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General cycling issues (Is Toronto bike friendly?)

Thankfully, the City has added a row of substantial planters at the Shaw traffic diverter. This was necessary because drivers were snaking their way through that side of the diverter and down the wrong way on a fairly regular basis, often hopping the sidewalk if their car was too wide to comfortably fit.

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allengeorge said:
Analysis on whether cycling infrastructure increases cycling use:

www.ryerson.ca

Does New Cycling Infrastructure Really Lead to More Cycling?

www.ryerson.ca www.ryerson.ca

Via Reddit:

https://www.reddit.com/r/toronto/comments/nqk1vg
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Direct link to the tool/mapping program:


****

Have to say, I question its accuracy.

Its opinion survey based.

I looked at Danforth, Broadview to Jones as this is an area with which I am familiar.

It actually shows only a 2% increase in commuter-cycling; and 10.8% recreational.

Based on my anecdotal observations, and the City's actual recorded ones, this is way low.

The City tracked a 40% increase in cycling; which would be in line with my observations.
 
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I'd prefer not to crack my head open and die in the worst case scenario. It should be noted, though, that most helmets won't prevent all types of head injuries based on what I've read and heard from doctors and accident reconstruction engineers.

The typical design is meant to prevent skull fractures. However, you can still suffer an internal impact to the brain sufficient to cause a concussion while wearing a helmet. There are relatively new designs of bicycle helmets, however, that proponents claim can prevent concussions as well.
 
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Jonny5 said:
The Toronto media on cycling: presented without comment.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1400553196855115779
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Unless you are a very aggressive cyclist, I don't see a helmet doing you much good. Very few collisions benefit from a helmet. Guilting cyclists into wearing helmets just turns people off of cycling and takes the onus off society and traffic engineers from providing safe infrastructure. Source: countries where lots of people cycle, people do not wear helmets.

Anything more than 30 kph collision is near guaranteed death for poor cyclist, helmet or no.

I am on the fence about requiring children to wear helmets. I'd argue we're doing much more harm to our children by sticking them in auto-dependent suburbs than we would be by not helmeting them.
 
afransen said:
Unless you are a very aggressive cyclist, I don't see a helmet doing you much good. Very few collisions benefit from a helmet. Guilting cyclists into wearing helmets just turns people off of cycling and takes the onus off society and traffic engineers from providing safe infrastructure. Source: countries where lots of people cycle, people do not wear helmets.

Anything more than 30 kph collision is near guaranteed death for poor cyclist, helmet or no.

I am on the fence about requiring children to wear helmets. I'd argue we're doing much more harm to our children by sticking them in auto-dependent suburbs than we would be by not helmeting them.
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True. Of course, it's a no-lose situation, wearing a helmet. I don't lose anything, but I do gain some measure of safety. Of course, we need more cycling infrastructure.
 
DirectionNorth said:
True. Of course, it's a no-lose situation, wearing a helmet. I don't lose anything, but I do gain some measure of safety. Of course, we need more cycling infrastructure.
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Honestly, if I was going somewhere with a helmet, I might reconsider the trip if I had to deal with the helmet at the destination. I would definitely wear a helmet while trail riding or mountain biking, but on the street I think it makes very little difference. You are a squishy bag of mostly water and getting hit by 2 tonnes going 50 kph you're a goner. I just am very cautious around door zones, crossings, etc. and don't make aggressive maneuvers. There is something to be said for not giving yourself a false sense of invincibility by wearing protecting equipment.
 
If I'm riding my own bike somewhere, I'll wear a helmet every time. There's really no downside other than potentially having to carry it awkwardly. But usually I just lock it to my bike.

I do often just grab a bixi bike to make an unplanned trip or to shorten a walk. I never bother bringing along a helmet for that. I always ride carefully (I often have a two year old in a seat on the back), so I don't really change anything in that respect.

While riding this morning, I really noticed how much less aggressive drivers are with you if you have a kiddie seat on the back of the bike. Biking along King/Queen you often have to take the whole traffic lane because of all the makeshift patios, and no one makes any aggressive moves when you have a kiddie seat. Take off that seat and everyone would be honking, racing around you into oncoming traffic, etc.
 
afransen said:
Honestly, if I was going somewhere with a helmet, I might reconsider the trip if I had to deal with the helmet at the destination. I would definitely wear a helmet while trail riding or mountain biking, but on the street I think it makes very little difference. You are a squishy bag of mostly water and getting hit by 2 tonnes going 50 kph you're a goner. I just am very cautious around door zones, crossings, etc. and don't make aggressive maneuvers. There is something to be said for not giving yourself a false sense of invincibility by wearing protecting equipment.
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This was my attitude towards wearing a helmet as well. I used to only wear one while mountain biking or on my bmx bike at a skate park. Then last November I had to come to a sudden stop on a downhill slope and ended up flipping over the handlebars head first on to the asphalt. Had a mild concussion and fractured collarbone as a result. I certainly wish i was wearing a helmet then. No vehicles were directly involved but shit happens. Thankfully it wasn’t worse. And now I will wear a helmet on even the most leisurely ride.
 
marcus_a_j said:
This was my attitude towards wearing a helmet as well. I used to only wear one while mountain biking or on my bmx bike at a skate park. Then last November I had to come to a sudden stop on a downhill slope and ended up flipping over the handlebars head first on to the asphalt. Had a mild concussion and fractured collarbone as a result. I certainly wish i was wearing a helmet then. No vehicles were directly involved but shit happens. Thankfully it wasn’t worse. And now I will wear a helmet on even the most leisurely ride.
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Sounds like a problem that could be solved with proper infrastructure. Why did you have to stop suddenly on a downgrade?

ETA: By no means should you take my comment as discouragement or criticism of wearing helmets. If you feel that it is necessary, you do you. However, we should not settle for infrastructure that requires helmet wearing to be perceived to be safe enough. That is a failure in infrastructure design. People should not be shamed for not wearing helmets, much less required to do so by law like they are in BC. It discourages active transportation and makes cities less healthy and more dangerous.
 
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afransen said:
Sounds like a problem that could be solved with proper infrastructure. Why did you have to stop suddenly on a downgrade?

ETA: By no means should you take my comment as discouragement or criticism of wearing helmets. If you feel that it is necessary, you do you. However, we should not settle for infrastructure that requires helmet wearing to be perceived to be safe enough. That is a failure in infrastructure design. People should not be shamed for not wearing helmets, much less required to do so by law like they are in BC. It discourages active transportation and makes cities less healthy and more dangerous.
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A van was turning out in front of me and stopped when I rang my bell, so I had to hit the brakes and they never worked better.. My attention had been on a car I went ahead of to get around other parked cars. When I looked forward all I saw was the van in my path. While I thought I had the right of way, there was a stop sign I totally missed until I was half way over the handlebars. The parked cars partially obstructed my sight line of the sign plus the sun was directly above the sign as well. It was a combination of factors causing a freak accident and I blame no one but myself.

I am not trying to preach that everyone needs to wear a helmet. Anything can happen to anyone and a helmet is a cheap insurance plan.
 
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