Are Toronto drivers less or more respectful to cyclists and pedestrians compared to other North American cities?

There are a-hole drivers (and cyclists) wherever you go. Toronto is probably somewhere in the middle of NA cities where bikes are concerned. As for our current "mayoral disaster" I would opine that it has not changed a bit since the previous Mayoral disaster quit.

Toronto does stand out for the poor quality of its roads. The dirt roads in Alaska are smoother than the potholed mess we put up with daily.

The premise that drivers are angry is flawed. I spend about 2 hours a day riding, primarily in the downtown Toronto core and have a different perspective: about half the riders in this city have no respect whatsoever for basic traffic laws like stoping at a red light. Obeying the rules of the road is about safety and respect for others on the road. So while I am a strong biking advocate, I simply do not expect drivers to respect us when so many of us don't respect drivers.  I wish this site placed greater emphasis on educating riders. You are not cool when you ride through a red light. You are dangerous and disrespectful. You are an embarrassment to bike advocates. 
As to the comparison with other cities, I will be riding in Boston in the fall so I'll try to revisit this post with my comments. 

Among Canadians the Toronto drivers are pretty rude. Maybe it has todo with the immigrant makeup. Among our growing ghettos, Markham and Brampton I suspect driving norms being followed are not the polite Canadian ones you'd find elsewhere in the country.

I'm sure there are lots of other reasons, it's a big city and there is a lot of traffic... but that doesn't seem to explain it.

If it's any consolation - After spending time in Chicago and Boston i can for sure tell you that Canadians are more polite on the road in general. The level of "in your face" driving is through the roof in those cities.

I think its a case of 'you reap what you sow'. My main form of transport has been my bicycle for the last 17 years. Over that time I've noticed a few trends: 1. there are now way more cyclists on the road, 2. there are now way more cars on the road and 3. drivers and cyclists seem more angry.

Personally I've had very few incidents. Yes I get the occassional moron who just has to slow down their motorized vehicle so they can roll down their window and swear at me, or in one or two cases (where BTW I note their license number and report them to the police) threaten me for taking up space on the road. But by far the vast majority of drivers are polite. It might have something to do with the fact that I do not differentiate between riding a bicycle versus riding a motorcycle, except of course that I'm going a lot slower. So I stop at the red lights. If there's other traffic at a 4 way stop I wait for my turn in the sequence. If there is a line of cars waiting at a red light, I wait behind them rather than squeeze between them and the curb so that I don't have to suffer being squeezed by them when the light changes. I admit I do California stops at stop signs where there's no traffic, but then so do practically all drivers. I signal my turns, but I'm really bad about signalling when I'm stopping - something to do with wanting both my hands operating both brakes. If someone could invent an inexpensive bicycle brake light for me, I'd be very appreciative.

Anyways, I'm sure this post will set me up for a lot of abuse because I'm not behaving like a 'real cyclists'. But you know what, it works for me.

Does my behaviour make me more safe? Maybe, but probably not. There's still the possibility of being doored, hit by a drunk driver etc. However, my behaviour does make for an enjoyable ride about 95% of the time.

I may not get where I'm going fast, but I do get there with a smile.

BTW, I would like to nominate the drivers of Leaside as being the most courteous in the city. Which TO neighbourhood do you think has the most courteous drivers?

The author is correct. Toronto has a sickness, some of it shown in the 'it's all the fault of the cyclists' comments on this thread. Tell you what, let me hit you with your car and I'll let you hit me with my bike.

The author is correct. Toronto has a sickness, some of it shown in the 'it's all the fault of the cyclists' comments on this thread. Tell you what, let me hit you with your car and I'll let you hit me with my bike.

I don't really have a basis for comparing Toronto drivers to other North American drivers when it comes to biking, but I think it does come down to the attitude towards bikes as part of traffic. In a place like the Netherlands, even when the bike lane is just painted on or non-existent, you would basically never get a driver heckling a cyclist just for being on the road or choosing to ride a bike. That driver almost certainly learned to ride long before getting a licence, and probably continues to ride, has been trained to share the road while biking and driving, etc.

There is a perception among many drivers that bikes are nothing but trouble, and while the majority of car/bike interaction I see daily is uneventful and safe, there is a level of passive-aggressiveness and obliviousness on the part of all road users (including pedestrians) that really needs to be addressed. I don't have a problem at all with cyclists when I drive, but when I bike it's the other cyclists whose behaviour I notice. I find myself wanting to say 'What the hell are you doing?' more often than I do about other drivers when I drive.

It does seem that sharing the road is a concept that is better understood and accepted in Ontario outside of Toronto, though.

I find Toronto drivers fairly respectful when I'm on the road. I got yelled at least month. I'm surprised at the deliberate effort required to slow down, roll down the window, and shout at someone. But then I recalled it had been nearly four years since the last time a driver made the effort.

There is certainly careless driving. I seldom get cut off any more, mainly by taking care whenever there's a potential for a right-turning car to cut me off and going left where the intent to turn is obvious and noticed in time. I'm more patient, less rushed.

There are many daily acts of awareness and consideration though. The most common is when moving to the centre lane when coming up to a parked car on the curb lane. The shoulder check alone leads most drivers to concede the lane.

Reading newspaper articles and especially the comments section on anything bicycle related is another matter and gives the impression of mass seething conflict.

Graeme

I forgot to add that focusing on being patient and courteous to other road users, e.g., motioning to drivers that they do indeed have the right of way (when they actually do), stopping for pedestrians who don't expect it, etc., has - I hope - a positive effect on relations and helps wake people up a bit.

I agree that being a tourist is different than living in the city. The main reason is that when you're a tourist you are less likely to ride during rush hour, more likely to ride on weekends. I have to say that riding in Toronto outside of rush hour is pretty good compared to the anger/impatience that we encounter during rush hour. I love riding late at night when there are few cars on the streets.

I mostly agree with both of the comments above. I have ridden in many cities around North America, and I find Toronto to be more hostile. Yes, people drive faster in New York City, but I have seen a lot more hostility in Toronto than anywhere else. I spent 10 days riding around Washington DC and Virginia (Arlington and Alexandria) during rush hour and outside of rush hour. It was a blast, really amazing - drivers really knew how to share the road there.

Having said that, seeing the number of cyclists on Queen street or College street is something you don't see in many other North American cities. It's a beautiful sight, even if clouded by the hostility.

"The stereotype that American drivers are ruder than Canadian drivers seems to be wearing a bit thin, especially in comparison to Toronto."

Was that ever the stereotype? Here's Edmund Wilson: "Driving in Toronto is reckless to a degree that I have never seen elsewhere ... a series of narrow escapes ... It was explained to me that motorists were always playing 'chicken'."

He wrote that in 1964.

(He goes on to say it's because Torontonians are all immigrants who hate each other, so they were trying to kill each other. Not sure it's right, but I hear a lot of people still advancing that theory.)

There are only two cities in North America in which I have cycled extensively: Toronto, and Hamilton, Ontario. I grew up in Toronto, but am attending school in Hamilton. I have also done a few trips by bike between the cities, so I can elaborate on the traffic situation in Mississauga, Oakville, and Burlington too.

Toronto drivers are rude, ignorant, and self-centered. Period!! Whenever I cycle here, I feel incredibly vulnerable to getting hit. Drivers simply do not respect cyclist-kind, and there seems to be an establish culture of us being second class citizens. Most of my travels take me where side streets do not go, therefore I am relegated to using the main roads. It is a frightening experience let me tell you! If you dare assume the primary position (middle of lane), you need to go FAST, or you get heckled. And if you assume the secondary position, cars will, without fail, attempt to share the lane, squeezing you towards the curb. How is my safety being considered in situations like these? It isn't. Luckily, I'm a strong and defensive cyclist, and have not been involved in any accidents. There are less assertive cyclists out there who cannot keep up or do not have the headsiness to flow with traffic - they are the most vulnerable.

Cycling in Hamilton on the other hand is a PLEASURE! We have more bike lanes/trails per capita than TO! And where we don't have lanes, drivers respect us! I confidently take the lane when I cycle in Hamilton, and rarely encounter aggressive drivers. And we have far fewer cyclists than in Toronto. Oakville seems to be the runner up after Hamilton, with Burlington/Mississauga sharing a 3rd place tie for bicycle friendliness.

My theory as to why Hamilton is #1 is that it's citizens generally aren't as wealthy as their neighbours to the north-east. I've found the worst road for cycling in Toronto is Mount Pleasant. Apart from it being built to pseudo-highway like standards for most of it's length, 75% of the cars using that road are luxury brands like Mercedes, BMW, Audi, etc. The snobish folks that drive those vehicles simply don't care about other road users. The less-wealthy folk are usually more down to earth, less in a rush, and more considerate on the road.

There you have it! Cycling in Toronto is not safe at all. Get out while you still can. There are greener pastures to the south-west. Seriously consider visiting the Hammer if you haven't already. I promise you'll find it an interesting place.