General cycling issues (Is Toronto bike friendly?)

[Forgotten]

8 messages later and no answers, lots of bla bla bla but no answers.

Is it any wonder cyclists are held in such low esteem by the general public?

That's because bicycle riders are children.

 

[Electrify]

Please don't attribute this mindless conclusion to me - I never said all e-bike riders have DUI's, that was your inference. That would be ridiculous. What I did say, reiterating what others have said, is that e-bikes fill the unexpected niche of being the motorized mode of transport of choice for many who have had their licences pulled as a result of DUI's.

Citation needed.

 

[ShonTron]

That's because bicycle riders are children.

Wow. As far as attempts at trolling go, that's pretty bad. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, though.

Edit: Oh my, I had to go way back to get that reference. Nicely played, Forgotten.

 

[atodaso]

Citation needed.

Go check outside one of those man bars on Dundas west. You'll see lots of e-bikes. One of those is owned by a drunk that I had arrested and taken away in handcuffs, car impounded after he almost killed me on my human powered bike. There's your citation.

 

[atodaso]

I saw a cyclist this week wearing a device that flashed a bright (LED?) light front and back. Cyclists would enjoy a better opinion in the eyes of the public if they all sported this technology for their sake and that of everyone else out and about after dark. The light was very bright almost impossible to miss and seemed to be attached to the cyclists middle body.

How many cyclists here use this device, if not why not?

If you aren't getting answers it's probably not because people aren't using these lights, it's more likely because people don't feel compelled to reply to condescending rhetorical questions.

8 messages later and no answers, lots of bla bla bla but no answers.

Is it any wonder cyclists are held in such low esteem by the general public?

(Supporting evidence of above conclusion.)

 

[the lemur]

I saw a cyclist this week wearing a device that flashed a bright (LED?) light front and back. Cyclists would enjoy a better opinion in the eyes of the public if they all sported this technology for their sake and that of everyone else out and about after dark. The light was very bright almost impossible to miss and seemed to be attached to the cyclists middle body.

How many cyclists here use this device, if not why not?

Without being able to tell what you were specifically referring to, that's difficult to answer.

Cyclists are already required to have front and rear lights AND reflectors (compliance is another issue); some also attach lights to helmets, backpacks, clothing, etc.

Flashing lights have become a lot more common in the past few years. I'm not convinced they're more effective than solid lights, but the choice is up to the rider. Certainly lights are a lot brighter now that incandescent-bulb bike lights have basically disappeared, it seems.

I also don't understand why anyone would ride with no lights at all, but I guess it's a combination of arrogance ('It's up to others to illuminate me') and obliviousness. Possibly the same as drivers who either don't turn their headlights on or don't realize one headlight is not functioning.

 

[salsa]

I also don't understand why anyone would ride with no lights at all, but I guess it's a combination of arrogance ('It's up to others to illuminate me') and obliviousness.

Or "I forgot to bring my lights today"

 

[the lemur]

Or "I forgot to bring my lights today"

Or 'someone stole my lights' ...

 

[ShonTron]

Or 'someone stole my lights' ...

Which has happened to me - twice - another reason why I have secondary helmet-mounted lights.

 

[salsa]

I always remove my lights when I leave my bike somewhere, especially since mine are not cheap.

 

[junctionist]

I love my combination of lights from MEC. The Planet Bike Blaze 2w is blindingly bright with batteries that have lasted me 2 years on mostly flash. The Portland Design Works Danger Zone is also really bright with a great design. I got these lights after a close call with a taxi who cut me off at night, but might have not even seen me in a poorly lit area on King Street. Flashing lights are best for city streets because they're more noticeable to cars ahead of you going in the same direction. That flashing light will probably get the attention of someone about to open their car door in front of you--avoiding night-time door prizes.

 

[One Nut Kruk]

Go check outside one of those man bars on Dundas west. You'll see lots of e-bikes. One of those is owned by a drunk that I had arrested and taken away in handcuffs, car impounded after he almost killed me on my human powered bike. There's your citation.

Jim Lahey?

 

[reaperexpress]

No, what's going on is Denzil Minnan-Wong is using ebikes as a convenient wedge issue, telling cyclists they have to be more accommodating if they want more bike infrastructure, knowing full well the tensions between them.

The College and Harbord bike lanes are certainly crowded enough as they are. More bike lanes will get more cyclists using them, it's not a matter of lowering the bar as to who can use them in the hope they become more utilized.[/QUOTE0]

The College lanes in particular are a great opportunity, precisely because they are so well used. Allow (or *gasp* encourage) people of all ages and abilities to use them on bike or scooter, and we would have a crisis with people splilling over into all the other lanes, making it blatantly obvious that the existing infrastructure is inadequate. We could then build some separate infrastructure without quibbling over whether we really need to devote 2.5m of road space per direction (compared to 1.5m currently) for bicycle infrastructure.

Any cyclist riding without good lights at night is a fool!

I agree, but I would have said "Any person riding a bicycle at night without lights...". These mythical "cyclist" beings are actually just ordinary people riding bicycles.

I was riding just after sunset in Holland many years ago and I couldn't get more than 50m without a fellow cyclist chastising me for being invisible. And I mean a good stern tongue licking. And they were right. I got some lights.

The difference in The Netherlands is that their bicycles come with lights standard (as well as fenders, reflectors, racks and bells).

If headlights, horns or seatbelts were not included standard in cars, I think you'd find a lot of people driving around without them as well.

 

[the lemur]

The difference in The Netherlands is that their bicycles come with lights standard (as well as fenders, reflectors, racks and bells).

I don't think that's necessarily the case anymore. In the past you could buy any of the domestic brands (Gazelle, Batavus, Fongers, etc.) and get fenders, dynamo lights, a built-in lock, chain cover, the 'coat protector' panels over the rear wheel and bungee cords for the rack, but nowadays there are more brands and types sold and the level of equipment varies.

If riding without lights weren't an issue in the Netherlands, there wouldn't be things like this 'I Want to See You' ad campaign:

[video=youtube;nq1fFVonUGw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq1fFVonUGw[/video]

 

[atodaso]

I agree, but I would have said "Any person riding a bicycle at night without lights...". These mythical "cyclist" beings are actually just ordinary people riding bicycles.

I agree. Ordinarily this term wouldn't be divisive, but descriptive, but in Toronto where many people are crazy (F'nation types - the ones who despise people on bikes for no reason), there is, I hope, a process underway wherein 'bicycle riding pinkos' will eventually be humanized instead of demonized.

The difference in The Netherlands is that their bicycles come with lights standard (as well as fenders, reflectors, racks and bells).

If headlights, horns or seatbelts were not included standard in cars, I think you'd find a lot of people driving around without them as well.

It's true. Dutch kids grow up with a practical awareness of all things bike related. Making sure your lights work is akin to looking both ways before you cross the street. Though in Toronto neither of those things are necessarily a given.