I found the above illustration on the GOOD website.
According to the City of Toronto (Census) riding to work was up 32,6% between 2001 and 2006 from 1,3 to 1,7. Not bad but too slow for my likes. Wonder what the current stats might be. I think it's up despite everything we face. I am just thankful for everyone on two wheels.
Below is a graph for modal share stats for Ontario. [Editor: Toronto is at 1.7% while the second highest is Orangeville at 1.2%. Metro Toronto would be much, much higher since the burbs pull the numbers way down.]
Update: The Toronto Star has a published a map today with the percentage of commuters who ride bicycles to work, from the 2006 census
[img_assist|nid=3628|title=|desc=|link=node|align=center|width=500|height=201]
Comments
Random cyclist (not verified)
why do they put a really
Sun, 10/25/2009 - 23:00why do they put a really "hard core" cyclist on the picture? We learned from the guest from Portland that it's the average person who is really going to boost the cycling mode share. To the GOOD people I say give me a lady on a step thru bike carrying some groceries next time we're talking increasing mode share.
Rich (not verified)
Probably because the kind of
Mon, 10/26/2009 - 22:57Probably because the kind of cyclist depicted (nicer sporty bike, special cycling clothing like clipless pedals) represents the kind of person likely to be active in the "cycling community", like bike parties, alleycats, races, or to make posters promoting cycling. It isn't that there are more of these cyclists, or that these cyclists are more deserving of being featured, it's most likely that it's just a friend of the guy/girl who made the poster.
The people cruising to work on their hybrids with panniers tend to do their ride, enjoy their ride, and are every bit as valid a cyclist as the next person, but you don't see them out a lot at "cycling community" events, and probably don't network with other cyclists as much as the people who are more involved in said cycling community.
Or it could just be that fixed gear bikes are what's in right now. Either way, I don't think there's much to look into from the choice of cyclist on the poster.
electric
They put it there because it is hip and stylish.
Tue, 10/27/2009 - 01:23Why don't they put average looking women/men in fashion magazines?
Similar answer.
I think your complaint is based on looking at the problem backwards. If a lady on a step-thru bike carrying groceries could be stylish and eye catching then they'd put her in there. However that image is not really reflective of the current perceptions of cycling around here. For one, i'd bet that in Toronto at least 80% of cyclists are men.
Svend
What if the hip move on to a different fad?
Tue, 10/27/2009 - 13:41I'd like to see current perceptions change, the gender mix is about 50:50 where cycling is safer. Hip gets media attention which is fantastic, but seeing the average person or a variety of types gets the masses thinking it's possible for them.
Seymore Bikes
Toronto Central
Tue, 10/27/2009 - 09:19I would be interested to know the percentage of people riding within the area bordered by the 401, Warden & Islington.
Ben
answer
Tue, 10/27/2009 - 11:08Toronto Star's map blog had this just the other day.
dash (not verified)
I've been cycling downtown
Mon, 10/26/2009 - 13:21I've been cycling downtown for several years now, and I feel like just in this past year, the amount of cyclists on the street has exploded. I've never really experienced cyclist traffic jams until this season, and I don't even ride during rush hour.
p.s.
Looks pretty average to me, random cyclist. Just because some dude decides to put on a pair of clip-ons, doesn't mean they're suddenly hard core.
Ben
Be Like Zeus
Mon, 10/26/2009 - 14:12A problem that Toronto faces is weather. You'll often see more bikes than cars on Harbord in September, but as soon as the morning temperature drops into single digits the number of cyclists decreases drastically. And don't get me started about rain...
This is why the Toronto cycling advocacy community should focus its efforts on creating a weather machine. Then we could have perfect cycle commuting weather year round. We could also use it to smite our enemies.
The Pedaller (not verified)
Any Port in a Storm
Mon, 10/26/2009 - 15:23Portland has high numbers of cyclists and they get way more rain than Toronto. Copenhagen gets a little more snow than Portland and they get their city crews to clear Bike Ways first.
A bad weather day will always limit the number of cyclists , but a lot of it has to do with attitude and maintenance.
What ever happened to that Bike Tube concept? I could have used it on Friday night.
jamesmallon (not verified)
It ain't the weather
Thu, 10/29/2009 - 15:32It's the dumbass streetcar tracks that are going to take me down in the wet, and the tool in a BMW crowding me who's going to run over me when I pitch, and the cop who drives in from the 905 who is going to say it was my fault and write it up so the driver gets let off.
I always say, let me ride in bad weather without a helmet in Tokyo or Copenhagen over riding in good weather with one in Toronto, any bloody day.