New Poll: Is Toronto becoming more hostile towards 2-wheeled riders,electric and otherwise?

http://www.ebikerider...

The Globe and Mail's John Barber, recently toasting his 50th year of cycling in the city, made this observation:

“Back in the pre-Ford golden age, policy and practice marched together. Toronto was a pioneer in accommodating cyclists. Bicycling magazine actually named Toronto North America's best city for cycling 15 years ago – an honour unimaginable today.
Today, Toronto is the cycling collision capital of Canada, according to its own study.

Even more distressing is an overall traffic-injury rate – of pedestrians, drivers, passengers and cyclists – that, in 2010, was twice that of Montreal, Calgary or Edmonton, more than three times that of Vancouver. What's remarkable is 21st-century Toronto's willingness to accept traffic carnage in general – an attitude now vigorously justified by the growing legion of bicycle haters.”

(See entire piece here: www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/globe-to/in-the-aftermath-of-tragedy-once-more-unto-the-breach/article2234244/page2/ )

Based on your experience, has riding in Toronto become: 1)Less Safe 2)Unchanged or 3)More Safe ?

See our new poll and render your verdict here:

http://www.ebikerider...

staying alive ~ cheers

You need another option in your poll. Do not ride in Toronto/don't know/don't care/no opinion.

You need another option in your poll. Do not ride in Toronto/don't know/don't care/no opinion.

Allan, you are aware that this is the TORONTO Electric Riders Association,eh? Not responding to something that does not apply to you will suffice.

~ cheers

I voted that it's getting safer.

Not a lot of data out there but...

In May 2011 CP24 reported:
http://www.cp24.com/s...

Thu May. 26 2011 4:20:57 PM |Chris Fox, cp24.com

Toronto tops country in cyclist accidents: report

Cyclists beware: Toronto is the most dangerous Canadian city for a bike ride, according to a recent study.

The study, commissioned by the city, shows that Toronto had the highest number of accidents involving cyclists in 2010 with 1,145 incidents.

In 2003 the City of Toronto Bicycle/Motor-Vehicle Collision Study noted:
http://www.toronto.ca...

The study examined the 2,572 car/bike collisions that occurred within the city between
January 1, 1997 and December 31, 1998 and were reported to police.

... so an average of 1,286 collisions a year over 1997 and 1998 versus 1,145 ten years later...


At the same time we are being told that more folks are cycling:
http://www.ibiketo.ca...

More and more Torontonians cycle: up to 54%

Submitted by herb on January 19, 2010 - 12:40am

Us cyclists have been saying for awhile: "Doesn't it look like there are more cyclists out there?" Well it's true. Cycling in Toronto is up 13% over the last decade - from 48% to 54%. The number of utilitarian cyclists - those who use their bikes to get to work, school, visit, or run errands - rose an astounding 45%: from 20% in 1999 to 29% in 2009. How do we know this? The City of Toronto has released their 2009 Cycling survey and all the numbers are up.
http://www.toronto.ca...

Will we have to wait another 10 years for an update? The plan now, says Dan Egan of Transportation Services, is to do the survey every 3 years, timed to coincide with municipal elections. Get the numbers out just before an election and you've got some good fodder for pushing politicians.

Some other interesting finds: motorists and cyclists feel that there is more respect for each other, despite the proverbial "War on Cars"; the largest increases in utilitarian cyclists is in the burbs: up about an average of 83%!

There's no guarantee that these years sampled are good representations of average years and trends as the numbers of trips made by cycle each year jumps up and down depending on whether the weather is "better" or worse from year to year... One year may have an "Indian Summer" for example...

If it is true that there are many more trips being made by bike these daze (Bixi alone must have added some) then there are lots of studies that report the numbers of accidents and injuries drop as the percentage of traffic as bicycles increases...

Tks
L0cK

Yesh, we can Google data to support almost any theoretical position, but the original question was: "Based on your experience, has riding in Toronto become: 1)Less Safe 2)Unchanged or 3)More Safe ?"

Based on my personal experience, riding has been more fraught in 2011, than it was in 2010. More rude shouting from cars and trucks, more dangerous and deliberate sudden lane changes meant to push one to the curb or injure, and more vocal hostility.

(My theory is that the usually repressed and impotent morons who hate their lives, feel they have gotten the green light from their hero, our bike-hating mayor, to target cyclists. So, open season on us.)

On the plus side, there were more e-scooters on the streets, and more friendly exchanges with fellow e-bikers this year.

Solid brakes, sturdy helmet and taking-the-lane = safer cheers

Based on my personal experience, riding has been more fraught in 2011, than it was in 2010. More rude shouting from cars and trucks, more dangerous and deliberate sudden lane changes meant to push one to the curb or injure, and more vocal hostility.

Consider this:
"Allow faster traffic to pass when safe to do so."

Practicing that might promote more courteous sharing of the road.

Based on my personal experience, riding has been more fraught in 2011, than it was in 2010. More rude shouting from cars and trucks, more dangerous and deliberate sudden lane changes meant to push one to the curb or injure, and more vocal hostility.

Consider this:
"Allow faster traffic to pass when safe to do so."

Practicing that might promote more courteous sharing of the road.

Yes, J., one does that when there is only one lane. Where I ride there are always two lanes, and I take the right-hand or slow lane, so anyone wanting to pass (though I am usually near the speed limit downtown), may easily do so.

Recently, on the curve that rounds Fillmore's on Dundas, a taxi cut straight into my lane with only inches to spare, and instantly slammed on his brakes!!! No passenger, no sane reason to stop. I wound up with the bike on top of me, after slamming on brakes. managed not to collide with the taxi. My wife was on her bike behind me, she pulled the bike off of me. I was not significantly injured, by great good luck.

Taking-the-lane is the prefered and safest strategy. No chance of the common door prize or being side swiped, plus you are much more visible. Following the rules of the road, staying alert and taking the lane . . .what was it Mark Twain said . . "Learn to ride a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live."

It IS more dangerous out there, imho.

~ safety cheers

Welcome back Ben!

I have been very fortunate. I have to agree that taxis are the worst driven vehicles on the road, but I have not had any life threatening encounters with them. The moment I see a taxi ahead or in my rear view, my attention increases and I slow down in anticipation of some stupidity. That said - I round that bend on Dundas each morning going west. Maybe it's timing.

Other than that - I do find a recognizeable level of aggression in Mustang drivers, Bimmer, Audi and Mercedes drivers, and lastly and only on occasion, pickup trucks. The aggression, I attribute purely to envy - that they payed so much for their vehicles, spend a fortune to service them, and a ton on gas, and they still can't beat me across town. I'm riding for free now - I broke even on ebike costs versus parking and gas costs last month. All in less than a year. Whoeee!

Welcome back Ben!

I have been very fortunate. I have to agree that taxis are the worst driven vehicles on the road, but I have not had any life threatening encounters with them. The moment I see a taxi ahead or in my rear view, my attention increases and I slow down in anticipation of some stupidity. That said - I round that bend on Dundas each morning going west. Maybe it's timing.

Other than that - I do find a recognizable level of aggression in Mustang drivers, Bimmer, Audi and Mercedes drivers, and lastly and only on occasion, pickup trucks. The aggression, I attribute purely to envy - that they payed so much for their vehicles, spend a fortune to service them, and a ton on gas, and they still can't beat me across town. I'm riding for free now - I broke even on ebike costs versus parking and gas costs last month. All in less than a year. Whoeee!

Hello John, nice to be thought of as "back". And yes, you are definitely right about taxi drivers in Toronto . . I am instantly hyper alert when I see one getting near.

I was riding in a taxi recently, when the driver pointed at an e-bike (looked like an Emmo GT5) passing in the opposite direction and said, "I hate those bastards!" This guy went on to say the usual shite . . . bad for his business, a nuisance on the road, free-loaders, etc.

The guy looked really beat, tired and grubby . . I don't hate taxi drivers, individually . . most of them work 10 and 12 hour shifts, and make miserable wages . .so I told the cabbie I would've normally been riding my e-bike, but I had to pick my daughter up at Billy Bishop airport.
I told him he was wrong about e-bikes being a bad thing . . but it was a pretty quiet ride after that.

Maybe cycling will become safer, when bikes/e-bikes/e-scooters become more numerous? I wouldn't mind some system where all cyclists have an incentive to take a weekend safety course . . like in parts of California where generous rebates are offered on e-bike purchases by the government, for those who take the safety course.
Not all dangerous drivers are in cars and taxis, eh? Some of them are us.

Be nice when all of this loses its political edge, and just becomes about the most logical ways to get from one place to another, inflicting the least damage on the planet, and on those with whom we share the public roads.

Still rolling cheers

Maybe cycling will become safer, when bikes/e-bikes/e-scooters become more numerous? I wouldn't mind some system where all cyclists have an incentive to take a weekend safety course . . like in parts of California where generous rebates are offered on e-bike purchases by the government, for those who take the safety course.
Not all dangerous drivers are in cars and taxis, eh? Some of them are us.

Be nice when all of this loses its political edge, and just becomes about the most logical ways to get from one place to another, inflicting the least damage on the planet, and on those with whom we share the public roads.

There I agree with you Ben. I would even be willing to put up with a $20 annual license fee. It will be better for the general ebiking public if we take away the aspect of ebiking as the refuge for the de-licensed and un-insurable.