General cycling issues (Is Toronto bike friendly?)

[Midtown Urbanist]

I'm just going to cycle in the middle of the traffic lane, as slowly as possible.

Hopefully I don't become a statistic, but it is an absolute guarantee that many will.

 

[evandyk]

I will just bike at normal speeds in the lane, which is how we bike in all streets that don't have bike lanes now.

 

[Midtown Hank]

I'm just going to cycle in the middle of the traffic lane, as slowly as possible.

Hopefully I don't become a statistic, but it is an absolute guarantee that many will.

I understand the passion and wanting to stick up a middle finger to the removal of the bike lanes, but caution that if bikes start holding up traffic on major arterials by taking up a full lane, the next shoe to drop will be outlawing bikes on major arterials.

I don't know what Mayor Chow is waiting for, but she has got to get into the Premier's office and ask for help building bike lanes on alternative routes. The Premier has said he is in favour of bike lanes (just not where they impact traffic flows on major routes), so ask him to put his money where his mouth is. IMHO, there is an opportunity here.

 

[Midtown Hank]

I will just bike at normal speeds in the lane, which is how we bike in all streets that don't have bike lanes now.

My experience is most cyclist move close to the sidewalk. That's at least what I do when riding on Bayview or Mt Pleasant near Eglinton.

 

[evandyk]

Generally speaking, there isn't enough room in most Toronto lanes for a car to pass a cyclist while leaving the required 1 metre distance, so there's no point moving really close to the sidewalk. The driver usually has to change lanes to pass (or the cyclist has to change lanes, normally when the parking zone ends). Moving really close to the curb just encourages unsafe passing by drivers.

 

[Midtown Hank]

Just an antidote. Was picking up and driving my daughter to her day program last week on Ranleigh (close to Yonge & Lawrence) and was passed by a cyclist in a 30k zone. I was going about 30k myself, but was totally fine with it. The guy was in a suit (so not a tour de France guy) and just zipping along. Just shows how slow the speed limit is on most of the small streets.

 

[Midtown Hank]

Generally speaking, there isn't enough room in most Toronto lanes for a car to pass a cyclist while leaving the required 1 metre distance, so there's no point moving really close to the sidewalk. The driver usually has to change lanes to pass (or the cyclist has to change lanes, normally when the parking zone ends). Moving really close to the curb just encourages unsafe passing by drivers.

Well I typically ride in the same lane the cars are parked in. I find there's plenty of room. I also see the same of other cyclists. That said, I'm not zipping and am pretty alert, so keep an eye out for cars opening the driver side doors.

 

[evandyk]

I stay outside of the door zone, which generally takes up most of the parking lane. One time my wife was doored and I rode over her. Luckily there was no car immediately behind to ride over both of us, but I'm not letting that happen again.

But yes, often staying outside the door zone puts you right on the dotted line, which does leave enough room to be passed safely.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

I don't know what Mayor Chow is waiting for, but she has got to get into the Premier's office and ask for help building bike lanes on alternative routes. The Premier has said he is in favour of bike lanes (just not where they impact traffic flows on major routes), so ask him to put his money where his mouth is. IMHO, there is an opportunity here.

This was an empty gesture thrown by the Premier.

As someone who uses side streets for a chunk of my commute currently, the truth is:

1) Drivers don't like cyclists on the side streets either and we are seen as a nuisance (perhaps to a far greater degree than on separated bike lanes on arterials). They will oppose bike lanes there too and Doug Ford will be more willing to listen to them than to cyclists.

2) The side streets being safer is a misnomer. Some of the most aggressive driving I have seen has been on side streets. In my experience, I will bike in the middle of the road on side streets on a designated side-street bike route, only to have a car from behind me try to aggressively accelerate and go around me at least once per commute. I have even seen them jump the sidewalk curb in order to pass by me. Not to mention the shockingly few drivers who commit to a full stop at red lights in side streets...

3) The bike lanes on side streets tend to just be paint on the road, which is just an illusion of safety for cyclists compared to a dedicated and separated bike lane on an arterial road.

 

[txlseries4]

I don't know what Mayor Chow is waiting for, but she has got to get into the Premier's office and ask for help building bike lanes on alternative routes. The Premier has said he is in favour of bike lanes (just not where they impact traffic flows on major routes), so ask him to put his money where his mouth is. IMHO, there is an opportunity here.

She spoke at council a couple weeks ago that she will be speaking with him if the motion passed (it did). Whether he or his government gives her the time of day is another issue altogether.

 

[evandyk]

Also, there are no "side street" alternatives to Bloor, Yonge or Danforth for cyclists, any more than there are "side street" alternatives for drivers. The side streets are short and stubby and are lacking bridges over obstacles such as tracks and rivers.

 

[TheGrimSweeper]

Can't confirm or deny if this is true yet but if it is it's appalling how fast this government can move on the most useless stuff.

https://www.reddit.com/r/torontobiking/comments/1h0es99/bike_lanes_being_removed_on_yonge_street_south_of