Bells on Bloor? Nope!

I think when it comes to drivers' arguments against infrastructure it comes down to "possession is nine tenths of the law". We're already here so 'suck it up' Perhaps, with that in mind, instead of waiting to be given things we need to take them.

It's a pie in the sky idea (and maybe not the right one - perhaps another idea will be inspired by this) but what if on streets like Bloor people were to bunch up in groups of 15-20 during rush hour - with various meeting places along bloor before continuing on. Once the group was at an adequate size they proceed, taking the lane like we do in Critical Mass (but obeying traffic signals). It would sort of be a "bike bus" meets critical mass idea. This would legally create more disruption (more leverage for getting infrastructure) while giving us the safety we hope to get from the lanes.

When ants are flooded out of their nests, they do not all swim in the direction they're trying to go, they mass up into a writhing ball and float away to better weather the storm. Perhaps we need to take a cue from them?

Seems like a good use for those flyers that Bikegirly is proposing.

I think you're right, Svend. Monthly or less than monthly events are nice and they're fun, and city-approved ones even make great photo-ops to give the impression that the current government is doing something productive for cyclists. However, unless we're in the news daily or at most weekly, preferably in a way that highlights how the city is failing us, I think progress will be slow and we have, in part, ourselves to blame for this. The likes of Rob Ford and Case Ootes are not going to be visited tonight by the ghosts of cycling past, present, and yet to come and wake up tomorrow changed men. There needs to be a constant thorn in the side of the city, whether it be highlighting the city's shortcomings/hypocrisy (e.g. does it really matter how many km of bike lanes are painted if they're filled with parked cars the next day?), being a nuisance by bunching up in huge numbers, or through actions such as those done by OURS last summer. Otherwise, in my opinion, we might be just as effective buying lots of gasoline on the commodities market to drive up the price further.. What are we waiting for as a group? Obviously even people losing their lives on the streets because of poor infrastructure is not really changing anything. Rob Ford may have said "I can’t support bike lanes. Roads are built for buses, cars, and trucks. My heart bleeds when someone gets killed, but it’s their own fault at the end of the day.” but the actions of the city back him up 100%.

In my opinion, the polite approach hasn't worked. Who was it that said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing but expecting a different outcome?

It seems most often the local BIAs that block bike lanes. In a capitalist society nothing but money talks, so why not get local bike organizations to publicize a boycott against all BIAs who have been unsupportive of bike lanes, to the benefit of parking which puts us in the door zone? We can try to convince them they are shortsighted: that the chance the person parked in front of their store shops there is small, and cyclists are more likely to shop where they can safely ride. However, it's better to hit them where it hurts.

Responsible and fearful members of the BIA will get the BIA party-line changed, and Toronto politicians do what they're told by the people who bought them.

Dont boycott them - bring them everything they don't want and more. Show them that in order for cycling to be safe without bike lanes we have to ride en masse through their BIA - and we have to ride as slowly as the slowest folks in the mass. Too bad if it blocks traffic to your store. Let's move parking meter parties to Bloor this year between St. George and Yonge.

Avoiding the area is doing exactly what they want and ensuring that we get nowhere.

How about die-in 2.0: critical mass meets zombie walk slowly taking Bloor, Avenue Rd, and so forth.

We've seen how far being polite has managed to get us. How are we expecting things to change exactly?

Todd, I think our approaches are complementary! Show up en masse, and not give them one red cent.

Rather than hijack the thread here, I've created a group over at google groups for discussion and planning of this and other similar actions here: http://groups.google.com/group/TOcycling-ctivism - Like I've said before, there's a lot of energy here - let's start channeling it.

Incidentally, I've also joined the bike union. I think it makes good sense. At this point, though, and correct me if I'm wrong, I see the union as more of the publicly palatable face of cycling in Tororonto - the mainstream group that lobbies the city government. There may be some actions that are necessary but that they may wish to have some distance from and for that reason other groups (or just motivated people coming together a la flash mob) that the union may want some distance from.

That would be http://groups.google.com/group/TOcycling-activism

No, I am not going to commit time or money to any advocacy group until I see a point. There are too many groups, and too little result to pledge blind obedience. I'm desparate to support something effective, so will when there is.

Thanks for the post and interest. Where to start?
Some apologies for not watching the TEYCC agenda more closely, one occasionally gets distracted/messed up/bucked up and we're volunteers too, so we're imperfect. But this crept up on us, and so we didn't get the word out for mass outrage/deputations, though at times one doubts if it would make a difference. Blindp?!
However, one excellent letter from Albert Koehl/ecojustice was filed with the TEYCC about the possible evasion of an Environmental Assessment - why does Jarvis and Roncesvalles get an EA for their streetscape project and the $25M Bloor project scoot through? An EA process might not bring anything new for cyclists, because they're really bad for cycling safety eg. St. Clair and Spadina, but there'd still be public meetings and more of a process, and perhaps we could dvelop 5-7 bike options...
The letter also questions how safe the new road will be without bike lanes.
The Committee did talk about taking a lane of traffic out of Bloor in the future, but they are not willing to rip up plans etc. because the project's already gone out to tender, as they claim that the design was all approved by Council in years earlier, which I am unsure of - I thought it was only an approval in principle whatever that means.
The drawing of Bloor with bike lanes at the top of this post is from 16 years ago - the City of Toronto hired Marshall Macklin Monaghan to study routes for bike lanes and wide Bloor from Spadina to Broadview was #1 for east-west bike lanes.
In theory there's a claim the BIA isn't opposed to bike lanes, but the statement was made that the City rep on the project cttee eg. Dan Egan wasn't pushing for them so therefore it's his fault.
The report goes up to Council for fuller discussion on June 23/24. I think it has potential to be a wedge issue between left and right, in that the progressives are supporting a P3 a private paving party that perverts public priorities, and they could be shamed somewhat, and maybe the right-wingers might be willing to hang some bike tires on the ndpers...
Address communications to Mayor Miller and Councillors c/of the City Clerk I believe and it's 16.26 on the TEYCC agenda of June 10 "Road Alterations - Bloor Transformation Project"
Don't forget the provincial level either, local pols, the Min of the Env., ECO.
I'm hoping the CU can/will weigh in on this; the TCAC has been kinda shut down and sidelined on this particular issue by Heaps. In the copy I just filed with NOW mag about this, I swipe at him for saying we can make up the 1km of Annette fairly readily - but don't ask him to do it on the 1km of Bloor between Ave. Rd. and Church St.
As for tactics, yes riding Bloor, early and often and despite the wheel-breaking and dangerous holes etc. - and geez maybe we have to take a lane because it's soooo bad and dangerous and we hve to go slow...
and I like mini-masses idea too
July 8th there's apparently a BYBIA meeting at the Marriott hotel about this plan c. 6pm and Angela has talked about boosting street profile by asking those in area to sign peititoin for bike lanes here....
Rae doesn't want to have sidewalk widening attacked, yet the streetcspe already is 1.5 M and the plans didn't show any ANY details about how much of the wider sidewalk is for new planters etc. and how much is ped space, which is being shrunk in one layby at Holts done because they're paying for a lot of the project and golden rules apply.
The BIA deserves some nod for taking away the parking, that's true. And they are well-meaning as it's a Major Money commitment to the public realm atop the Major Money they pay for rent maybe $30,000 a month? isn't unusual....
Other committee members are talking about the wider Bloor project, but I do see this segment in the core as very very critical to the linking of segments especially into UofT via University Ave. southbound (there's also a subway under there too!)
So on one hand, they're being dorks, but they're talking in advance of things being good for the wider project.
But 16 years after first being identified as the #1 spot, and with the parking being removed with the blessing of the local merchants, to not have bike lanes here seems quite at odds with the blah-blah about how green "caronto" is.
please keep it up folks, i'm a bit stretched/broke - thanks

EAs aren't working too well at least for cyclists, and they're a bizarre creation that doesn't really measure environmental harms. With the Bloor situation, it seems there's a lot of latitude given to staff/cities to fudge around, and this one smells.
This site gives context and guidelines, but it seems there aren't any real penalties for fouling up, except maybe an EA...

According to the City of Toronto's own traffic collision studies, http://www.toronto.ca/transportation/publications/brochures/2005_cyclist..., Bloor Street has of the highest rates of injury for cyclists in all of Toronto. Accommodating everyone except cyclists is mean and negligent.

Interesting that you mentioned negligence - made me think maybe a google search was in order. I came across this: http://bicyclesafe.com/lawsuits.html

This one jumped out at me: " The Bicycle Transportation Alliance sued the City of Portland when Portland was building a new road around a stadium and wasn't planning to include bike lanes. The BTA won, the city installed bike lanes, and now and the city is much more bike friendly in general as a consequence: "

I've only followed this issue through this thread, so correct me if I'm wrong ... but I seem to remember the argument the city made to oppostion to the St. Clair streetcar right of way was essentially the need to balance the need of the tens of thousands of people who ride the St. Clair streetcar with the wants/needs of the people and businesses in the neighbourhood.

Many of the businesses have customers who drive in from out of town and were/are very concerned about loosing traffic lanes and parking, plus the obvious inconvienience for their customers while the St. Clair ROW is constructed.

For the record, I agreed with the city on this ... people do have a right to determine what goes on in their neighbourhood, but it needs to be balanced by the needs of the wider community.

Apply the same thinking to Bloor ... and why don't we have bike lanes?

Again, it seems that local business traffic is the main concern. So, why do the local businesses in Yorkville get their way, while the folks in little Italy north don't? Seems like an obvious parallel to me.