Are We Losing the Fight for a Bikable City?

  • Posted by Kari
  • Filed in City
  • April 12, 2007

bikes.jpgLast night, at NOW Lounge's first in a series of "Town Hall" meetings to discuss current issues affecting Torontonians, a panel of six tried to answer the title question with the most optimism possible. With the recent demise of Toronto's BikeShare program, and the inability of the city council to remain on track with their Bike Plan, the question seems almost rhetorical. I think Wayne Scott of the Hoof and Cycle Courier Coalition said it best. He says it may seem like we're losing the fight right now, but ultimately, and inevitably, we will win this war.

The panel consisted of six cycling elitists/advocates, including Adam Giambrone, Tanya Quinn of crazybikerchick.com, Dan Egan (manager, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure), Wayne Scott (representative for Toronto's bicycle couriers), Darren Stehr of the ARC and Hamish Wilson, who is a member of the Toronto Cycling Committee and the Take The Tooker team.

Giambrone defended the council without favouring them, blaming the council's bike plan shortcomings on "political malaise". 484km of bike lanes have been planned for the city and only 69km have been finished; Giambrone chalks it up to manpower. The funding is there, he says, but without the bodies to back the plan, things fall through the cracks. Fortunately, four new members have been added to the Bike Plan team. We should see an increase in the amount of bike lane laid in the near future. Plus, he added, every single bus in the new fleet (which we'll see in 2010) will have bike racks on the front, making the network of bikability in the city more complete.

Dan Egan reiterated the fact that politics are the problem in getting the Bike Plan fully instituted. He said as soon as council hears even mild opposition to a bike lane, the council gets cold feet. His solution? Cyclists need to be more vocal.

Wayne Scott believes that city council, and most non-cyclists, don't see biking as valid form of transportation. "There needs to be a major shift in society," he says. Active transportation needs to be taken as seriously as motor vehicles. And we need to understand that driving a car is a privilege, and not a right.

Tanya Quinn made a very valid point (among many), "We need to lose our reluctance to restrict cars," she said. "It doesn't make sense that a streetcar with 70 passengers will get held up by a single occupancy vehicle waiting to turn left on a busy street." She also suggested signs on narrow streets, stating cyclists are entitled to a full lane of traffic. This comment was followed by boisterous applause from the audience. Solutions don't need to cost thousands of dollars in order to be effective.

Hammish Wilson didn't want to sound like a "carmudgeon" (he was full of witty puns last night), but he sees the council's Bike Plan as flawed and timid. Solid leadership is needed. Personally, I think it's going to take the support of a celebrity in order to increase awareness. After all, global warming remained on the back burner until Al Gore started touring with his inconvenient slide show.

To wrap up the evening, host Mike Smith asked each of the panelists what the ideal future of a bikable city looks like. Suggestions ranged from a car-free downtown core to having commercial deliveries made at night to lessen traffic during the day. Slowing car traffic to speeds more compatible with cyclists may help, and having two-lane streets (with dedicated streetcar lanes) will lighten traffic even more.

To Darren Stehr, the future of cycling in the city will mean inspiring more people to ride, rather than having people feel forced (because of rising gas prices). The benefits of cycling need to be more widely known- save money, save the environment and improve your health. It's a win-win-win situation. Except of course, when you win one of the dreaded door prizes motorists dole out daily (a suggestion was made to fine these particular drivers, which was met with more applause).

Discussion on the bikability of Toronto continues tonight at Metro Hall, Room #309, with the Toronto Public Spacing Committee. This week's NOW Magazine is full of biking resources, and organizations like the ARC and Critical Mass can show you other ways to promote a bikable Toronto.

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Reader Reviews and Comments

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I don't see why the end of BikeShare has caused so much grief. In my 7 years living in Toronto, not one of my friends or acquaintances have ever used the yellow bike system. This might easily be disregarded if it were not for the fact that we're the perfect demographic for such a program. Most of us already regularly commute by bicycle; few of us have the disposable income for car or frequent TTC travel; and we live relatively close to several hubs. And yet never once did I hear someone say "I'm going to join BikeShare, it seems so convenient." People who live here buy their own bikes. Why do we need a rental program? It's helpful I'm sure for tourists, but even then how many visitors to the city explore by bike?

I'm all for increased bicycle use, but BikeShare seemed superflous at best.

Posted by: Geoff at April 12, 2007 1:04 PM

The lead singer from Barenaked Ladies (I forget his name) endorsed the Bloor - Danforth Bikeway (TakeTheTooker) in an interview last year. That kind of counts as a celebrity something or other.

Posted by: Ben at April 12, 2007 1:54 PM

I found it

The other thing I really like is bike lanes in a city. I'm fighting for that in Toronto right now. I like to ride my bike a lot to get places, and we have no major east-west bike artery at all in our city, and people are dying on their bikes all over the place.
I guess that is not really an endorsement.
URL: http://grist.org/news/maindish/2006/12/18/BNL/

Posted by: Ben at April 12, 2007 2:00 PM

I find it significant that Adamn Giambrone did not see fit to stay the evening (note he is missing from your foto). He had a date with the "clean and Beautiful city" as he put it, and had to leave early. Most of the questions that came up from the floor would have had him as their target, so it was perhaps indicative of his interest in cycling that he made haste to depart.

Of course, at a previous engagement to hear public input on the TTC, he also left early, according to NOW magazine and Walmart Advertiser. Is he proving to be just another politician?

So young, they fall, so young.

Posted by: blobbish at April 12, 2007 5:01 PM

Also missing from the photo is the two crazy ladies who we're on thier cell phone the whole time, talking to some guy from Montreal. They then put the phone up to the mike so guy could ask a question (didn't work).

Other than that, I was an informative night. Well done.

Posted by: Biker Dude3000 at April 12, 2007 9:30 PM

Despite my love for bike riding, I've never once attempted it since I first moved here for university a couple years ago. I don't feel at all safe on the roads, and I especially don't feel safe locking my bike up anywhere, even with the best of locks.

Posted by: Ryan at April 13, 2007 1:42 PM

I also thought it was funny that Giambrone left after only an hour of discussion (they started the evening about 20 minutes late, too). Too bad, because yes- I think many of the people that had questions wanted them answered by a council member. Alas.

The guy on the phone in Montreal- sheesh! That part really bugged me. Not only were they wasting our time experimenting with phone/mic communication, the guy didn't even really have a question- he just wanted to promote the Public Spacing Committee meeting that happened last night at Metro Hall. I also found it strange that a woman from the US asked a quesiton fairly non-related, and a woman from Burlington started harping on a Walmart development there. I just kept saying to myself, "But we're in TORONTO."

Anyways... I did think it was pretty informational, despite these drawbacks. I'm glad I went.

Posted by: Kari at April 13, 2007 2:45 PM

yes weve lost!!
its crazy riding in the city.everyday im almost hit by a driver not looking,on phone,drinking coffee,counting money etc.i can see why people dont want to ride here,its not safe at all.people in vehicles are immune to the dangers outside of their vehicles because they are boxed in their machines and nothing else matters but what their doing,they are safe and there is no interaction to the outside world.i feel i need to carry a weapon or something to protect myself because its nuts out there,how can i survive a vehicle hit?.toronto will never be progressive,creative and beautiful as long as we bow to the car companys and unions with money to keep these companys here in ontario,its huge business.it feels like doing something environmentally friendly and exercising in the city is a crime and im guilty because im in prison on the roads.its a sad commentary on society that money only matters and not the health and well being of cyclysts and people in the city of toronto. how will drivers face their kids when the air is so bad and they ask how it got like this?.off topic i guess but this is bigger than just riding.peace.

Posted by: rpto at April 13, 2007 7:26 PM

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