General cycling issues (Is Toronto bike friendly?)

[Avenue]

What's wrong with earbuds?

Well, listening to music while biking on westbound Bloor Street traffic at 5 pm is wildly dangerous. For the most part, they don't hear your bell (or your shouting, even), their attention is divided so their mind becomes too preoccupied to pay attention to their surroundings and changing conditions, their cycling tents to get wobbly and slower, and they mostly have a tendency to forget that there are other cyclists too so they just decide take the entire lane OR change sides at random. I can go on.

 

[LNahid2000]

I'll usually use a one ear Bluetooth headset when I want to listen to music while riding. This allows me to still hear what's going on outside. Did that just now on my ride from Islington station after checking out the new Mississauga Transitway stations. Islington to Yonge in 26 minutes...new record!

 

[robmausser]

I was biking home from work one day, and the particular route I take (and many other bikers ive noticed) means you have to cross the 512 Streetcar tracks.

I'm always super cautious doing so, but one day I see a young lady with no helmet, headphones on just step onto the tracks into an oncoming streetcar! Didn't even look.

The streecar slammed on its brakes and honked and she got out of the way just in time, and gave me this like "hehehe oopsies!" look.

I was like "uhh you just almost died"

 

[UserNameToronto]

To each their own.

I don't regard cycling as a particularly dangerous activity, but seeing people increase their own risk (wearing a hood; wearing headphones) makes me cringe.

For some reason, I'm OK running with earbuds in so I suppose there is a double standard!

 

[W. K. Lis]

Searched the
Toronto Cyclist Handbook
at this link.

And
Ontario’s Guide to Safe Cycling
at this link.

Looking for what this is?

Actually, I know what they are for, but it seems to be not "officially" written down.

From this website, at this link:

Bicycle actuated signals are marked with three white dots on the pavement at intersections. To activate the traffic lights (from red to green), cyclists must come to a complete stop over the white dots.

More than half of the existing signals in Toronto are semi-actuated. At a semi-actuated signal, the display does not automatically alternate between green indications on the main street and the cross street. Instead, the signals will remain green on the main street until a vehicle arrives at the cross street or a pedestrian pushes a button to cross the main street. The presence of a vehicle is detected on the cross street by a detector loop embedded in the pavement. The majority of the detectors are not set at a sensitivity level to detect the presence of a bicycle. This forces the bicyclist to either wait for a motor vehicle to arrive in order to actuate the detector, or to dismount and press the pedestrian push button.

Since 1995, the City has adjusted the sensitivity of detectors at all new semi-actuated intersections to detect bicycles. Three small white dots, approximately 200 mm in diameter, are applied to the roadway to inform cyclists where to place their bicycle to be detected by the sensor loop.

The City is exploring other means of vehicle detection other than loops and has installed video detection at 29 intersections. Our intent is to replace existing detection loops with video detection when existing loops require replacement due to road/utility construction or normal maintenance.

If a semi-actuated signal is not cycling for bicyclists or equipped with the white dots, you can call 311; a service request will be created to have the detectors reviewed or dots installed.
​

The sad news is that in other jurisdictions they use a bicycle symbol for the bicycle detector. Not here in Toronto or Ontario.

 

[MetroMan]

Yeah! Or roller bladers. It's bad enough with pedestrians being *impaired* but cycling purposely blocking out sound is not only illegal, it's just plain stupid.

Today, I watched a speedster rollerblader jump on to the sidewalk, skim past pedestrians, jump back on the road, dart across traffic into the oncoming lane over streetcar tracks, on to the opposite sidewalk, skimming past more people and then across the road on a pedestrian crosswalk... while looking down at his phone and with big headphone cans on his ears. Seriously.

Then we wonder why people die on our roads.

 

[steveintoronto]

Be aware: There's another blockage of a cycle lane, this time the Humber Trail at Old Mill. And is standard practice, there's no consideration given to diverting cyclists around it.

But worry not, you can squeeze past it on the western side by gingerly stepping over the Old Mills property corner to by-pass it. I feel badly for the Old Mill, as some will walk over a flower bed there, albeit hopefully damage will be minimal. The Trail resumes just north of the Bloor St bridge.

What irks me and I'm sure many others is that the blockage goes up un or poorly announced. I was running a dog down from Weston to the lake (he loves it, I cycle behind him, he sets his own pace) only to be confronted with the blockage with no warning from anywhere up-stream on the Humber.

I passed a number of persons who were miffed, but had found their way around it.

 

[steveintoronto]

Be aware: There's another blockage of a cycle lane, this time the Humber Trail at Old Mill. And is standard practice, there's no consideration given to diverting cyclists around it.

But worry not, you can squeeze past it on the western side by gingerly stepping over the Old Mills property corner to by-pass it. I feel badly for the Old Mill, as some will walk over a flower bed there, albeit hopefully damage will be minimal. The Trail resumes just north of the Bloor St bridge.

What irks me and I'm sure many others is that the blockage goes up un or poorly announced. I was running a dog down from Weston to the lake (he loves it, I cycle behind him, he sets his own pace) only to be confronted with the blockage with no warning from anywhere up-stream on the Humber.

I passed a number of persons who were miffed, but had found their way around it.

To add to that, I noted Shon Tron mentioning about a week back in the forums how the Humber Trail under the 401 was open again now, and I thought "Hallelujah!"

The reason you pick taking those routes is to avoid exactly what those detours put you in the midst of. I don't deny for a moment the necessity of doing construction, but I do care a lot about having the invisible notice shoved in your face: "You can't fffing pass!". It totally flies in the face of why 'alternative' routes are there to begin with. And it has to do with 'Getting from Point A to Point B by avoiding C'. But that's already too many letters in some alphabets...

 

[muller877]

Be aware: There's another blockage of a cycle lane, this time the Humber Trail at Old Mill. And is standard practice, there's no consideration given to diverting cyclists around it.

But worry not, you can squeeze past it on the western side by gingerly stepping over the Old Mills property corner to by-pass it. I feel badly for the Old Mill, as some will walk over a flower bed there, albeit hopefully damage will be minimal. The Trail resumes just north of the Bloor St bridge.

What irks me and I'm sure many others is that the blockage goes up un or poorly announced. I was running a dog down from Weston to the lake (he loves it, I cycle behind him, he sets his own pace) only to be confronted with the blockage with no warning from anywhere up-stream on the Humber.

I passed a number of persons who were miffed, but had found their way around it.

I live in the area and no one was aware this would happen. It's not on the Toronto construction map (since it is not a road) and its not on the Parks website (King's Mill Park). This week will be interesting since they will be filming in the neighborhood and the crew takes up 1/2 of the Etienne Brule parking lot for their vehicles. I hope there aren't too many events at the Old Mill Inn (no big weddings) as they also use these parking lots for spillover.

Both autos and bikes users are all surprised by this sudden closure.

It looks like they are digging up a pipe. Not sure if its water or sewer but both use the old roadway/bike path to supply this area. If this is the case the closure may be longer than all of us hope.

 

[steveintoronto]

I live in the area and no one was aware this would happen. It's not on the Toronto construction map (since it is not a road) and its not on the Parks website (King's Mill Park). This week will be interesting since they will be filming in the neighborhood and the crew takes up 1/2 of the Etienne Brule parking lot for their vehicles. I hope there aren't too many events at the Old Mill Inn (no big weddings) as they also use these parking lots for spillover.

Both autos and bikes users are all surprised by this sudden closure.

It looks like they are digging up a pipe. Not sure if its water or sewer but both use the old roadway/bike path to supply this area. If this is the case the closure may be longer than all of us hope.

Many thanks for that Muller! It's too easy to get upset about these things only to find later there's signs everywhere that your eyes just block out as noise.

With the dog in one hand and the bike in the other, and the Big Black Lab tugging on his leash (always on to cross the Old Mill Bridge, it's risky even without a dog) I had little time to read the reason posted, but remember reference to "embankment work"...perhaps it was washed out, all down the lower Humber the water is still lapping over the banks, breakwater at lake below water level, beaches gone...but *still*...they'd posted a notice on the fencing for "May 15" to do this work....so the timing is a bit strange. It appears they'd had at least the weekend to consider putting up 'detour around' notice.

My immediate take was it was for road work, and screw everyone else. Do Parks not have a co-ordinator for these occasions to put up one of those ultra-modern technical devices called an 'arrow' to point to a way around the obstruction?

Hmmm...maybe not an app for that yet...

I was ready to detour on road around it...Big Black Lab said otherwise...lol...and he was right. He was onto the smell of Coyotes in heat. He's un-neutered, and that three pounds drags around the other ninety.

 

[muller877]

My immediate take was it was for road work, and screw everyone else. Do Parks not have a co-ordinator for these occasions to put up one of those ultra-modern technical devices called an 'arrow' to point to a way around the obstruction?

Hmmm...maybe not an app for that yet...

I was ready to detour on road around it...Big Black Lab said otherwise...lol...and he was right. He was onto the smell of Coyotes in heat. He's un-neutered, and that three pounds drags around the other ninety.

A nice detour (if you don't mind hills) is to stay on the east side of the Humber. Go up Old Mill Dr and then to Riverside Drive. It follows the top of the hill with beautiful old houses on both sides almost all the way to Queensway. (but of course there is construction right now on it too). If you don't want too many hills South Kingsway is direct and only 1 light from Bloor all the way to Queensway (you can zoom down it on a bike)

And no. No coordination for parks. Plus they all leave at 4 pm on Friday. You would think the Parks department should work when the parks are the busiest (weekends) but of course they don't.

 

[steveintoronto]

And no. No coordination for parks. Plus they all leave at 4 pm on Friday. You would think the Parks department should work when the parks are the busiest (weekends) but of course they don't.

That's the crux of the complaint. They must have a City overseer on sight, or visiting. What would it take to post detour arrows? I know the area very well, raised at Annette and Jane, later life lived Jane/Lessard, and now back in Toronto at Dundas West, so I'm going to zip over there by bike and see what they have posted. I've already dropped off Big Black Lab to his humans for the day (I borrow him, he's my kinda dog) but allowing him to run off-leash means I can cycle safely, running a dog on a bike with a leash in one hand is incredibly dangerous. Everything changes on-road though, I have to keep him leashed for safety, and thus have to walk the bike in cycling shoes, not the easiest thing, but Riverside Dr is breathtaking going south on the promontory overlooking Humber Bay. That point very well taken.

I'll report back in a few hours as to what I see there now....and what trails have been beaten around the obstruction.

 

[steveintoronto]

I'll report back in a few hours as to what I see there now....and what trails have been beaten around the obstruction.

OK, outrage and disgust fully called for. It's a road renewal, nothing more, nothing less, albeit the fence blurb paints it in wondrous language. Many, many people severely pizzed off. In fact, we formed a bit of a mob that kept growing. *Everyone* we asked was taken aback and surprised about this. And one poor lady with kids was in tears wondering how to get through with the baby buggy, we all helped her. There was no way even on the detour she could have pushed it up the last stretch. WTF? What does it take to run City Parks? An unfertilized cow turd for a brain?

The City does have a detour listed on the 'blockade fence' and it's to take the steps down next to the Humber Bridge. How in hell is a mother with a buggy or someone with a disability supposed to do that after struggling all the way along there from from much further down?

Closed until end of June. So they claim.

I've just checked the City Parks website, absolutely no mention of this.
http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=55d9dada600f0410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

The mob grew to about twenty people at one point, all fuming over this, albeit it was meet and greet all the way around, so not all a negative event by any means. We discussed calling councillors, but I put the kibosh on that, I know the routine far too well. It gets nowhere. The best plan is to inundate City Parks itself with complaints, and of course, casually mention that the press will be alerted to it too. Which they will.

And I don't want some front desk puppet set up to take the flak. I want to speak to the person in charge. Or supposedly in charge, but out to lunch.

Btw: The new trail is being burned in, and apologies to the Old Mill rescinded, it's City property getting trampled. Live by the broken sword, get defiled by the broken sword...

 

[muller877]

OK, outrage and disgust fully called for. It's a road renewal, nothing more, nothing less, albeit the fence blurb paints it in wondrous language. Many, many people severely pizzed off. In fact, we formed a bit of a mob that kept growing. *Everyone* we asked was taken aback and surprised about this. And one poor lady with kids was in tears wondering how to get through with the baby buggy, we all helped her. There was no way even on the detour she could have pushed it up the last stretch. WTF? What does it take to run City Parks? An unfertilized cow turd for a brain?

My mistake. Saw them digging and assumed it was for a pipe. Instead they have decided that this road/bike path needs curbs. And corten steel artwork. A "bit" of an overkill (and why not in November when there are less users of the park).

I hope the city finds a temp place for the canoe/kayak rental business. A great way to explore the lower Humber River.

 

[steveintoronto]

My mistake. Saw them digging and assumed it was for a pipe. Instead they have decided that this road/bike path needs curbs. And corten steel artwork. A "bit" of an overkill (and why not in November when there are less users of the park).

I hope the city finds a temp place for the canoe/kayak rental business. A great way to explore the lower Humber River.

No apologies needed Muller. They may even have touted the 'this is necessary since we have to replace the ancient sewers anyway' excuse. That is in fact the case further north towards Weston with the trunk sewer, but certainly not the case here.

I hope the city finds a temp place for the canoe/kayak rental business.

They may not even be allowed until the water level goes down anyway, but that's is a good point.

Frankly the road as it was was fine, could have done with some slight upgrading, but something smells odd about this. I think the smell could be corrupt paving contracts...