Over one thousand cyclists show they matter: Ride for Jarvis, Ride for Toronto

Best article so far from eXtra, Ford Nation, say hello to Bike Nation:

“Last week Ford sent out a strong signal that people in cars matter more than people on bikes,” says Andrea Garcia, the union’s director of advocacy. “As other world cities add lanes to their bike networks, our city is taking a step back in the movement toward public safety… Things need to change. Pretty soon, Rob Ford will be on the wrong side of history.”

Joining the ride were councillors Paula Fletcher and Mike Layton, who grabbed the microphone to lead the crowd in a chant. “When I say bike lanes, you say Jarvis!”

Cyclist Xuan-Yen Cao says she was driven to join the protest because she uses the Jarvis bike lanes everyday to get to work.

“I don’t see the logic in this at all,” she says. “I ride the bike lanes, and I really don’t see how it slows down traffic. You know what slows down traffic? Cars.”

Fletcher told the crowd she feels tremendous sadness that city council voted for “the first time ever” to remove bike lanes from city streets. “We need to get council to re-think their decision. Bike lanes make it safe for cyclists, but they also make it safe for car drivers who are traveling with cyclists on the same road. It’s about safety.”

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Before the ride, Dave Meslin, the founder of the Toronto Cyclists Union, stood on a stool speaking through a megaphone, beaming at the growing crowd of cheering cyclists.

“There’s a word most of us learned in kindergarten. It's called ‘sharing,’” he says. “What we have behind us is called a complete street. Complete streets bring people together instead of dividing them. City Hall is trying to divide us and we’re not going to play that game.”

“There’s no such thing as a redundant bike lane because people bike on every single street in Toronto and they all deserve a safe space.”

Meslin vowed to “put his body down on the road if the trucks come to take out the lines. Who else would?” Many cheered and raised their hands in agreement. He is also promising to recreate the magic with another Critical Mass protest ride before the end of the summer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_iiNO96q9U&feature=player_embedded
Video from Tino