Take the Lane

Further to Died on a Ride and visibility

After I posted on Ontario's latest cycling fatalities, I was mulling over the problem of bicycling visibility. And I still don't get it: why are cyclists so casual about their on-bike visibility?

The coolest recumbent in the world surely has to be the low-rider tricycle. I don't know anyone who doesn't see one and say, "Wow, that would be fun to ride."

The other thing they say is, "How can anyone (i.e. motorists) see you on that thing?" Every time. It's probably the number one reason that recumbents aren't everywhere. Cyclists seem to think they have less road presence if they aren't upright on a "regular" bicycle.

So, it's not like these cyclists are visibility illiterate. They know that visibility matters. So why are so many of them wearing dark-coloured clothing? Hoodies, jackets, even cycle tights are black. Would it be so hard to run some fluorescent striping around the tights? When I bought my first official cycling jacket, I went to a fabric shop, bought some reflective tape and sewed extra stripes on the back of it. Some of my cycling friends suggested I looked like a Christmas tree.

I don't care if I look like a Christmas tree. I don't want to look dead! And what makes us think we have done the most to protect ourselves when we meet the minimum standards laid down by the law. Just because we have a rear reflector, doesn't mean we are safe. It may the requirement under the law, but anyone will tell you that the law is an ass.

Do better than the minimum. Wear a helmet. Wear reflective clothing. Throw a couple of lights on your bike. Clip one to your backpack or pannier. Be a Christmas tree. Just don't be dead.

Biking in Barcelona

Here's an interesting New York Times News Service story (from an interested reporter) about the European growing pains with bike-sharing.

The author suggests (no hyperbole here) that European mayors are climbing over each other to get bike-sharing programs launched. After all, why buy a bus when you can get a couple hundred bicycles for much less of the taxpayer's hard-earned funds.

As always, there are problems, and it may be that the compact, dense European cities will always be better suited to bicycle use. But, we North Americans seem to like everything else that comes from Europe. Bike-sharing is surely next.

See the full story here.

Guelph bike institute gets T.O. nod

Luke Siragusa of I Bike T.O. did a nice piece in his blog about being a student at the Winterbourne Bike Institute (well, except for describing the WBI's Guelph setting as a Scarborough industrial mall without the shootings).

He's right: spending your vacation in a bike mechanic's course would be a worthwhile investment in your cycling future. Not a cheap one, particularly, but if cycling is important...

You can see the whole article here.

More forward thinking about our cycling future

I know that this is a beautiful fall day and all of us should be outside enjoying it, but if you have a few spare moments after all that riding and before you settle in for a dose of Sunday night television, take a couple of minutes to have a look at the Rails to Trails Conservancy's report, Active Transportation in America: A Case for Increased Federal Investment in Bicycling and Walking.

This 44-page report released last month is an incredibly accessible (i.e., made simple for politicians and others with no time for reports) look at the benefits of walking and bicycling to America. It's a summation of everything cyclists already know: more bicycles means fewer cars, money invested in cycling infrastructure pays greater benefits than money invested in automotive infrastructure, active transportation is a tool in the battle against obesity, etc.

The beauty of this report is that it backs up these premises with facts, not so much that the reader faces death by statistics, but enough for the average person to say, "Hey, maybe there is something to this."

Have a look, print out a copy and show it to your friendly local municipal councillor, MPP or MP. They need your guidance.

Big wheel on campus

The New York Times recently ran a nice piece on several American colleges that are experimenting with bicycle share programs on campus.

The intentions were many: to reduce auto use, to encouragement an active student lifestyle, to support the cycling culture. There have been problems, esp. when users don't take care of their bikes or abandon them in foul winter weather.

But I can't help but think that this is one that will catch on, and lay the foundation for a new generation of bicycle users. See the full story here.

Senator-cyclist conflict leads to meeting

The author of the New York blog No Impact Man, Colin Beavan, has a perspective that extends well beyond the two-wheeled world, but has lately been exploring the friction between cyclists and motorists in a very personal way.

Beavan was riding his folding bike on the curb lane when he had an unpleasant encounter with a black Mercedes that belonged to New York State Senator Jeff Klein. No injuries, but some nasty words were spoken.

Beavan blogged about it, asked his community to help him get a meeting with the senator, and the senator's office was inundated with calls. The two will meet on Tuesday, where Beavan will make the case for the senator to rethink some of his positions on issues that affect transportation policy in New York.

I offer this for your attention largely because, especially as we go into a federal vote on Tuesday, it appears that politicians do listen to the voices of the public, and your expressions of concern, your desires for change, do matter.

The Google maps cycling petition

I'm normally wary of petitions (esp. the "Facebook will change its name to Faceplant if I get 1,000,000 signatures" kind), but this petition to add a Bike There feature to Google Maps makes perfect sense to me.

That's why I have added my name to the 42,000-plus names on the list now.

Google Maps already have "Drive There" and "Take Public Transit" options. Adding the cycling routes makes perfect sense.

I know there will be some bicycle advocates who will argue that bicycles should share the road with motor vehicles, so that the Drive There options are perfectly suitable for bicycles. But as you and I both know, some routes are not open to bicycles, and some are just plain dangerous. Some bike trails are more efficient and safer than road routes, since they slice through neighbourhoods, parks, etc.

A Bike There feature makes so much sense. What surprises me is how slowly this petition has been building. There were about 4,000 signatures in February of this year. Now, 42,000. Surely, we can do better than that.

Guelph adds to its cycling resources

Guelph is already a nexus for cyclists and cycling innovation, thanks to the number of bicycle and bicycle-related businesses there.

Two of them -- True North Cycles and Wike Bike Trailers -- are hosting a new website that draws many of the cycling threads together.

You can click to info on local bicycle bizness, local clubs and links to stories of a cycle-centric nature. It is of greatest interest to Guelphonians (Guelphites? Guelphers?) but items such as the short on Local Food Peddlers, who deliver fresh local produce to your home, will be an inspiration to those in other communities.

Kitchener launches cycling advisory committee

If you live in Kitchener and care about the future of cycling in your community, here's a chance to have a direct impact.

The City of Kitchener is launching a new Cycling Advisory Committee to counsel city councillors on building a better cycling community. This can range from building cycling facilities in Kitchener to connecting with other governments, at all levels, to promote and support cycling.

Since it's a new committee, they need between nine and 11 new voices to whisper in the ears of those who can be persuaded to spend money on bicycle trails, bike lanes and bicycle storage. Please, no crowding. There should be room for everyone. You can get more details at the Kitchener website.

For those with a long memory, there was the Twin City Cycling Advisory Committee in the 1990s. It essentially faded away in 1994 with the arrival of the regional cycling master plan. There is also a Regional Cycling Advisory Committee which is still active. In the world of multi-modal urban transportation, Transportation Demand Management is a hot button, and the creation of the Kitchener committee is a part of the city's interest in TDM.

In the words of Martha Stewart, this will be a "good thing."

The federal parties on bicycling

How embarrassing. I looked up the websites of the five major parties to find out what they had to say about bicycling, especially in relation to alternative transportation, urban infrastructure, healthy lifestyle and climate change.

Wow. Only the NDP website mentioned bicycling specifically.

Under the heading: "A Plan for the environment that will really work," the NDP platform reads:

"Provide federal government support for pedestrian walkways and bicycle paths in communities as part of our commitment to sustainable transport. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improved pedestrian and cycling infrastructure will have health benefits for Canadians who choose to walk or cycle."

And under the heading: "Healthy Living: Promoting Good Health," the NDP platform says:

"Invest in trails associations across the country, joining forces with Canadians who are blazing new trails by walking, cycling, wheeling, skiing and running their way to healthier, more active lifestyles."

And that's it. Oh, I am sure that if you asked one of the party leaders, you'd get a pat on the shoulder and the reassurance that cycling is high on the list of alternative transport to be considered in a new, greener Canada. Too bad it isn't actually written down anywhere that I can find. I really thought the Greens would blow me away with their cycling support. Nada.

Nothing from the Bloc. (You can translate their home page into English, but the virtual platform is en francais seulement.) The Conservative "key issues" page is the lightest read of all.  And the Liberals seem so caught up in the Green Shift that a lot else is forgotten. (Does it seem odd to you that the big picture on the Conservative home page is of the Liberal leader, and the big picture on the Liberal home page is of the Conservative leader? Does this tell you something about what each party fears?)

So, do you base your vote on this one issue? Well, some of you might. Some of you might clip the NDP platform and send it to your favourite candidate (or least favourite candidate) and ask what their response is. You may get a shoulder pat; you may get them thinking.