This past Saturday the Globe and Mail included a lengthy, interesting article on four individuals who engage in a high risk activity -- bicycle commuting in Toronto. That is my editorializing because they don't describe it that way. The longest of the four commutes is about seventy five minutes from Scarborough to the downtown. It would scare the bejabbers out of me to cycle in Toronto but they are all committed.
From time to time I muse about cycling as an alternative to getting in a car. I grumble about the cluelessness of motorists who seem to view cyclists as an annoyance rather than those who share the road. I am here to say that this was the case in Bowmanville, and unfortunately this holds true in Belleville as well. The provincial highway act is clear that cyclists are entitled to make their way from point A to point B the way motor vehicles are, and they must observe the rules of the road. But this message just doesn't seem to have any traction, so to speak.
Yesterday Ruth and I did cycle in Belleville and covered roughly twenty kilometres out to the far east end of town, then north along the Moira River to highway 401. It was a glorious ride, but nearly all of it was on, or could have been on, the paved pedestrian/cyclist path. My brief forays onto Dundas St. have been disturbing, and I have taken to doing short sections on the sidewalk for personal safety.
I should add here that I saw a piece yesterday on the development of a fifteen kilometre raised and graded bike path started between Pasedena California and downtown Los Angeles -- in the late 1890's! Only two kilometres were built, a portion seen above. Why? The growing popularity of the automobile. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2319942/The-abandoned-1897-plans-bicycle-route-Pasadena-downtown-nearly-got-built.html
As a Christian I want to do what I can to reduce my use of fossil fuels and cut down on producing greenhouse gases. I also want to do what I can to be physically active and healthy. This too is a faith commitment as well as common sense. It's too bad that we haven't progressed very far when it comes to challenging the "car culture" and including "cycle culture."
What are your thoughts?
Ironic that I am reading this post today, because just this week I was driving and I passed a cyclist (giving him a wide berth). A minute or so later I stopped at a red light and signalled to make a right-hand turn. I checked my rear-view and saw the cyclist coming up in the rear, positioned in the road as if he was a motorized vehicle. The light happened to turn green and I began to make my right-hand turn and had to slam on my brakes because Mr. Cycle snuck alongside my right in an effort to pass me and continue through the light going forward. I think I held my breath until I made my destination. I admit that my own understanding of the rules of the road when sharing it with cyclists is sketchy, but I ALWAYS assume that they have right of way, I'm usually the one trailing behind a cyclist because I don't want to frighten them by passing them. But I think there are just as many crazy cyclists as there are drivers. I don't have the solution to this one.
ReplyDeleteI've seen tons of construction and re-zoning in Calgary. It took months and months for them to create new bike lanes. Once it was up and running, traffic was bottle-necked and then the following year the lines all disappeared as if the bike lanes never existed. An expensive experiment to be sure.
Stay safe!
Thank you for your comments on several blogs Stacey! I can see that folk are reading, but for some reason they don't comment on this Groundling blog.
ReplyDeleteThe situation you relate to us is a good one. As a cyclist I should not scoot up beside a vehicle making a right turn. I should act like a motor vehicle at intersections to help motorists see me. Sneaking alongside is a good way to end up dead, and it is bad cyclist etiquette. Cyclists want motorists to respect them, so they should act in accordance with the rules of the road. I think the key for motorists is realizing that the brief delay (seconds) to give a cyclist a careful berth is not going to ruin their day.
I like what they have done in Montreal with dedicated, separate, parallel bike lanes.
Again, thanks!
I too wish there were more bike lanes. When I lived in Kingston, ON, my primary mode of travel was cycling. Traveling down Princess St. and through the "Getto" was not a fun trip, but there was a lot of us biking on the roads and most were pretty good. I got hit 2x in 6 yrs (minor) and almost hit half a dozen times (which elicited flashes of rage I didn't know were in me!). Same with my husband. I would obey the rules of the road, had flasher, wore reflective bright clothes. At a light, I would be in the left turn lane, just like the cars. Sometimes this would be an issue for drivers. Thing is, I really don't think drivers or cyclist know the rules. There definitely should be more education for drivers and cyclist regarding rules of the road, so that everyone is on the same page. Of course, that is in an idealistic world!! Peterborough was a city with nice biking paths. Sometimes I just shake my head at the state of things, and try not to get too pessimistic.
ReplyDeleteThank you for adding your thoughts this morning Sarah. I rode to work this morning, but may not be able to ride home if the rain sets in. Once again I followed the paved bike path as much as possible, then a short stint on the sidewalk for safety's sake. I love that a portion of my ride is by the water.
ReplyDeleteI think of my Baptist colleague in Bowmanville who rode 12 months of the year. I took a photo of him riding in a blizzard that ground the region to a halt. I'm not that dedicated!