As much as the new influx of electric bikes bugs me, there’s no real reason for my discomfort; it’s like my inherent aversion to those fluorescent moulded gardening shoes people insist on wearing around town.
I can certainly deal with either of these trends, if they’re any indication of fewer cars on the road.
Today however, on three separate occasions, I saw full-sized motor scooters (with exhaust pipes!) cutting into the bike lanes to blow ahead of the rest of their mindlessly idling friends and make their right hand turn.
What's this?!? One of them pops out from a delivery truck right in front of me and jerks on her brakes to avoid smashing me over! I taste my heart, swallow it and nearly wipe out from the blindness of my life flashing before my eyes!
I must have really been shaken because my words come out all jumbled and sound more like “Are you F-ing Kidding Me? Get the %&#$ out of my lane!” than my intended “I've got something to Vespa in your ear, friend. If you want to share the bike lane, you need to play safe and ride with the rest of us, through the power of yourself!”
It seems the MTO has something a little hard-hitting to say to scooter drivers as well.
Did you know that moped collisions have risen?
Ontario’s most recent statistics show that moped collisions from 1999 to 2003 more than doubled (from 48 to 102) while the number of registered mopeds fell by almost one third (from 3,006 to 2,019) in the same period.
…Moped drivers are in a high-risk zone for collisions and we would encourage moped drivers to review the rules of the road often which are available on the ministry's website and the official Motorcycle and Driver's Handbooks.
From the MTO’s 2005 Licensing Changes for Operators of Motor Scooters and Mopeds.
I hope this trend of reckless (ignorant) scooter driving does not continue; we’re all so vulnerable on the road and especially in the bike lanes. We must all be mindful that the rules of the road are there to protect us collectively, as well as individually.
Comments
Ben
Frequent mishaps
Tue, 07/17/2007 - 15:18Hi Large Marge,
Your past three blog posts have been about accidents and near misses. You seem to have more trouble cycling than I am used to! What part of town do you ride in?
aidan (not verified)
Where do YOU ride, Ben?
Tue, 07/17/2007 - 19:32Ben, three near misses is much less than an average day in this burg.
Large Marge
Award for "most hit"
Thu, 07/19/2007 - 17:44Hey Ben, I think you're on to something. This is from a Toronto Star article last year...
"The backlash from drivers would just be outlandish," says [Large Marge], a member of the city's Cycling Committee who, at [26], could win the city's award for most-hit cyclist. (She has had two run-ins with cars, and one with a truck.)" Catherine Porter, Apr 14, 2007
To tell you the truth, the close calls just seem to make for better stories. You can only tell folks about you're awesome ride to work so many times before they think you're just trying to rub it in their faces how superior you and your bicycle are.
Dave (not verified)
Let's not get mixed up
Tue, 07/17/2007 - 17:09Mopeds and scooters are not the same thing.
In your post are you complaining about one, or the other?
Scooters are motorcycles. Mopeds are bicycles. If they've got pedals, they're allowed in the bike lane.
If a scooter wants to short-cut the bike lane to make a right hand turn, they had better be watching out for the two wheelers who are supposed to be there.
The MTO quote is about mopeds - makes sense that their numbers are decreasing.
Stan Rogers (not verified)
No, mopeds are a different beastie altogether...
Thu, 11/08/2007 - 13:11By law, a moped is a motor vehicle, requires at least a Class L driver's license (yer basic 365), insurance and a DOT-approved motorcycle helmet -- and can't be in the bike lanes any more than can a Volvo station wagon.
E-bikes are something else altogether -- they're limited to electric motors of 500 watts or less (most are less, at 400W) and max speeds under power that an avid cyclist should easily be able to eclipse (currently 32 km/h -- I used to average 40 clicks cycling to school on the Trans-Canada in the Sudbury area when I was in high school, and I was by no means an athlete). The scooter-lookin' ones can stop faster than a conventional bike, despite their weight (and obvious not-fer-peddlin' form factor). Remove the pedals or "forget" your helmet, and you're in for a $2500 fine. And no, they aren't allowed on the trails -- the trails are not governed by the Province, but by municipal bylaws that don't allow anything motorised that isn't designed as and intended to be mobility aid (powered wheelchair or mobility scooter).
Geezer (not verified)
E-Bikes
Mon, 02/25/2008 - 10:56All this negativity regarding the advent of E-Bikes brings to mind, many many years ago when the Horse and Buggy ruled the roads. Then came Automobiles. If there was a blog back in those days it would have been filled with negative comments like..."They're Dangeorus" "They Shouldn't Allow them on the Roads." "They're Scaring the Horses" " They are Stinking up the Whole Town."
E-Bikes (both scooter-style and open- framed) are a necessary and welcomed alternative to Automobiles. There are people who for perhaps some health reason, cannot drive and a bicycle is the answer. There are people who cannot pedal and an e-bike is the answer.
For those looking at the negative side....There is a negative side to everything in life. Open up your mind and embrace the future. Not everyone can bicycle and not everyone can drive. Viva La Difference!
Svend
I have no problems with
Mon, 02/25/2008 - 14:28I have no problems with e-bikes, I can't agree with the arguments here that they're too slow or too quiet.
Some non-motorised bicyclists also ride at a leisurely pace, we're also just as silent. They're fine for those who prefer not to or can't pedal.
math
bike lanes with dashed lines for a reason
Thu, 02/28/2008 - 00:21If you check the bike lanes everywhere in the city, they're dashed lines at the intersections. Cars are SUPPOSED to ride over these to make a right hand turn, and the cyclist should be moving around them to the left.
1 this lets the cyclist go when the car is stuck waiting for pedestrians to cross
2 this avoids cars cutting off cyclists on the right hand turn
As ever, there's no good solution except totally seperate bike routes, not even on the same road. GIve us 0.1% of the roads in toronto to bikes and local traffic only on key routes (poplar plains+russel hill to huron and peter, for eg, and there's a chain of them that take you all the way to the 401 easily) and we'll be happy. I dont knwo why this is done, and why so many advocacy groups fight for bike lanes on major streets and come away with 'victories' like the Spadina bike lane (1.5 feet wide lol) when Huron is wide open 1/2 a block east (and used by cyclists all the time as much as spadina, full of turning cars and exhaust).
Darren_S
Huron Expressway
Thu, 02/28/2008 - 10:30Huron would make a great expressway for cyclists, especially those that live in the far reaches of Toronto. Bike lanes are also needed on major roads. Cyclists shop and support local, ghettotizing them to side streets will alienate us from a support base, namely the business we patronize. There should be bike lanes on both, major streets that encourage community and side streets that support quick routes for long trips.
Please do not call the abortion on Spadina a bike lane.
tmjbikes (not verified)
if only angry cyclists knew....
Thu, 06/12/2008 - 18:39at university and college this morning, i informed an angry cyclist (and courier) after he shot a stream of vitriol at a taxi driver who was turning right after the dotted line. The cyclist insisted that this was in fact illegal, and that he had had 16 drivers charged with this infraction this year alone. fucking malarkey, i think, because math, you are right. That is where right hand turns should be made from, and cyclists should be jogging left to go around the car. There just isn't enough education on this, or clarity displayed in the road markings.
I think if everyone could abide by slowest moving to the right, fastest moving to the left, we would be better off. At least cyclists would be. The right hand lane filled with an unending line of cars, they'd not be so happy.
I've also been told by an SUV driving soccer mom that I shouldn't be riding my bike on Huron after she bumped me by veering right and not looking. She also hit the curb with her wheel and hopped up on it for a second. And I shouldn't be driving?
4 Season Cyclist (not verified)
Turning right through bike lanes
Sun, 06/29/2008 - 16:42Comment "...That is where right hand turns should be made from, and cyclists should be jogging left to go around the car. There just isn't enough education on this, or clarity displayed in the road markings ..."
Yes right turns should be made from the right hand lane, and bike lanes have dotted lines near intersections (or even come to an end) in order to accommodate this. However it's not enough, as someone has suggested, to put on your signal then turn right without checking for vehicles coming up on the right. Just like any other time you change your line of travel, you must yield to other road users. This means looking for cyclists in the bike lane and waiting for that space to clear before moving right. The cyclist traveling the straight line has the right of way.
When a motorist is moving from the left lane to the right lane in preparation to making their right turn, everyone understands this. Why would the concept be different just because the right-most lane is a bike lane? Or why would it be different just because the vehicle travelling straight through is a bicycle rather than an SUV?
Assuming that each and every approaching cyclist will slow down, yield their right of way, shoulder check, signal, shoulder check again and then move to the left to get around your right turning vehicle, is both thoughtless and dangerous.
Darren_S
Belching Scooter
Wed, 07/18/2007 - 08:09Scooter, Moped, no difference. The majority on the road have two cycle engines which pollute more than most cars. A couple of Euro cities have been booth because of all the pollution they create. Good news, if you could call it that, is that all of the ones sold now, save a few, are the less polluting 4 cycle type.
Anonymous (not verified)
Scooter driver here
Wed, 07/18/2007 - 08:59I just wanted to chime in as the driver of a Scooter, one of the old polluting 2-stroke kind. As for pollution, yes a two stroke engine is very dirty. However it also amazing fuel efficient, such that riding it everyday requires me to fill up about once every two weeks, (6 litre tank).
As for the bike lane issue, I too am guilty of occasionally slipping into the bike lane to get past the cars and be on my way. I'm always careful to check that there are no cyclists coming, and I always keep my speed very low when I'm 'cheating' like that. If some scooter driver cuts you off, absolutely give 'em hell. They have a full motorcycle license and should know better. If a moped driver cuts you off, well, give them hell too, but keep in mind they don't even have a license. As far as the gov't is concerned, they're just riding a bike.
Darren_S
Fuel efficient
Wed, 07/18/2007 - 10:07Fuel efficiency does not equal non polluting. A modern car emits a thousand times less pollution than a two stroke engine. Biggest problem is that a two stroke introduces oil into the cylinder and they have no emission controls. A 2 stroke lawnmower emits the same amount of pollution as 70 modern cars.
Anonymous (not verified)
A thousand times less poluttion
Wed, 07/18/2007 - 10:11Well, at least you cite your facts and aren't prone to exaggeration...
Darren_S
Will you use your Scooter a thousand times less?
Wed, 07/18/2007 - 13:56Sorry to disillusion you but there are hundreds of articles damning your poor scooter.
http://www.hikersforcleanair.org/papers/2cycle.html
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1247506
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-stroke_cycle
Nonpoint source pollution
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, some forms of water recreational activities contribute to nonpoint source pollution or "pollution runoff," and "the old 2 cycle motors have been said to cause more pollution in two hours than a car running for an entire year."[1].
Because fuel leaks through the exhaust port each time a new charge of air/fuel is loaded into the combustion chamber, oil pollution is a problem at many National Parks and outdoor recreation areas that allow four-wheelers, snowmobiles, dirt bikes, and small watercraft.[2]
According to the Sierra Club,
The small, inefficient two-stroke engines of some of these machines spew out as much as 30 percent of their fuel unburned – polluting the soils, air, and water of our National Forests, National Parks, and other public lands. For example, one jet-ski driven for one 8 hour period emits the same amount of pollution as a car driven for 100,000 miles [3].
To address these problems, some organizations have begun to offer biodegradable two-stroke engine oil, and newer models are said to be more efficient.
Steve (not verified)
Anything with an engine...
Wed, 07/18/2007 - 10:21...has no business being in the bike lane. You wouldn't ride a scooter on the side-walk, would you? Well, I'm not sure, some probably would if they could get away with it.
I will give a nod to scooter riders for at least being fuel efficient.
But you still outweigh a person on a bike by two or three times.
I just don't understand why bicyclists just can't cut a break from the internal combution world.
Cameron (not verified)
Same side.
Wed, 07/18/2007 - 13:59As a scooter and cyclist (who has been riding his bike far more than his 4-stroke scooter this season) I am torn. Not a day goes by without seeing a cyclist or scooterist that give the majority (of either group) a bad name. I'll be happy when we see bike lanes separated from traffic by a curb so that we can all go about our business safely.
Cameron (not verified)
Also, I'm going to go out on
Wed, 07/18/2007 - 14:01Also, I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest there are far more 4-stroke scoots in the city than 2-strokes.
Joe LaFortune (not verified)
Scooters in the bike lane
Wed, 08/01/2007 - 11:37The official Bike Lanes flyer issued by the city identifies bike lanes as being exclusively for the use of bicycles. Apparently, many scooterists don't know they aren't cyclists and think it's okay to share the lanes with us. I've even seen very polite scooterists approach from behind, signal their pass, pass me and signal before re-entering my bike lane. The police and the city need to remind scooter-owners that they are MOTOR vehicles and must remain in their lane. Further segregating cyclists is not the answer. Curbs are dangerous for cyclists who may need to exit and re-enter the bike lane without trying to navigate a hazard like a curb. Scooters need to just stay the hell out of our lane, that's all, and a campaign to educate them must be undertaken now.
Anonymous (not verified)
what exactly do you all
Tue, 07/08/2008 - 00:42what exactly do you all consider a bike lane? there are really only a few of them in Toronto (sadly). the bike lanes are, like on Dundas St., for you bicyclists most scooterists know it and should stay out of them. however, if you think those small spaces between parked cars and the next lane are "bike lanes" you are sadly mistaken. if i am turning right and i can get through and past one car through that space that is perfectly legal as long as i signal and make a legal lane change. that space is for everyone including the guy parallell parking.
those e bikes are a menace as they make everyone else think they are scooters. i have seen them on sidewalks and down on the boardwalk and i think they should be banned or forced to speed up and be licensed because as they are right now it is just cunfusing for everyone.
oh, and most scooter in Canada are 4 stroke. sorry to burst your bubble but i sell them and i know the numbers. vespa, the industry leader in sales, were out of the market for years and when they came back their two stroke vehicles only were around for a few years. they are all 4 stroke now. yes, the two stroke bikes are more polluting compared with the amount of fuel they consume and compared with a car but the scales are much different which no one seems to take into consideration. cars simply burn more and there are much more crappy cars out there that should be yanked from the road than scooters. saying two stroke scooters pollute more is like saying a cigarette pollutes more than the smaoke stacks from and incinerator plant; the scale is just not there nor is the study.
tt (not verified)
Psychopaths in the bike lane
Wed, 07/18/2007 - 19:04NOW -- if you are behaving in an antisocial way that endangers peoples' lives… well, I'm not a psychologist, but I DO believe that that is called psychopathic behaviour.
So can someone tell me why should I waste my time and energy just to get even more upset (after being nearly killed) to 'give hell' (as scooter driver suggests) to some psychopath who clearly doesn't give a sh*t?
vic
Scooters in the bike lane
Thu, 07/19/2007 - 10:13If a scooter came up behind me in the bike lane, I would make sure I stopped, blocked it, told them to F-off, and not let them proceed until they go around.
It's bad enough that most bike lanes in Toronto suck, but even worse when abused by motorists.
anthony
Why they don't belong in the cycling lanes
Thu, 07/19/2007 - 14:27Motorcycles, scooters, et al are much bigger than bicycles, and often much faster than bicycles. The risk is great enough for two cyclists colliding, but...
Bicycle, motorcycle accident leaves two hurt (from Thornhill)
which is why I don't want to see 'em there!
Anonymous (not verified)
I was walking up Montrose a
Fri, 07/20/2007 - 09:42I was walking up Montrose a few weeks ago, when I noticed a guy on an electric scooter speeding up the bike lane towards Bloor. Electric scooters might be even worse than motor ones, because you can't hear them coming.
Darren_S
Who pays?
Fri, 07/20/2007 - 10:51I wonder who's insurance pays when you get hit by these quasi-motor vehicles? At least when you are hit by a car in end up in a pretty decent system that helps you mend. Two vehicles come together that do not require insurance and you can end up in court for years... and there is no guarantee that the person at fault has the means to pay.
Ben
A bit of a side note
Tue, 07/24/2007 - 12:13To those asking where I bike daily, here is an approximation of my work route:
Although it changes every day. I guess I stay pretty safe by spending a lot of time in Kensington and on St. George.
tanya
E-bikes
Sat, 08/18/2007 - 00:38I've just figured out that there exists this annoying class of vehicle known as an e-bike. They look like a scooter, but are speed limited to a ridiculous 32 km/h. So its fun to pedal past one with human power! They don't require a license or insurance. As part of Ontario's new pilot for e-bikes and electric assist bikes (which are very different vehicles!) they are permitted to go anywhere that municipalities allow bicycles (so sadly yes, the bike lane).
Of course it does not make much sense to allow heavy vehicles which has forward momentum without requiring the same attention span as actually using your human power to propel it. They are supposed to have pedals but I've seen several versions that either don't have pedals, or that the pedals are in such a stupid position nobody would ever use them, just the platform.
And what's up with all the scooters of all kinds taking to parking on the sidewalks at the post and rings?
Aaron (not verified)
e-bikes
Thu, 09/13/2007 - 14:14I love the e-bikes in terms of their purpose, but have had many near misses on the Martin Goodman Trail with these things. Specifically near the Don Valley trail and lakeshore area. There is a hair pin rail crossing nearby and I've almost collided with three riders there now. I'm all for sharing the trails with the e-bikes for the time-being. Once their popularity soars though we could be in for some congestion on the mutli-purpose trails. I am not opposed to them in bike lanes along city routes however, due to the relative straightness of the roads in Toronto; there is more room to navigate in these lanes. The City of Toronto needs to step up to a more expeditious plan to create more bike lanes (preferrably separated from traffic completely)
Also, to the e-bike riders -- for God's Sake, wear a helmet!! I've seen too many of you riding without one lately. Having been a former motorcyclist who rode sans-helmet in the State of Maine, I remember vividly crashing my bike on a railcrossing while wearing no helmet. I was very lucky I was not injured, and I know it. I still remember going down and hoping to hell I wouldn't hit my head. Now, I always wear a helmet, even on my bicycle. It's common sense.
tanya
helmets on e-bikes
Thu, 09/13/2007 - 17:18Aaron - I don't agree with you regarding mandatory helmets for bicycle riders. But you'll be pleased to note that the fine for e-bikers riding without one is $2500 - its special for pilot projects. (only children are required to wear helmets for "normal" bicycles by law) I haven't seen any e-bikes without one, it certainly is very steep if you get caught.
ekologik
jerks! all of em...
Wed, 10/17/2007 - 17:55whether it's a moped, scooter, whatever, if you're not pedalling then get out of the lane! ebikes, fine, i don't oppose them being in the bike lane because they aren't blowing exhaust fumes in my face, but the others should get out of the bike lanes. i've almost been hit a few times by scooters/mopeds... (not ebikes). as long as ebikes are going a safe speed in the bike lane and don't endanger cyclists when passing then i'm fine by that. bike lanes are for bicycles, and just because motorcycles, scooters and mopeds can fit in them, doesn't mean they should. it's dangerous and very inconsiderate.
Luke (not verified)
Large Marge asks, "What's
Mon, 02/25/2008 - 22:14Large Marge asks, "What's this?!?"
Vamp on a Vespa! A colour coordinated helmet, gorgeous gams, and a pair of high performance heels - obviously built for speed! Better she cut me in than cut me off, but should she err in that respect, I suspect such a divine sight would inspire me to divine propensities: I'd forgive her.
With all manner of alternative vehicles gaining popularity (mopeds, scooters -- uprights and sit-down, Segways, E-bikes, skateboards), road use, in practice if not theory, will become increasingly inclusive and, um, 'organic' for lack of a better term. The contemporary paradigm of roads designed and intended for solely cars/trucks is sure to be challenged and, as is their habit, expect regulators and planners to be reactive instead of proactive.
On two occasions I've been startled by passing E-Bikes: once on the Humber Valley MUP; and on the bike lane along the Bloor Street Viaduct. What's so unsettling is that you absolutely don't hear, and therefore don't expect them, approaching. But those experiences can be characterized as unpleasant surprises, the E-Bikers certainly didn't pose a hazard.
What's the appeal of E-Bikes anyway? Positioned in the purgatory between a scooter and a bicycle, with their limited range and speed, they seem the worst of both worlds. For the pedalling averse, that a license and insurance is not a prerequisite is the only selling point. Even so, with a bicycle often faster, more nimble and cheaper, their benefits are dubious at best.
Svend
You forgot rollerbladers.
Mon, 02/25/2008 - 22:59You forgot rollerbladers. ;-)
It's simple, e-bikes appeal to those who like the freedom of cycling but don't want the sweat involved. That's fine by me.
Luke (not verified)
I dont knwo why this is
Thu, 02/28/2008 - 09:22Math, I favor bike corridors on major thoroughfares because they're often the only route over railways, highways and ravines. But if this is not a consideration then I agree: the preference is gratuitous; secondary roads are often the better choice.
Cougar (not verified)
I just wanted to comment as
Fri, 05/23/2008 - 00:21I just wanted to comment as a new electric scooter owner and rider. I chose a scooter over a bike because I am not physically fit enough to cycle to work and back, because I don't want to arrive at work sweaty, and because I couldn't justify driving a 10 tonne car to carry little 100lb me everyday.
I agree that there are some very unsafe riders out there. I think that with scooters, both gas and electric, gaining in popularity, there will be some adjustment to sharing the road. I think there needs to be established some kind of scooter etiquette.
As a new rider, I appreciate being able to use the bike lanes as I feel safer in them. However, when I encounter a cyclist (even if they are going faster than me, lol) I do feel out of place. So, for electric scooters at least, I think there should be etiquette somewhere along the lines of:
I think people just need to be more thoughtful.
Errol F. (not verified)
Scooters and bicycles
Fri, 05/23/2008 - 08:11I've been riding a gas scooter for the past year and I'd like to add my comments. Scooters and motorcycles should not be in bicycle lanes. We can keep up with traffic so we can ride on the road. I practice what I preach and I never ride in bicycle lanes. However, I would also like to point out that practically every bicycle I see breaks the law. I commute to work daily on my scooter and I regularly see cyclists run stop signs, red lights, ride without helmets and pass on the right. When I make a right turn, I have to edge closer to the curb (as do cars) and I can't count how many times cyclists have come up fast behind me and passed or blocked me even though I have my signal light on indicating my turn. Now, I'm not saying every cyclist breaks the law or drives like a maniac, but I've seen enough to know that cyclists are not all enviro-friendly angels but maniacs who need to smarten up. We all have to share the road, let's all be responsible. Now, e-bikes are a separate issue. They are too fast for bike lanes and too slow for many roads so I don't know exactly where they fit in, but they will obviously have to be accomodated. With the price of gas, expect to see many more two wheeled vehicles of all stripes on our city streets.
John G. Spragge (not verified)
Breaking the law
Fri, 05/23/2008 - 10:00OK, cyclists do run red lights and stop signs; I don't. However, the "passing on the right" canard needs to die. Yes, on a 400-series highway, passing on the right endangers other road users. In a city, however, everyone, and I mean everyone does it. If traffic in the right lane couldn't move up when the car ahead made a (legal) right turn on red, traffic in this city would move far more slowly, and in many cases not at all. Heck, pedestrians who walk (in the road allowance) past stopped traffic have technically passed them "on the right". Too often, the charge of "passing on the right" reflects the juvenile resentment of motorists who see nimble and compact bicycles moving faster through traffic jams than their own large vehicles.
Cyclists may legitimately debate which of the rules made to control the movement of cars should also apply to bicycles. However, arguing in favour of a "rule" of the road that everyone breaks, and everyone has to break in order to keep traffic moving simply muddies the issue.
The EnigManiac
Cougar and Errol...
Fri, 05/23/2008 - 13:08Cougar, please do not ride your scooter in the bike lane. While I understand it makes you feel safer, it endangers cyclists and makes us feel less safe. The designation of bike lanes is intended for bicycles and bicycles only. Nothing, not cars, trucks, motorcycles, scooters or skateboarders are permitted in them. Scooters fit right in with other motorized traffic and that is where you should be. You can't be both a cyclist and a motorist. And, by the way, you'll never be fit enough to ride to work if you're sitting inert upon a scooter.
Errol, you're right, many cyclists break the law. But let's be clear here. EVERYONE on the road breaks the law. I have yet to see anyone who operates perfectly on any street. Folks all try to get away with what they can. Motorists speed, race through amber and red lights, roll through stop signs, fail to signal turns and lane changes, cut off other users of the road, tailgate, open their doors into traffic and a million other things. Scooter and motorcycle riders often fail to signal, commit right-hook infractions, etc. Cyclists do lots of stupid, unsafe and reckless things too (I personally have noticed this month that about 90% of night riders don't bother with either front or rear light, for instance). It's human nature. I'll bet while you're observing everyone else's mistakes, you're overlooking some of your own.
One point of interest I'd like to comment upon is the passing on the right. Indeed, it is often unsafe to do so and certainly not recommended. But it is legal. Many motorized road users race up ahead of cyclists, throw their signal on only a few meters in front and think they have the right of way. They don't. They are about to cross a live lane of traffic that has the right of way and must check to ensure that they can make their turn safely. A turning vehicle is almost always at fault if a collision occurs for a reason. The motorist did not check to ensure he/she could make the turn properly or safely. Even if the motorist was well ahead of the cyclist, they must be aware of traffic passing on their right. That's the law.
Ben
My thoughts
Mon, 05/26/2008 - 10:43Electric bikes are legally bikes (I think). They should be allowed in the bike lane. They generally travel at bike-ish speed, and won't weigh much more than a regular bicycle (i.e. the weight of the rider is the active factor determining their momentum).
Scooters and mopeds should mingle in traffic, they aren't bicycles, they are motorcycles.
Antoine (not verified)
bike helmet laws
Sat, 06/07/2008 - 15:18just a minor clarification.
In Ontario is is not THE LAW to wear a bicycle helmet unless you are under 18. It is safe, and I wear my helmet when cycling in major city streets, but it is my choice...it is not against the law if i do not wear my helmet.
Larissa (not verified)
E-Bikes: Rude and Confused!!
Wed, 06/04/2008 - 18:02I would like to comment on E-Bike's in the Bicycle Lane. I thought I could get on with them until I was cut off by a woman on one while turning left onto College from Augusta. I tried to be polite at first, catching her on my BMX to let her know you just don't DO that... These scooters are big and silent and she was right in my turning arc, so it was totally dangerous. She didn't see it that way at all. Neither did some dude who chimed in behind her ... on a bike! I was flabergasted and really began to get peeved when she started going on about how I don't care about my life since I wasn't wearing a helmet yada yada.
Totally avoiding the point of her poor driving etiquette of course.
I passed her on the left in the bike lane moments later, and she chirruped " I thought you couldn't pass on the left?" from behind me. There's no reasoning with people intent on being completely ignorant. I had to leave before I clubbed her with my bike lock to show her how poorly her helmet was fitted, and that if she want's to behave like this around cyclists, in OUR lane - she better invest in a full face helmet with body armor.
Get a real bike and RIDE.
Anonymous (not verified)
Crazy Bikers!
Fri, 06/06/2008 - 02:07I agree scooters and mopeds should get out the bike lane.
One thing that's driving me nuts is the amount of crazy bikers I've seen lately. Imagine no helmet, riding down the middle of Eglinton Ave. East directly on the yellow line. What the heck? The other day I was driving on Kennedy towards Younge and Eglinton and from DonMills a guy on a bike grabs onto the back of a pick up truck and holds it all the way to Younge. What the heck? I thought at any moment the guy'd go flying.
Tanya Q (not verified)
How to make your argument more credible
Fri, 06/06/2008 - 13:05Really you dilute whatever you are arguing about when you try to point out a biker is crazy by beginning the sentence with "Imagine no helmet,"... Not wearing a helmet is not irresponsible in of itself. Are you wearing one driving down Kennedy? (about as likely to sustain a head injury) And engaging in dangerous behaviour, a helmet is going to make little difference (dead or dead).
Antoine (not verified)
following the rules
Sat, 06/07/2008 - 15:36Also one thing that all Torontonians (even cyclists) need to have is perspective. If a motorist zooms passed a red light at 80 km/hour he can KILL someone. If a cyclist slowly passes a red light at 5 km/hour no one will die.
Toronto motorists are entitled. They put the lives of cyclists and pedestrians in danger EVERY DAY just because they want to get to the donut shop 5 minutes earlier.
Motorists need to be REMINDED to yield to pedestrians! (by signs that tell them this) reminded!!!! it's like wtf? Shouldn't you know that someone's LIFE is more important than your schedule?
do they also need to be reminded not to punch children and not to steal? (but then again I guess they do, cuz I am always amazed by the "no sampling please" signs at my grocer, it's like, man! they need to remind people not to steal! ;-)
Common sense tells us: pedestrians first (this includes rollerbladers and skateboarders), bicycles, then motorized vehicles (and in my opinion transit vehicles should have right of way) they do in Montreal and many other cities, but here in Toronto where the car driver is lord of all, it is perfectly acceptable for one dude in a SUV to block a streetcar carrying 60 people for 5 minutes. totally ludicrous.
Of course we should be safe, but if ever a motorist tries to argue with you about HIS right of way, let him know that bicycles ALWAYS have right of way and that he is WRONG.
It's getting so bad in Toronto, cyclists are gonna have to start cycling with baseball bats! ;-)
The fact that cyclists reinforce the notion that bicycles should yield to cars "sometimes" is why I almost get killed every day on my way to work by idiotic, entitled Toronto motorists. It's bad enough that motorists think they are right to almost run over a bike, but for cyclists to support that idea??? come on!
Cyclists must STOP defending motorists behaviour. It's just common sense: a car can KILL me but I can't kill someone in a car with my bike.
Anonymous (not verified)
Holier than thou
Fri, 06/13/2008 - 00:10It is disturbing to hear that some cyclist think they ALWAYS have the right of way over others on the road. What ever happened to the law? More than once I have been almost rear ended and sworn at by fellow cyclist when I stopped my bike at a stop sign or stopping for street car passengers. Cyclists that obey the rules must have cramped their style. Just because you might not kill someone does not mean you are above the law.
Anonymous (not verified)
I applaud you for following
Fri, 06/13/2008 - 13:48I applaud you for following those stopping rules, and am also sick of people bumping me, but people like you and I really have no right to complain about the results from other riders if we don't start signaling our stops.
Ben
ebikes vs scooters
Tue, 07/08/2008 - 11:36Hello Anonymous Vespa Salesperson,
I think that most people on this message board disagree with me, but I don't mind ebikes, as long as they follow the rules like a cyclist should (so I agree with you about the sidewalk thing). It makes "cycling" accessible to a wider portion of the population.
Everyone on here knows exactly what a bike lane is. It's a lane 1.5 - ~2m wide with bike stencils and a solid white line on the left side. If you are crossing the solid line on your vespa, then we will be upset. If you are crossing the dotted line to turn right at an intersection, you have my blessing (as long as you respect cyclists ahead of you in the queue).
A scooter may be a more efficient way to transport two people in an urban environment than a car, but I don't think that there is a need for urban motorized private transport. Please take transit or bike.
Dave (not verified)
Oh, the outrage food chain.
Wed, 07/09/2008 - 13:19Peds hate bikes, bikes hate scooters, scooters hate cars, cars hate trucks..............
Grow up, ya babies. people do dumb stuff walking, let alone with a leg or motor powered vehicle. Sanctimony is such a pathetic thing. And rather precarious if you ask me. Sure, you're quick to think everyone is out to get you, but you'd never admit to riding the wrong way down a one way street, talking on a cell phone and cutting a car off that has decided to follow the rules of the road (something I witnessed this morning. Wish that car had flattened that jerk...). No, you never have anything to say about that, because bicyclists are the best! You're saving the planet and farting out ozone replenishing magic. Get over yourselves.
Doug (not verified)
Scooter Style E-Bikes
Sat, 07/12/2008 - 16:00I purchased an e-bike, but one that looks like a Vespa. Love it...I have had no problems getting along with bicyclists and automobiles. Nobody honks at me or gives me a hard time.
In fact people are really enamoured by the bike. Mine is called The Commuter and that is exactly what I use it for...Commuting 10 km to work and back every day....Fantastic Product and well worth the money...I recommend one to anyone looking for an alternative to pedaling and driving.
jamesmallon (not verified)
electric scooter, why?
Sun, 07/13/2008 - 00:43If someone is diabled, I totally get their use of an electric scooter. Hell, they're even welcome on my bike path. But for those who are able-bodied, what the hell is the point? Sloth? Not breaking a sweat? Well, I should think slowing the pace to not break a sweat, or getting a gym membership near work so that you can shower, is a more sensible and cheaper option. Those things hardly go faster than my bike, and I'm no Eddie Merckx. Also a lot of money to put into something that can get lifted (though not up a flight of stairs by the owner!).
But even that less-abled stuff can be a bit of BS. There's a dude I see on my way home who rides a 'bent along the lake shore path. He appears to have some kind of spinal or muscular problem, and doesn't go very fast, but he's got his ass on a bike trying to be in shape, while millions of better blessed sloths let their bodies go to waste. Shameful. The dude on the 'bent has my respect, and is more hardcore than we'll ever be.
Oh yeah, "an e-bike, but one that looks like a Vespa"? No, it doesn't. You'll never see a weeny 'e-bike' in a remake of Quadraphenia, Roman Holiday or a Fine Young Cannibals video (damn, I'm old) because one thing is cool, and the other isn't.
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