Take the Lane

Rio's old bike rental system gets a new coat of paint

There's a lot of buzz about public bicycle rental program in Rio de Janeiro after an Associated Press story came out today.

It would appear this is old news. The AP story says that Rio launched the public bike rental system today, with 11 bike stations in the Copacabana beach area. A news release from the mayor's office said 60 docking stations will be installed by Dec. 13, putting 600 bikes on the street. The system, modelled after the Velib system in Paris, is based on online registration. A daily pass costs $3; a monthly pass, $6.

This system sounds like a new coat of paint on the previous Samba bike rental system, which was rolled out in 2009. That system offered 500 bikes and was expected to have 42 stations, and was available to anyone who could put down a credit card deposit.

The website RioGuideNow suggests that Samba has been encountering some difficulties up to now. This latest announcement may be a case of, if at first you don't succeed, get some more public funding and try, try again. 

Two email addresses for bike trail planner

Just to clarify an earlier post, there are two valid email addresses if you want to send a response to Waterloo Spur Line trail planner Hanan Wahib. The addresses are whanan@regionofwaterloo.ca and hwahib@regionofwaterloo.ca. Both are valid.

Take the Lane talks social media

I'll be on a panel tonight at Wilfrid Laurier University, talking about careers in the social media, with 570 Radio's Mike Farwell, Globe and Mail online editor Shannon Busta and Toronto Sun social media editor Will Wolfe-Wylie.

Although the event, hosted by WLU Student Publications from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Dr. Alvin Woods Building on the Laurier campus, is targetting Laurier students and volunteers, anyone is welcome to attend in person or by livestreaming at the Cord website.

I'm feeling like the old man of the group, esp. because I have been on a personal Facebook Fast for the month of October. I've been doing my status updates by postcard and other forms of traditional mail. Now that I'm well into my "FaceBreak," I feel a bit like the anti-social media...

Have your say about the Waterloo Spur Line trail

You can go online or show up in person Thursday to have input into the plans for an east-of-downtown multi-use trail linking Waterloo and Kitchener.

The Region of Waterloo is hosting a "public consultation" Thursday night from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the regional headquarters to reveal the preliminary plans for the Waterloo Spur Line trail, a 2.5 kilometre-stretch running roughly from Ahrens Street in Kitchener to King Street in Waterloo.

The plans are partly the child of regional planners and partly the outcome of a public workshop in June of this year. You can read about the study here, and the details of the earlier consultation process here.

At the moment, it looks like the preferred option is an unlit, paved asphalt trail. Sort of seems at odds with the notion of leaving the area natural, but pavement would work better for wheelchairs, skateboards, baby buggies and bicycles.

Regional staff will be on hand to hear what participants have to say, or you can throw in your two bits by writing Hanan Wahib, Region of Waterloo, 8th Floor, 150 Frederick St., Kitchener, ON N2G 4J3 or emailing him at WHanan@regionofwaterloo.ca

 

Watch for cyclists

Amid all the chat about the fatal dooring of Danielle Nacu in Ottawa, and the measly $110 fine that the motorist involved is likely to get, how about this thought going forward:

Print on every left side-view mirror these words: Watch for cyclists.

The CAA already has an after-market sticker you can apply to your mirror. But surely this would be easier to do at the auto-plant level. We already have "Objects may appear closer than they are" or something to that effect printed onto the passenger-side mirror. It can't be that hard to do. Adding a message to the driver-side mirror would add, what, 50 cents to the cost of every new vehicle?

Driver in fatal dooring will likely pay $110

The driver in the fatal "dooring" of Ottawa cyclist Danielle Nacu has been charged with a Highway Traffic Act offence that carries a fine of $110, the same as the fine for not having a bell on your bike.

Canadian Press reports that Kathy Chow, 41, of Ottawa has been charged under the HTA with opening a door improperly. Assuming she pleads guilty, her deadly mistake will cost her $110.

 

Right turn by trucker kills Canadian artist

A right turn by a New York trucker has killed an Edmonton artist who was riding his bicycle near his Brooklyn studio.

The Canadian Press reports that a Montreal art gallery is planning a funeral today (Tuesday) for Mathieu Lefevre, who was killed last Wednesday. According to the Gothamist, police are still looking for the driver.

The so-called "right hook" is one of the daily hazards for cyclists, and one aspect of cycling safety that I hope is considered by the Ontario coroner's review of cycling fatalities in Ontario.

Lefevre was described as "one of the great, great upcoming artists in Canada." His work included one that featured a blank canvas with a bicycle wedged into the frame, titled "My Bike Disguised as Contemporary Art." According to the CP story, he represented Canada at the Prague Biennale.

What a waste.

 

Short timeline for Ontario cycling fatalities review

The coroner supervising the review of cycling fatalities in Ontario wants your input within the next 37 days.

You can write Dr. Dan Cass, regional supervising coroner, Toronto West Region, Office of the Chief Coroner, 26 Grenville St., Toronto ON M7A 2G7 or email him at occo.inquiries@ontario.ca

There's a deadline on this of Nov. 30 this year.

No pressure.

More details on the Ontario coroner review

There are more details here from the Canadian Press story on the planned review of cycling deaths in Ontario.

I hope this doesn't wind up focusing on a few high-profile cases (aka the Michael Bryant case), but looks at the entire province

Ontario coroner to probe cycling deaths

Ontario's chief coroner has annoounced a review of cycling deaths in the province from 2006 to 2010.

According to this announcement from Dr. Andrew McCallum, the review will be led by Dr. Dan Cass, regional supervising coroner for the Toronto West Region.

This is something I have been waiting to see since Take the Lane was started in 2007. Thanks to the cycling advocates who lobbied for this.