General cycling issues (Is Toronto bike friendly?)

[reaperexpress]

After hearing a cyclist died from a fall caused by no helmet...

Really? I wouldn't have thought a helmet would affect whether or not tires get stuck in the tracks.

Anyhow, as a non-downtowner, I'm very cautious around streetcar tracks when I ride downtown, but I could easily see how locals would let their guard down. Tracks aren't like cars which are always moving around and being intimidating.

 

[nfitz]

Anyhow, as a non-downtowner, I'm very cautious around streetcar tracks when I ride downtown, but I could easily see how locals would let their guard down. Tracks aren't like cars which are always moving around and being intimidating.

In this case, the best solution would be to remove the tracks.

 

[Admiral Beez]

In this case, the best solution would be to remove the tracks.

Best solution is to watch where you're going and ride within your ability. You can't bubble wrap the entire city nor remove every hazard.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Worse would be the rain-filled potholes. You think it should be smooth riding until you fall into one.

 

[nfitz]

Best solution is to watch where you're going and ride within your ability. You can't bubble wrap the entire city nor remove every hazard.

One might be surprised though to encounter streetcar tracks materializing out of nowhere on a residential street. I see no reason not to remove the tracks. Sure, one should be careful as well, but from a Health and Safety perspective, there's no reason not to tackle the issue from multiple directions.

 

[reaperexpress]

Best solution is to watch where you're going and ride within your ability. You can't bubble wrap the entire city nor remove every hazard.

We can't achieve absolute safety so we shouldn't aim for any? I certainly don't agree with that. Clearly our streets should be (and seem) safer, given that most people are afraid to cycle on them.

The obvious solution is to make it easier for cyclists to cross tracks at right angles. Grand unions would be a challenge, but there are many other intersections which could more easily be improved, such as College and Dundas.

 

[doady]

Riding bike in Mississauga, I find most drivers to be too timid and often give me an excessive amount of space, sometimes avoiding the lane altogether and driving in middle of the road or on the other side. It's kind of embarassing.

Overall it still pleasant experience. The way the city is planned, I very rarely have to use major roads, I use minor street mostly. The main problem is that the traffic signals don't detect bicycles, only automobiles and pedestrians. So if a car doesn't come along I could wait forever.

 

[ShonTron]

I tool the train to Kingston with my bike, and biked across Wolfe Island. Along highways 95 and 96, I was given the full lane by the few cars and trucks that passed, which was nice, but a bit much. But driving in rural Ontario, I'm inclined to do the same, as a courtesy. I am surprised by your experience in Mississauga, been yelled at at Confederation and Central Pkwy as a pedestrian. Though in Oakville, Lakeshore Road is a pleasant bike ride with generally courteous drivers.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Best solution is to watch where you're going and ride within your ability. You can't bubble wrap the entire city nor remove every hazard.

Found this video on the inflatable bike helmet. More like a airbag for cyclists.

[video=youtube;Tn65Bows0Ws]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn65Bows0Ws[/video]

I'll wait until the price goes down a little.

 

[ShonTron]

Yes, yes, that silly video has been making the rounds again. But what does that have to do with the thread title?

 

[car4041]

In this case, the best solution would be to remove the tracks.

Couldn't they just fill in the groove with tar? (As in, for example, here)

 

[W. K. Lis]

Couldn't they just fill in the groove with tar? (As in, for example, here)

The problem will be the frost and thaw that we experience here in Toronto, and water getting in. Water expands when it turns into ice, pushing asphalt apart. The water will flow into cracks and the ice will expand the cracks even more, creating potholes and the asphalt comes apart.

 

[car4041]

The problem will be the frost and thaw that we experience here in Toronto, and water getting in. Water expands when it turns into ice, pushing asphalt apart. The water will flow into cracks and the ice will expand the cracks even more, creating potholes and the asphalt comes apart.

I mean just fill in the groove by pouring something rubbery into it, not paving over the entire tracks with asphalt. Dundee (the example posted above) had a couple of bad freeze-thaw winters lately, but it didn't affect the filled-in tram grooves at all.

 

[nfitz]

Dundee (the example posted above) had a couple of bad freeze-thaw winters lately, but it didn't affect the filled-in tram grooves at all.

Dundee? Bad freeze-thaw winters? It might have snowed a few times, and had some frost, but it hardly has the conditions required for any significant penetration of frost into the ground.

The lowest temperature that it got in the last year was -3.7°C.


Now it did hit -5.1°C in January 2011 - but that seems to be the only day all year the high wasn't above freezing. December 2010 was a bit colder ... but still nothing like what you need to get frost heave starting. Must have felt miserable by the coast though ...

Think about it ... when you drive around coastal Scotland, do you see the frost damage to roads that you see here?

I think Torontonians frequently forget that even though our weather is pretty mild for Canada - that there's few other places in the world where you have big cities and such cold temperatures.

 

[TrickyRicky]

This thread is getting so long that I can't recall the last time I chimed in but what I wanted to add is, don't be fooled by numbers when comparing Toronto to other cities. Bike lane numbers are like trophies cities like to boast about. I have found that many of the bike lanes in other cities are not only bogus but outright dangerous (example: hello Hamburg, hello Tokyo). Observe for yourself and bike elsewhere if you are luck enough to have a chance. I for one find biking in Toronto to be simple, safe, culturally accepted and useful. Winter sucks but then again we should be grateful we don't live in a city where the temperature is consistantly hot either. I would rather bike at 0 degrees than at 30.