even though they stopped first. Furthermore, it's legal to ride on sidewalks down there (with the exception of high traffic downtown streets) and I had multiple pedestrians apologize to me for blocking my way. I couldn't believe the level of respect everyone has for each other.
I'm convinced that there are 2 main reasons for the animosity in Toronto
1) Drivers are jealous that cyclists can pass through gridlock while drivers have to sit there and wait.
2) Some media outlets contribute to the animosity by constantly writing about "rogue cyclists" and creating an image that all cyclists break the law and cause havoc on Toronto streets. Did you see the cover of the Toronto Sun yesterday? Headline: "BIKE BLITZ", "Cops crack down on rogue cyclists". When you read the article you'll see that of the 184 tickets given out by the police, 89 of those tickets were for cyclists who didn't have working bells or reflectors. Rogue cyclists eh?
I do agree with Donald Wiedman that many drivers have given cyclists a bit more space and a more respect since the unfortunate death of Darcy Sheppard. I have personally noticed some improvements, but we're nowhere near the level of respect that I witnessed in Virginia.
James Schwartz / theurbancountry.com / torontosunsucks.com
Rantwick (not verified)
James, You beat me to the
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 09:42James,
You beat me to the punch with that Mighk article. Well done.
I'm not very well travelled, but I've got to believe that big city urban core driving is ugly all over North America. My uneducated guess is that big cities generate a style of driving (and sometimes cycling) not found everywhere else.
I am a dedicated year-round commuting cyclist, and although obviously there are lots of problem drivers out there, so too are there lots of problem cyclists, so much so that some drivers become confused when they see cyclists behaving like real vehicles. If more of us would ride like Kevin appears to, perhaps the bullying would be reduced thanks to the normalness of it all...
kiwano
I don't think it's an urban thing.
Tue, 11/24/2009 - 13:18I've found motorists to be more respectful towards cyclists in Vancouver, Regina, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Boston, and New York. Moreso than I've found them to be in Uxbridge, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, and Petawawa. I think the issue is less one of driving in a crowded city than it is one of local driving style. If you look at the sorts of jokes and remarks made about how people drive in e.g. Boston, Philadelphia, D.C., or Montreal, you get a pretty clear idea what the local driving styles are in those areas. We kind of miss out on that here in Toronto, and with good reason; Toronto's (and more generally, much of Ontario's) driving style isn't funny, it's just bad.
Paul (not verified)
Part Time Driver
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 10:23As someone who drives, bikes and walks in this city, I have to say that sadly, this situation is apparent in all forms of transportation. The stuff I see cyclists do when I'm in a car, drivers do when I'm on my bike and e-bikes do when .. well I'm doing anything is disheartening.
Having our police departments actually enforce the rules of the road would be nice, but it's too easy to just concentrate on speeding and stop signs and ignore the other dangerous things people do.
As cycling, as a form of transportation grows in this city, I think things will simply balance themselves out. As more and more regular people simply bike to work as a form of transportation, as opposed to "cyclists" who go to work, I think things will eventually change. How long it will be until then is anyones guess.
Paul (not verified)
side note
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 10:25As a driver, I find people behind the wheels of BMWs just as selfish and dangerous as on a bike. For some reason those cars attract a disproportionate amount of "entitled" people.
Tone (not verified)
Where is all of this craziness happening?
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 10:51I keep reading posts like this one and wonder where they are riding.
I ride downtown most days from around Jane and St. Clair to Bay and Wellesley. I would agree that there are a LOT of inattentive drivers and that managing traffic during ruch hour is a challenging task for all road users. It requires the upmost attention and not everyone really is as focused as they need to be (that includes me on occasion!).
But, I rarely encounter really agressive driving. Mainly, I work on the assumption that every driver isn't paying attention -- leave a margin of safely for stopping and avoidance -- and try to be as obvious and predictable to other road users as possible.
Yes -- people daily do really dumb things -- but almost always out of inattention -- and they almost always are pretty sheepish about making a mistake.
Yet, to read this board, it sounds like my experience is the exception rather than the rule. Are other parts of the city hotbeds of conflict? Or, is it one of those things where only people who have very bad experiences post?
I've starting to find that -- in the same way that reading about crime makes me feel more threatened, even though I have zero personal experience -- reading all these posts about the danger on the road is slowly making me feel more vulnerable, even though my actual experience doesn't seem to warrant it!
Rantwick (not verified)
Trust Your Experience
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 13:13Your experience is more typical, and much like mine. Similar to news reporting, however, people don't stop to write (or vent) about an uneventful commute. Cyclists are nowhere near as vulnerable or prone to accident as it would seem sometimes online and in other media.
dash (not verified)
I used to ask myself the same
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 13:49I used to ask myself the same thing, but I believe our experience is only unique to the people who choose the "lets assume I'm invisible, and everyone else is about to do something bonkers" route.
Others who actually attempt to exercise their rights as a cyclist seem to invariably get caught up in dangerous situations and have wild stories.
I prefer more passive choice because it's just less stressful and more safe. Not just in terms of not getting hit by a car, but also in terms of not getting hit by fists. And frankly, I got tired of being called a "fat cow" whenever I had the audacity to take my turn at the four way stop.
Mad Jack McMad (not verified)
Last week BikesnobNYC wrote
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 11:12Last week BikesnobNYC wrote that "cycling's enemy is not the car; it is the idiot." I think this is especially the case in Toronto. This morning I was clipped by an SUV on Dupont, the driver passing just close enough to graze my hand with her side mirror. When I caught up with her a few blocks later and tried to explain what had happened and why is was a problem, she seemed completely oblivious that anything had happened. Now this sort of obliviousness can be easily found among cyclists and pedestrians as well, but as many have pointed out, the potential to cause serious injury is much less among these two groups.
I will say that, of all the places I have cycled, Toronto drivers have a particularly aggressive form of obliviousness. I will also say that there will always be a subset of drivers that succumb to the intoxication of the car- the strange pleasure of being in a magical device that can get you quickly from one place to another with a minimum of effort. This intoxication can often translate into a sense of anger towards any perceived obstacle: "How dare they get in the way of my magical device!" Of course, these people are just as likely to be dicks to other drivers as they are to cyclists (they may also be overrepresented among BMW, or more recently, Audi drivers as well).
(my captcha is "Cecelia Lufkin." If I ever write a novel, I will definitely use that as the name of a central character)
jamesmallon (not verified)
goodbye mirror
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 17:39I had the same experience once trying to explain. Next time I'm kicking off the mirror and fleeing. Money is all these people understand.
electric
They still won't get it.
Tue, 10/06/2009 - 01:12and worse, you'll be validating everything they've read about "militant rogue cyclists"...
It is also likely you will probably end up getting charged by police and the driver will get away Scot-free because you will seem to be the aggressor.
I know suv drivers are bad, all of them forget you're still there once u fall past the passenger window.. large blindspots, wide wheelbases and very large mirrors(apparently vestigial) - the latter being the most dangerous to cyclists. In fact a cycling policeman was previously killed in Milton by a truck-driver hitting him with his side-mirror.... yes that is how close and fast he was overtaking... but that is an unusual case. I'm just pointing out that most drivers forget their mirrors can extend out a good foot - even though their wheel isn't in the bike-lane the mirror is 1 foot inside the line. Most SUV have folding mirrors though, so that won't hurt as badly, just don't be tempted to fold them in or u might be charged with mischief if the police show up.
Anyways you seem to need some "carthartic" therapy, so here that should keep you feeling warm on those chilly morning commutes! :p
Enjoyed the essay also, hope every cyclist makes it un-maimed to that day in the future!
Seymore Bikes
Condition Response
Tue, 10/06/2009 - 13:29There is a sentiment the prevails in the anti-bike movement that cyclists are lawless and irresponsible thugs, so anytime we as cyclists act to further that perception, the more it works against us.
Before a conflict between a cyclist & a driver escalates to the point of no return, try to take the high road and use the resources legally afforded to all road users.
jamesmallon (not verified)
'hearts and minds', feh!
Tue, 10/06/2009 - 14:41You aren't going to change any opinions riding just the way the law says, or the way some tool in a BMW or FUV would like, never mind the injustice of being marginalised.
Svend
People judge by our actions
Wed, 10/07/2009 - 08:23Why change opinions of drivers that support or don't have a problem with cyclists, jamesmallon?
I'm not interested in adding numbers the anti bike crowd.
Smile and wave instead, it has the benefit of making yourself feel better even if it doesn't change their opinion.
Seymore Bikes
Beware the Powers of the Dark Side
Wed, 10/07/2009 - 10:23I'm with Svend on this one; each cyclist has the power to affect public opinion, for better or worse.
There aren't bad drivers, or bad cyclists, just bad people - don't be one.
Ryan
It's hard to deny there are
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 12:07It's hard to deny there are problems with roads, laws, enforcement, and driver education. But I honestly don't have that many problems with drivers, and I ride around the downtown area almost every day, and have done so for several years. Most problems are caused by carelessness and impatience, and I can't think of any situations where I actually felt threatened by a driver who was aggressive towards me. I've found most drivers give me enough room, and I can't recall anyone appearing angry at my taking the space I need when I've done so reasonably.
It is, as someone else said, the idiot that's the problem. I have almost as many problems with idiot cyclists as I do with idiot drivers, and idiot pedestrians aren't particularly rare, either. If everyone followed the rules and was considerate towards others, things would be a lot safer for everyone.
jamesmallon (not verified)
idiots
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 17:41Idiot drivers kill. Idiot cyclists and pedestrians (almost) never do. Make a better argument, that one's tired.
Ryan
Tired?
Tue, 10/06/2009 - 13:50I think the argument that cars kill and bicycles don't (except when they do), so cyclists can do whatever they want, is also pretty tired.
When someone's irresponsible actions can cause me broken bones, or perhaps even to end up in the path of one of those evil, murderous cars, they don't get a free pass.
jamesmallon (not verified)
perspective
Tue, 10/06/2009 - 14:39Sorry, but that's stupid. Cars, directly or otherwise kill and harm scores more. Not asking for a free pass on bikes, but some intelligent perspective.
kiwano
Cars are very dangerous
Tue, 11/24/2009 - 13:29Cars are very dangerous objects. Moreso than guns. This is why operators of cars are required to be licensed. For some reason, our system of licensing is letting idiots through. If our system of licensing, say, firearms, or forklifts were failing so spectacularly, I just don't think that it'd be generating the same level of debate (ok, to be fair, the firearms licensing regime generates even more debate in spite of the fact that it's vastly more rigorous than driver licensing)
Seymore Bikes
"Say Hello To My Little Friend"....?
Tue, 11/24/2009 - 23:19Seriously, could you imagine Al Pacino saying that about a car?
Cars are not weapons unless they are used that way.
As for the actual guns, you DO need to be licensed to own one, I think you' re referring to the Gun Registry.
Anyway, I'd much rather ride beside a car than a loaded weapon, but hey that's just me.
geoffrey
Say hello to my little duesie ..
Wed, 11/25/2009 - 17:31Duesenberg became the notorious vehicle of choice of aggressive motorists. Enough so gun manufacturers saw fit to refer to their handguns as duesies.
Lets not forget the Probe. Or the Penos. Mind why some Hollywierd creep would brag about his little penos would confound me too.
Might there be a reason aggressive drivers appear better represented in particular brands?
Say hello to your marketing master. Volvo drivers have been driving the creep factor up since the Ford buyout.
electric
So true
Tue, 11/24/2009 - 23:38Cars easily claim a magnitude of order more lives every year in this country than guns do.
Guns, oooo scary... getting behind the wheel, not so much. Yet one is far far more likely to result in your death or someone else's.
If firearm accidents claimed the same number of lives cars do i'm very sure gun control laws would look far different - yet our automobile control laws require nowhere near the potential level of skill or training such revised gun control laws would require...
Seymore Bikes
Colour by Numbers
Wed, 11/25/2009 - 11:47By the numbers automobiles are not more dangerous than guns:
Registered Firearms in Canada 1,841,154
Annual Firearm Deaths in Canada per 100,000 is 4.8
Licensed Vehicles in Canada (2004) 21,600, 000
Annual Automobile Deaths in Canada per 100,000 is 9.1
Note: Toronto has three times the gun deaths of any other Canadian city.
electric
Trouble with your interpretation.
Wed, 11/25/2009 - 19:22So I was curious and looked around,
With 33,855,000 Canadians, that works out to 3,080 deaths from car accidents and 1,625 deaths from firearms... whoa that is a lot of firearm accidents.
Turns out about 79% of firearm deaths are suicides, so really that doesn't factor into our discussion, assuming we're not talking about suicides.
So here are some real numbers,
3,080 Canadians die by accident every year in their car, while 325 die from firearm accidents or murders(though murders really is a different ball-game and not inherent to the act of using a gun in normal circumstances, something which isn't relevant, assuming i don't get in my car and expressly try to kill somebody)
So how many Canadians die in firearm accidents every year? Well about 4% of all firearm deaths are accidents like the accidents drivers get into through operation and possession of a car and like the accidents which are inherent to the typical operation and possession of a registered rifle. So that works out to about 65 Canadians dying in firearm accidents everywhere or 0.192 deaths per 100,000. Absolutely speaking 47 times more people are killed in car accidents than firearm accidents. Also i'd just add this, many cyclist and pedestrian deaths aren't counted under automobile accidents even if they were killed by a car. Those cyclists and pedestrians aren't counted because they weren't in a car when they died. Same way Darcy was classed a pedestrian fatality not a cyclist fatality.
There are about 11 times more cars than firearms here, if tomorrow Canadians owned 21,600,000 firearms then we would expect there to be about 682 fatal firearm accidents for every 33,855,000 Canadians vs 3080 fatal car accidents for the same number. Even in that situation driving a car is still about 4.5 times more likely to kill you or somebody else by accident.
electric
Well I wrote a whole reply but the spam fitler ate it.
Thu, 11/26/2009 - 23:06You're wrong, only 4% of all firearm fatalities are accidents.
We're not comparing accidents to accidents, murders and suicides. We're comparing accidents to accidents. I'm also wondering if those automobile death numbers include people killed outside of automobiles by an automobile. Do you have a source?
How dangerous is it today that a Canadian will be accidentally killed by a firearm?? A heck of a lot less dangerous than being killed in an automobile accident.
Absolutely speaking 0.192 in 100,000 firearm vs 9.1 in 100,000 for automobile.
Seymore Bikes
Fact Attack
Fri, 11/27/2009 - 15:52Statistics are always open to interpretation, but I appreaciate the effort.
I understand that auto accidents lead the way in accidental death, but bathroom falls come in second, so that's worthy of mentioning also.
electric
Indeed
Sat, 11/28/2009 - 22:27If you have some good numbers on bathroom falls maybe you can approach the insurance companies and get some lobbying and pr ads going. I'm sure there are some policy premiums(of which you may get a cut) to be made by the insurers if the gov't can be pressured into mandating compulsory helmet use inside the bathroom. That is assuming Ontarian's will pay for extra un-helmeted shower coverage.
The Pedaller (not verified)
Report the Driver
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 13:11Report bad drivers to the Police.
Get the information you need and fill out the Report at your nearest Police Station. It is really the best option available - you can even request to press charges
It may seem futile to educate bad drivers one at a time, but the incident gets documented in police records, and the driver may actually learn something from it.
Svend
Riding defensively yet assertively is a fine line
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 13:29Is there a law that drivers must allow a lane change? No, you have to wait until it's safe to do so just like any other car on the road. It would be courteous, but don't ease in expecting consideration. Ease in prepared to back off, like you would driving a car.
BTW, don't generalize about people - some of the nicest people drive BMWs in their gym attire. You're right about those Starbucks mint mocha Frappuccino drinkers though. ;-)
jamesmallon (not verified)
BMW
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 17:42A driver in a BMW let me go ahead once... I was really confused by that.
Seymore Bikes
Drive By Shouting
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 17:21On my ride to work on Thursday morning, I signal to make a right turn from one residential street to another. There is a school bus ahead of me and a black sports car behind.
As I start my turn, I receive a shout from the car's passenger - something inaudible, but directed at me to be faster although I'm at pace with what little traffic there is. I turn around to see the car, with brake lights now on, slow down and move out of sight.
I have about 60 seconds to contemplate this odd development until I see the same car, now waiting to enter the flow of traffic on an arterial street. They salute me - I salute back, and I cruise onward leaving my surly comapdres behind, and wonder about our next chance encounter.
Travelling along Bloor I spy them again, but now up close, they are silent. As I pass them a final time at Mt. Pleasant I get a look but nothing more, I smile back and carry on - with lic # number committed to memory for good measure.
My point is that when we draw closer to other road users we are less likely to offend each other. So when ever possible, go with the flow, and share the road; and if offensive comments from drivers come your way, treat them like oral flatulence and ride on, because there is no fruit at the end of that journey.
Tone (not verified)
Dash says ...
Mon, 10/05/2009 - 19:53Dash says: "I used to ask myself the same thing, but I believe our experience is only unique to the people who choose the "lets assume I'm invisible, and everyone else is about to do something bonkers" route ... Others who actually attempt to exercise their rights as a cyclist seem to invariably get caught up in dangerous situations and have wild stories."
The weird thing is, I take the lane when needed. Davenport has a bunch of construction happening in the bike lane, so I've been sprinting up to speed and taking the centre of the lane until the bike lane is available again (the lane's too narrow to allow cars by otherwise).
No issues. I time it so I've go enough speed -- and enough of a gap -- so that driver's aren't surprised.
I usually do left turns from the left turn lane as well, and move to the left to pass right-turning cars.
Perhaps speed is a factor. I'm not fast by any measure, but I can usually sprint and hold close to 40 km/h, which in Toronto is close enough to traffic speed (sometimes faster) to allow me to move in and out of car lanes without causing too much interruption in flow.
I'm a commuter, so I'm usually riding at morning and evening rush hour. Perhaps its a time of day when traffic is so snarled that people just accept they aren't getting anywhere fast.
Jason (not verified)
I ride just like that too
Sat, 10/17/2009 - 04:26I ride my bike as though I'm invisible to motorists, and also take the lane when safe and appropriate, as I would when driving. I too make left turns from the left turn lane. I stop at stop signs. I pass cars turning right on the left after checking to make sure the lane is clear and I can safely move around. If not, I stop behind the car and let it make the turn since it was there first and ahead of me in line.
At the same time, when I'm driving and want to make a right hand turn, I pull close enough to the curb that approaching cyclists are forced to do the same thing. They have to go around me on the left (like they should) or stop behind me like they were any other vehicle.
kevcom
I ride in North York - route 35 anyone?
Wed, 10/07/2009 - 16:52A big thanks to everybody who read and/or commented on my essay. I wrote is an English paper, and ended up sharing it with my friends, but then thought that it would be great if I could take it even further. So I posted it here, and soon I hope to get it into a newspaper - if possible. Hey - I have high hopes!
I think you downtown guys have it much better off than I do. I ride in North York only, and my commute takes me from Yonge Blvd down route 35 to about St. Clair. The 35 is great in the morning, as there are no parked cars down most of its length south of Lawrence. In the afternoon however, it's a nightmare. There is serious congestion north of Eg and the lane is barely wide enough to accomodate car and bicycle. Plus, I can't help thinking about my lungs - I really do feel the exhaust stuff in my body. Really nasty. It's still better than sitting in a car from a health perspective though.
I think we need a good bike path that goes from the 401 to downtown through the middle of Toronto. Preferable alignment would be somewhere near Yonge or Avenue Road. I can take any of those main roads to get to my destination, but it's way too dangerous. Cars go too fast, and I never feel comfortable sharing a lane with a vehicle on any of North York's arterials. I guess I'll be sticking with stop sign land streets for quite some time!
PS - Absurdity or not: bike lanes on Avenue Road north of St. Clair?
BJH (not verified)
I would prefer Bathurst.
Wed, 10/07/2009 - 16:58I would prefer Bathurst. There is only one entrance to the 401 (northbound Bathurst to eastbound 401) and it is more of a right turn than a ramp.
Kevin Love
Take the lane
Thu, 10/08/2009 - 07:13Another Kevin wrote:
"Cars go too fast, and I never feel comfortable sharing a lane with a vehicle on any of North York's arterials."
My comment:
So don't. Take the lane. If you exercise proper lane control the cars will have change lanes to the passing lane to pass you. So they do. Suddenly they are passing with lots of room - the entire lane - so everything is much safer and feels much more comfortable.
For me it has got to the point where I'm uncomfortable in one of Toronto's substandard 1.5 metre bike lanes. I'm used to having an entire general traffic lane, so I feel that cars are passing me too close if I am in a bike lane.
John Henry
I find that even if I take
Thu, 10/08/2009 - 15:03I find that even if I take the lane, they don't completely change lanes, and drive through half and half honking at me. Assholes.
simplicius2wheels
A bit of wishful thinking, if you know the burbs...
Thu, 10/08/2009 - 19:13...because if you are traveling at 15 -25km/hr and they are approaching with 70 and 80km/hr speeds, you are going to get clipped one day.
I wished there was an easy solution - and the CANBIKE manual tells you to look for a different route as the one option that you do still have. Pushing for bike lanes on the burbs' arterials is a neccessity for us suburbanites. I really welcome the efforts to get the LAwrence bikelanes etc - and the Hydro corridors - implemented.
dasautosucks (not verified)
"some of the nicest people drive BMWs in their gym attire"
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 04:11I tend to disagree. I would say more than 50% of my altercations are with BMW drivers. for some reason they think I have no right to be on the road with their 50,000+ gas drinking cars. This happens more often in the burbs than in downtown.
electric
Obviously money can't buy you class...
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 23:36They're probably really frustrated that their $50,000 "ultimate driving machine" is following(er tailgating) behind a truly ultimate driving machine which costs a couple orders of magnitude less...
Pretty unfair, wah wah. :`(
Svend
lol
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 08:18I would say that 79% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
A.R. (not verified)
Ambiguous HOV lanes
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 14:25North York has some HOV lanes like on a part of Don Mills with signs that also show a bus, motorcycle and bicycle on them. The ambiguity of the sign could perhaps allow it to be interpreted as a big bike lane.
Aman (not verified)
Stereotyping Drivers
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 22:48As a friend/classmate of the author, I'd like to make my opinion heard.
I'm a fulltime driver, but bike occasionally for pleasure. I also walk downtown a lot so I've got a POV from all three commuting methods.
POV pedestrian: Cars and bikes both make their fair share of mistakes, however they are very occasional with respect to the pedestrian. Sure, you get the odd driver or biker that makes a turn without yielding to foot traffic, but it's very occasional and pedestrians can usually see it coming.
POV biker: It's annoying when the occasional driver blows by you at 70km/hr uphill while you're struggling to maintain speed. However, on downtown roads, it's not as bad as you may think. Cars drive a maximum of 45 km/hr downtown with the exception of Lakeshore and at that speed they're not moving that much faster than bicyclists. And in all reality, they don't come that close to you. I'd say a metre apart is a comfortable distance between cars and bicyclists, and many cars go more than that.
POV driver: Cyclists are maniacs. Their lower speed and lack of rearview mirrors impedes motorists than it does bicyclists. I only see maybe 1 in 5 cyclists actually look behind them before changing direction. And almost ALL of them do at least one of the following:
1) Ride between the lanes, or on the yellow lines
2) Try to cram between a car far to the right and the curb, and get annoyed when they cant make it. Before you blame the driver, I only see this scenario when construction or traffic or a combination of both forces the driver to be off in the first place. Then the cyclist can't really complain.
3) Assume that they have right of way in any situation. This is NOT the case. In the scenario in the essay above, legally, the BMW had right of way. Factor in the fact that the BMW was moving faster than the cyclist, and the result is a mistake on the cyclist. This would be of course, if the story were true. Which Kevin has already made clear that it is not.
4) Assume that because bicycles are not registered vehicles, they don't need to adhere to the rules of the road. This is not true. I've seen bikers make U-Turns in the middle of an intersection. Just the other day, I saw a biker run a red light. There was a motorcyclist cop right there, and the lady riding her bicycle got a ticket!
The problem I find with cyclists is that they assume that they are always the victim. Get past that and the world will be a much better place.
In the end, I think the cyclist/driver feud is more of a testament to Toronto's lackluster organization of roads than it is of the skill of the driver and cyclist, respectively.
electric
Fulltime driver and honorary bicycle owner who also sometimes...
Sat, 10/10/2009 - 00:19...uses his legs. (credit please, i'm trying not to stereotype you as a driver)
You should have just posted that first instead of giving us all those silly anecdotes.
I can understand if you're afraid of maniacal cyclists... after all cyclists are pretty scary... a lot of people are afraid of cyclists. With good cause too, I mean... there are so many reasons why... yeah well um, hmm. There is the they don't follow rules thing, yeah, drivers don't really follow the road rules when they drive either, but, that is different because when they do it's ok, yeah..and then cyclists try to squeeze by me in traffic.. that isn't safe, i'd much rather have cars squeezing by me, at least then I wouldn't get hurt. Speaking of squeezing by, these cyclists always claim the right of way, what is wrong with them... can't they see i'm turning left, oh wait - my turn signal wasn't on... anyways cyclists should take a lesson from drivers because drivers always yield the right of way. Lastly these manical cyclists always ride on or near the yellow lines or in between the lanes, they're obviously not in a lane so i just drive right past them and squeeze them out... what is with all the shouting buddy, you weren't properly in a lane so i took it.. oh you were turning left you say, what was that about a door zone? Come on, it was just a bump from my mirror I didn't really hit you, stop being a cry-baby you weren't even in the lane properly! You're acting crazy, it wasn't really dangerous... come on u whiner.
Man, cyclists.
Seymore Bikes
Live and Let Ride
Sat, 10/10/2009 - 02:46Aman - Hang up your keys and try riding to work for a couple of weeks and you might develop a different point of view, here's a few things to consider:
The friction between cyclist and drivers is all about perception - a little respect and consideration is all that is needed to make our streets more accommodating.
geoffrey
POV bicyclist: I sure hate getting scraped off of grilles
Sun, 10/11/2009 - 20:42http://bikeportland.org/2009/10/10/tragedy-and-outrage-in-texas/
electric
Clearly that little girl needs to just get over being a victim..
Sun, 10/11/2009 - 23:49Right Aman?
Where did you run off to anyways... Maybe you realize the views you presented aren't really morally defensible and are truly just a bunch of ignorant stereotypes.
Good for you.
geoffrey
POV bicyclist2: I sure hate getting scraped off of grilles
Sun, 10/11/2009 - 21:13http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/10/09/bicyclist-injured-in-haight-street-...
locutas_of_spragge
I have...
Mon, 10/12/2009 - 15:36the same point of view as a motorist, pedestrian, and cyclist. I don't buy the idea that it makes sense to use my eyes and my brain differently when I sit in a car. I have long understood that the vulnerabilities of road users differ in degree only, and that the touted safety features of cars don't do a very good job of protecting me or my passengers.
So John Spragge's point of view, on foot, on wheels, and behind an engine, goes like this: everyone breaks the law to some degree: cyclists, drivers, and pedestrians alike. Most of us try to drive, bike, and walk with consideration for their fellow road users and respect for their safety. But the ranks of cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists alike include a small minority of individuals who think themselves entitled to behave with no regard for their fellow road users. We can't lock people like this up under house arrest, or spare chauffers for all of them, so we have to put up with them as pedestrians and even, I would argue, as cyclists. But people without the maturity to recognize other people's rights do not belong at the controls of a two-tonne steel bomb. Simple as that.
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