General cycling issues (Is Toronto bike friendly?)

[bilked]

Rbt - no one has the full picture of what happened behind the scenes. I think there is a lot of filling in the blanks going on here to try to rationalize (even if not excuse) an unjustifiable criminal assault.

Burloak - If you think knocking on a car driver's window in any sense justifies a motorist running a cyclist over, we are obviously talking past each other. I've done the same as a cyclist. Cyclists can't communicate frustration with drivers by blasting their horns like drivers do (for the benefit of everyone in the block).

The fact that we have that precedent and example from our own political leadership in the Michael Bryant case is exactly the problem that I'm speaking to. This is a deep seated cultural problem and the same responsibilizing discourse repeats itself virtually every time a cyclist is injured by a motorist in this city.

 

[rbt]

Rbt - no one has the full picture of what happened behind the scenes. I think there is a lot of filling in the blanks going on here to try to rationalize (even if not excuse) an unjustifiable criminal assault.

Earlier you said and I quoted "The cyclist has been charged too somehow." You made judgement on the situation so I did too using the information you provided via the brief police statement.

In absolutely no way at all is the cabbies behaviour correct or justifiable. Assault with a Weapon is appropriate to try in the courts and basically Canada's equivalent of Attempted Voluntary Manslaughter laws (crime of passion) found in the USA.

I do not, however, find fault with the officers behaviour based on this article as you do. Having prosecution and possibly the courts take a look at the cyclists behaviour is appropriate.

 

[LNahid2000]

The video shows the bicyclist banging on the window before the car cut him off. Then a number of witnesses can be heard saying that the cyclist was hounding the car for several blocks.

I interpreted the witnesses saying that the cabbie was hounding the cyclist for several blocks, because the cyclist said "Thank you" loudly after one of the witnesses said this.

 

[UserNameToronto]

I can't wait for this thread to become readable again.

 

[steveintoronto]

I interpreted the witnesses saying that the cabbie was hounding the cyclist for several blocks, because the cyclist said "Thank you" loudly after one of the witnesses said this.

Indeed, he did. Now view it again. The cabbie was still in the cab. I wondered about the vectors of communication in the first released video, and why the cops were still gathering information before charging the cabbie. Now we know why, this was an *ongoing* issue, and *both parties* have been charged, rightly so.

Meantime, there's no shortage of *genuine* issues on-going, totally innocent cyclists getting whacked by doors, for instance, and yet some of the 'regulars' insist on backing one side of a story where clearly, both parties are at fault.

It speaks volumes as to why some of you have no idea of why your cycling habits are so wanting. It starts with *awareness*.

 

[PinkLucy]

Why do you use the asterisks the way you do?

 

[steveintoronto]

Why do you use the asterisks the way you do?

Why do you wear pink?

[...]
However, moments before the Aug. 18 incident was recorded on camera, police allege the cyclist reached into the cab and assaulted the driver. Police said it occurred near Bay Street and Gerrard Street West and both men continued heading north on Bay Street.

Const. Clint Stibbe would not elaborate on what led to the incident near Bay Street and Gerrard Street West when asked for comment Sunday, only saying it was a case of “road rage.”

READ MORE: Police, city investigating after taxi sends cyclist flying onto sidewalk

http://globalnews.ca/news/2898357/p...fter-taxi-sends-cyclist-flying-onto-sidewalk/
http://globalnews.ca/news/2920774/t...oad-rage-incidents-partially-caught-on-video/

[...]
A 31-year-old man has been charged with assault after an incident involving a cab driver and a cyclist in downtown Toronto in August.

A cyclist and a taxi driver were both heading northbound on Bay Street, near Gerrard Street West just after 5:45 p.m. on Aug. 18, according to police.

The cyclist reached into the cab, police said, and assaulted the driver. They both then continued on Bay Street and the cyclist was struck by the taxi north of Saint Mary Street.

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/cyclist-c...-involving-taxi-in-downtown-toronto-1.3058311

 

[PinkLucy]

Because I like pink.

But I'm asking from a readability point of view. The asterisks are unnecessary, distracting and grammatically odd. Even if they are replacing quotation marks, there is no need to put quotation marks around the words you have chosen.

 

[steveintoronto]

Because I like pink.

But I'm asking from a readability point of view. The asterisks are unnecessary, distracting and grammatically odd. Even if they are replacing quotation marks, there is no need to put quotation marks around the words you have chosen.

You're not familiar with earlier HTML tags, obviously. It's for *emphasis*. Some HTML equipped forum softwares cue italicization...here, read this:
http://daringfireball.net/2013/02/bounding_asterisks

And btw: I like emphasis. You like to ring your bell all the time. Hey...ting a ling a ling a ling...

 

[PinkLucy]

I am actually, but as you can see, it doesn't work here.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Bloor bike lane rules not being followed: cyclists
Cyclists say commercial vehicles are flouting the rules meant to improve safety on Bloor Street.

See link.

 

[steveintoronto]

Bloor bike lane rules not being followed: cyclists
Cyclists say commercial vehicles are flouting the rules meant to improve safety on Bloor Street.

See link.

Interesting, but frightening. Sorry to be the kill-joy here, but most cyclists haven't a clue as to how dangerous those lanes are. They put on a helmet, and think that it makes them safe. Very few cyclists are attuned to reading ahead for possible dangers. I see this all the time. I'm a very powerful cyclist, and yet slow down approaching dangerous situations, only to have impatient metrosexual psychos ring their silly bells and try and overtake...*even with a red light ahead!* What could possibly be their rationale?

One of the follow-on videos to the one you posted features John Forester. He's rabid in the other direction, against bike lanes "which make it more dangerous for cyclists".

I agree...*if the lanes aren't designed properly*! And that's the problem. What boggles me from the interviews with 'your average cyclist' is how oblivious most are to the dangers.
I quote from someone who does understand:

Jared Kolb, executive director of Cycle Toronto, described the footage of Mobishwash’s crash as “gutting.” He said the incident is evidence that the city needs to revisit the design of its separated bike lanes, which mostly rely on “flexi-posts” to provide a physical barrier between bicyclists and car traffic.

The posts, which have been used on separated bike lanes on Adelaide, Richmond St., and Bloor St., have gaps between them and “are not working to keep motor vehicles out of the bike lanes. That’s something we see repeatedly,” Kolb said.

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...ghlights-danger-of-parking-in-bike-lanes.html
Exactly! You'll note most of the cyclists interviewed claim the parking their side offers them 'a sense of protection'...when in fact it's the exact opposite! They immediately equate being cocooned with safety. They have nowhere to veer in an incident...and *no clear sightlines* of what's going on around them to know what to do in an instant if they have to react.

It frightens me, it truly does....Thank God for the likes of Jared Kolb. I saw an interview with Layton in one of those clips. Pardon me for being so judgemental, but he's part of the problem. He really doesn't seem to grasp the limitations, the *dire* limitations, of the Bloor lanes.

The Dutch and Danes would be rightfully appalled.

Oddly, for all its faults, I find the Sherbourne example far safer.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Would be better with nearside bicycle & pedestrian traffic signals, even if they would legally be only informational only for us.

 

[steveintoronto]

even if they would legally be only informational only for us.

Toronto cyclists take almost every opportunity to flaunt common sense as it is. If such lights were provided (and there's no way it will happen with Toronto's sense of values), they would have to be mandatory. Cars will have to stop when they get a red, so will pedestrians and cyclists. It's the way it's got to be for safety and smooth flow of traffic.

I feel safer just looking at that picture. I don't see anyone leading the light before turning green, and I see a clear unobstructed bike-way in front. Talked to my friend from Groningen a few days back. Her mother is in her seventies, living back in Groningen, my friend was back to visit, and she regularly cycles 40 km into Groningen every other day for shopping. I have an EU passport...it calls to me sometimes.

 

[Napoleon]

Bloor bike lane rules not being followed: cyclists
Cyclists say commercial vehicles are flouting the rules meant to improve safety on Bloor Street.

See link.

Funny, I did the full Bloor bike lanes for the first time yesterday and biked right past the reporter. I have to say, while I love the idea of bike lanes on bloor, I didn't feel very safe in sections of it. While riding the full length of it, there were 4 cars stopped in it. I had one cyclist stop suddenly in a narrower bit without signaling.

The scariest part though for me were the turning conflicts. Bikes and cars just don't quite know what to do with right turns. Seemed ripe for some serious issues. Also I found quite dangerous were the cars that were attempting to go straight across Bloor at stop signs. They sort of nose their way into traffic, so they're then blocking the bike lane on the near side while waiting for an opening. Then when they see the opening, the heavy traffic obscures cyclists moving on the far side. I saw a few close calls that way.

Basically, I'm glad there are bike lanes on Bloor. But I'm uncomfortable with this design and will stick to Harbord when possible.