Comments on: Urban Etiquette: Cycling http://www.thegridto.com/life/advice/urban-etiquette-cycling/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=urban-etiquette-cycling Toronto's new weekly city magazine Wed, 22 May 2013 14:15:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Jon http://www.thegridto.com/life/advice/urban-etiquette-cycling/#comment-35353 Jon Tue, 05 Jun 2012 07:33:59 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=53026#comment-35353 You are the Snookie of cyclists. Cycling faster does not equate to avoidance of harm. It only means you'll be hurt worse once you catch up to harm. You are that which you complain about. This kind of dangerous behavior is dictated not by the vehicle, but by its operator. You are the Snookie of cyclists. Cycling faster does not equate to avoidance of harm. It only means you’ll be hurt worse once you catch up to harm.
You are that which you complain about. This kind of dangerous behavior is dictated not by the vehicle, but by its operator.

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]]> By: cge http://www.thegridto.com/life/advice/urban-etiquette-cycling/#comment-35134 cge Sun, 27 May 2012 19:07:41 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=53026#comment-35134 Just came back from a ride through the core. I was only out there for an hour and a half and made the point of being a "good driver", recognizing the Sunday crowds and influx of out-of-town traffic. No hurry. Nevertheless, I encountered two noteworthy situations and both were dangerous ones. A lady in a truck was driving down Dundas St. W. with no hands on the wheel, and talking on a cell phone. She didn't see me when she turned into a street abruptly. A\ the corner of Bathurst and Queen St. W. there was a pickup truck in the intersection. I checked to see if I should go around it (it was there for a long time) when a furious driver careened around me (slowly passing the truck) and she was actually screaming and shaking her fist. I didn't see any police on bikes during my whole tour (King to Dufferin to St. Clair to Bathurst to Queen) and I think that more police cops in the fray might make a difference. Still, for the types of people I am describing there really is no remedy. By the way, even though the streets are crowded today most of the auto drivers were just driving properly and I have no complaint about them. Just came back from a ride through the core. I was only out there for an hour and a half and made the point of being a “good driver”, recognizing the Sunday crowds and influx of out-of-town traffic. No hurry. Nevertheless, I encountered two noteworthy situations and both were dangerous ones.

A lady in a truck was driving down Dundas St. W. with no hands on the wheel, and talking on a cell phone. She didn’t see me when she turned into a street abruptly. A\ the corner of Bathurst and Queen St. W. there was a pickup truck in the intersection. I checked to see if I should go around it (it was there for a long time) when a furious driver careened around me (slowly passing the truck) and she was actually screaming and shaking her fist.

I didn’t see any police on bikes during my whole tour (King to Dufferin to St. Clair to Bathurst to Queen) and I think that more police cops in the fray might make a difference. Still, for the types of people I am describing there really is no remedy. By the way, even though the streets are crowded today most of the auto drivers were just driving properly and I have no complaint about them.

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]]> By: cge http://www.thegridto.com/life/advice/urban-etiquette-cycling/#comment-35131 cge Sun, 27 May 2012 13:53:52 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=53026#comment-35131 Ride hard and all that ... what if one of the car drivers is zooming around with your attitude? Aggressive driving is illegal. The rules of the road are there to meet the demands of all the different types of drivers, including bicycle riders. Seems to me you are leaving a lot of anger and opportunities for backlash in your trail. Ride hard and all that … what if one of the car drivers is zooming around with your attitude? Aggressive driving is illegal. The rules of the road are there to meet the demands of all the different types of drivers, including bicycle riders. Seems to me you are leaving a lot of anger and opportunities for backlash in your trail.

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]]> By: Graeme http://www.thegridto.com/life/advice/urban-etiquette-cycling/#comment-34973 Graeme Tue, 22 May 2012 17:12:27 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=53026#comment-34973 Hey MC, I agree with you, pre-judging sucks. I was thinking of when I've been behind someone long enough to figure out I'm going faster but didn't get the opportunity to pass safely while riding. Here, jumping the queue at the red light seems OK to me. Hey MC, I agree with you, pre-judging sucks. I was thinking of when I’ve been behind someone long enough to figure out I’m going faster but didn’t get the opportunity to pass safely while riding. Here, jumping the queue at the red light seems OK to me.

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]]> By: Toby http://www.thegridto.com/life/advice/urban-etiquette-cycling/#comment-34929 Toby Fri, 18 May 2012 16:36:11 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=53026#comment-34929 I don't believe that there is anything wrong with going in front of people before red lights. It is beyond annoying to get trapped behind slow bikers. Yes, you can't always assume the speed of who you are passing. But if you know that you are very fast, and willing and able to push to your full speed, do it. I don’t believe that there is anything wrong with going in front of people before red lights. It is beyond annoying to get trapped behind slow bikers. Yes, you can’t always assume the speed of who you are passing. But if you know that you are very fast, and willing and able to push to your full speed, do it.

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]]> By: Mr. White http://www.thegridto.com/life/advice/urban-etiquette-cycling/#comment-34912 Mr. White Fri, 18 May 2012 04:42:00 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=53026#comment-34912 'Unless you’re writing in some bizarre form of satirical mindset, clearly you’re an a$$. I’m not surprised you get hit. Seemingly, a bunch of those hits were to the head.' Jim Why is this necessary?He did not criticize you. You speak as if you are a superior being, entitled to belittle someone else's intelligence. Does this give you a thrill? Attacking people on message boards? ‘Unless you’re writing in some bizarre form of satirical mindset, clearly you’re an a$$. I’m not surprised you get hit. Seemingly, a bunch of those hits were to the head.’

Jim
Why is this necessary?He did not criticize you. You speak as if you are a superior being, entitled to belittle someone else’s intelligence. Does this give you a thrill? Attacking people on message boards?

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]]> By: KING OF THE ROAD http://www.thegridto.com/life/advice/urban-etiquette-cycling/#comment-34889 KING OF THE ROAD Thu, 17 May 2012 18:42:22 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=53026#comment-34889 JIM. DON'T ASSUME YOU KNOW SOMETHING WHEN YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. THE THREE TIMES I HAVE BEEN HIT HAVE ALL BEEN FROM CAR ERRORS. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM OTHER POSTS ON HERE, OTHER RIDERS OBBEYING THE TRAFFIC RULES HAVE BEEN HIT AND BUMPED AS WELL. ONE A CAR TURING LEFT AS I HAD A GREEN LIGHT, T-BONED ME BECAUSE HE DID NOT SEE ME TRYING TO RACE THROUGH THE LIGHT AND TWO CABBIES TURNING RIGHT NOT SIGNALLING. I HAVE NEVER BEEN HIT RIDING FIXIE AND CONTROLLING THE ROAD. I RIDE FIXIE BECAUSE IT IS THE BEST WAY TO CONTROL YOUR SPEED THROUGH TRAFFIC. IF YOU THINK I AM A HIPSTER OR MESSANGER POSER THEN THINK ALL YOU WANT. IF YOU CAN'T RIDE FIXIE THEN DON'T. A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN'T HANDLE IT. DON'T ASSUME SOMETHING YOU HAVEN'T TRIED. I'VE RIDDEN WITH BRAKES, DROP BARS, STRAIGHT BARS, RISERS, FIXIE AND ALL. I KNOW MORE ABOUT BIKES AND RIDING TRAFFIC THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW RIDING INTO THE CITY FROM THE GTA A COUPLE DAYS. IF YOU RIDE FIXIE PROPERLY IT IS MERELY A BETTER WORK OUT FOR YOUR LEGS - NO BLOW OUT OF THE KNEES. I MIGHT GET THEIR FASTER RIDING AGGRESSIVELY, BUT RIDING AGGRESSIVELEY IS TO AVOID THE AGGRESSION OF DRIVERS AND TO TAKE CONTROL OF TEH ROAD AS THEY TRY TO SAVE A SECOND OR TWO OFF THEIR TIME. I RIDE BY THE RULES, BUT IF THERE IS A SITUATION THAT I CAN AVOID A CAR OR WHIPA AROUND ASSUMING A PERSON WILL MERGE WITH NO CARE, I TAKE IT. IN THE END YOU EITHER FOLLOW THE RULES AND RISK BEING HIT, WHICH I HAVE FROM DRIVER ERROR, OR YOU BEND THE RULES TO ENSURE YOUR OWN SAFETY. IF YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND THAT THEN YOU WILL LEARN IT THE ONE TIME YOU GET CLIPPED. IT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN NOW, BUT IT WILL SOMETIME. IF SOMEONE WANTS TO GET OUT OF THEIR CAR TO TALK ABOUT MY RIDING AND TRY TO RING MY NECK, THEN GO AHEAD AND TRY BECAUSE I GET IN PEOPLES WINDOWS AND WILL CUSS THEM OUT FOR THE WAY THEY DRIVE. IF THATS YOU ONE TIME IN YOUR GAS GUZZLING SUV THEN SO BE IT. SOME BIKERS ARE AFRAID TO HAVE A VOICE ON TEH ROAD AND TELL PEOPLE WHEN THEY CAN'T DRIVE. I'M NOT ONE OF THEM. AS FOR SPELLING. I TYPE QUICKLY AND DON'T CARE TO MUCH. JOURNALISM SCHOOLS HAVE STOPPED SPELLING TEST REQUIRMENTS BECAUSE OF THE AVAILABILITY TO SPELL CHECK. I'M NOT SAYING DON'T LEARN HOW TO SPELL, BUT WHY WOULD I CARE ON A FORUM. SO RAISE A VALID POINT. THE ONLY VALID POINT I HAVE SEEN ON THIS FORUM IS THE SAFETY OF PEDESTRIANS GOING THROUGH RED LIGHTS. I AGREE THAT YOU SHOULD ALWAYS LOOK, BE CURTIOUS, AND KEEP THEM SAFE. BUT THE SATISTICS OF BIKERS DIEING ON TEH ROAD AND PEOPLE I KNOW THAT HAVE BEEN HIT, YOU CANNOT LET CARS OWN THE ROAD. IF YOU DO THEN YOUR LIFE IS IN THE HANDS OF SOME CABBY, LADY DOING HER MACK-UP OR A** HOLE IN HIS SUV (YOU) THAT IS TRYING TO SHAVE A MINUTE OFF THEIR TIME DRIVING INTO THE CITY THAT I HAVE LIVED MY WHOLE LIFE, RATHER THAN YOUR OWN. LIVE BY THE RULES, BUT BEND THEM FOR YOUR LIFE/ OWN GOOD AT TIMES. SO RIDE YOUR BIKE NICE AND SLOW, THROW YOUR ARMS UP TO SIGNAL AND ALL - AND MAYBE WHEN YOU GET A LITTLE WISER THEN YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING. JIM.
DON’T ASSUME YOU KNOW SOMETHING WHEN YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. THE THREE TIMES I HAVE BEEN HIT HAVE ALL BEEN FROM CAR ERRORS. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM OTHER POSTS ON HERE, OTHER RIDERS OBBEYING THE TRAFFIC RULES HAVE BEEN HIT AND BUMPED AS WELL. ONE A CAR TURING LEFT AS I HAD A GREEN LIGHT, T-BONED ME BECAUSE HE DID NOT SEE ME TRYING TO RACE THROUGH THE LIGHT AND TWO CABBIES TURNING RIGHT NOT SIGNALLING. I HAVE NEVER BEEN HIT RIDING FIXIE AND CONTROLLING THE ROAD. I RIDE FIXIE BECAUSE IT IS THE BEST WAY TO CONTROL YOUR SPEED THROUGH TRAFFIC. IF YOU THINK I AM A HIPSTER OR MESSANGER POSER THEN THINK ALL YOU WANT. IF YOU CAN’T RIDE FIXIE THEN DON’T. A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN’T HANDLE IT. DON’T ASSUME SOMETHING YOU HAVEN’T TRIED. I’VE RIDDEN WITH BRAKES, DROP BARS, STRAIGHT BARS, RISERS, FIXIE AND ALL. I KNOW MORE ABOUT BIKES AND RIDING TRAFFIC THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW RIDING INTO THE CITY FROM THE GTA A COUPLE DAYS. IF YOU RIDE FIXIE PROPERLY IT IS MERELY A BETTER WORK OUT FOR YOUR LEGS – NO BLOW OUT OF THE KNEES.
I MIGHT GET THEIR FASTER RIDING AGGRESSIVELY, BUT RIDING AGGRESSIVELEY IS TO AVOID THE AGGRESSION OF DRIVERS AND TO TAKE CONTROL OF TEH ROAD AS THEY TRY TO SAVE A SECOND OR TWO OFF THEIR TIME.
I RIDE BY THE RULES, BUT IF THERE IS A SITUATION THAT I CAN AVOID A CAR OR WHIPA AROUND ASSUMING A PERSON WILL MERGE WITH NO CARE, I TAKE IT. IN THE END YOU EITHER FOLLOW THE RULES AND RISK BEING HIT, WHICH I HAVE FROM DRIVER ERROR, OR YOU BEND THE RULES TO ENSURE YOUR OWN SAFETY. IF YOU CAN’T UNDERSTAND THAT THEN YOU WILL LEARN IT THE ONE TIME YOU GET CLIPPED. IT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN NOW, BUT IT WILL SOMETIME.
IF SOMEONE WANTS TO GET OUT OF THEIR CAR TO TALK ABOUT MY RIDING AND TRY TO RING MY NECK, THEN GO AHEAD AND TRY BECAUSE I GET IN PEOPLES WINDOWS AND WILL CUSS THEM OUT FOR THE WAY THEY DRIVE. IF THATS YOU ONE TIME IN YOUR GAS GUZZLING SUV THEN SO BE IT. SOME BIKERS ARE AFRAID TO HAVE A VOICE ON TEH ROAD AND TELL PEOPLE WHEN THEY CAN’T DRIVE. I’M NOT ONE OF THEM.
AS FOR SPELLING. I TYPE QUICKLY AND DON’T CARE TO MUCH. JOURNALISM SCHOOLS HAVE STOPPED SPELLING TEST REQUIRMENTS BECAUSE OF THE AVAILABILITY TO SPELL CHECK. I’M NOT SAYING DON’T LEARN HOW TO SPELL, BUT WHY WOULD I CARE ON A FORUM.
SO RAISE A VALID POINT.
THE ONLY VALID POINT I HAVE SEEN ON THIS FORUM IS THE SAFETY OF PEDESTRIANS GOING THROUGH RED LIGHTS. I AGREE THAT YOU SHOULD ALWAYS LOOK, BE CURTIOUS, AND KEEP THEM SAFE. BUT THE SATISTICS OF BIKERS DIEING ON TEH ROAD AND PEOPLE I KNOW THAT HAVE BEEN HIT, YOU CANNOT LET CARS OWN THE ROAD. IF YOU DO THEN YOUR LIFE IS IN THE HANDS OF SOME CABBY, LADY DOING HER MACK-UP OR A** HOLE IN HIS SUV (YOU) THAT IS TRYING TO SHAVE A MINUTE OFF THEIR TIME DRIVING INTO THE CITY THAT I HAVE LIVED MY WHOLE LIFE, RATHER THAN YOUR OWN.
LIVE BY THE RULES, BUT BEND THEM FOR YOUR LIFE/ OWN GOOD AT TIMES.
SO RIDE YOUR BIKE NICE AND SLOW, THROW YOUR ARMS UP TO SIGNAL AND ALL – AND MAYBE WHEN YOU GET A LITTLE WISER THEN YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING.

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]]> By: Jim http://www.thegridto.com/life/advice/urban-etiquette-cycling/#comment-34886 Jim Thu, 17 May 2012 18:05:42 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=53026#comment-34886 King of the hipsters Did they teach spelling at Western? I'm just curious. Cycling in Toronto isn't dangerous unless you're riding unpredictably in a state of rage. Riding hard will only hasten your arrival at the situations you seek to avoid. In case you hadn't noticed, you're not on a racecourse on your silly fixie (the official bicycle of courier wanna-bes who want to blow their knees by 30), you're on a public road. It doesn't surprise me a bit that you've been hit on your "bike of true urban cyclists", and I'm pretty certain that you were the reason for the collisions most of the time. It does surprise me, though, that you haven't provoked one of those angry drivers to squeeze you good. I'm sure that will change at some point. People who ride in the way you advocate can dodge karma for a while, but not forever. In the meantime, as I said before, I hope never to see you or, in truth, anyone who acts as you say you do. King of the hipsters

Did they teach spelling at Western? I’m just curious.

Cycling in Toronto isn’t dangerous unless you’re riding unpredictably in a state of rage. Riding hard will only hasten your arrival at the situations you seek to avoid. In case you hadn’t noticed, you’re not on a racecourse on your silly fixie (the official bicycle of courier wanna-bes who want to blow their knees by 30), you’re on a public road.

It doesn’t surprise me a bit that you’ve been hit on your “bike of true urban cyclists”, and I’m pretty certain that you were the reason for the collisions most of the time. It does surprise me, though, that you haven’t provoked one of those angry drivers to squeeze you good. I’m sure that will change at some point. People who ride in the way you advocate can dodge karma for a while, but not forever.

In the meantime, as I said before, I hope never to see you or, in truth, anyone who acts as you say you do.

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]]> By: Phil http://www.thegridto.com/life/advice/urban-etiquette-cycling/#comment-34884 Phil Thu, 17 May 2012 17:47:15 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=53026#comment-34884 Why do you hate blacks so much? Why do you hate blacks so much?

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]]> By: Jo http://www.thegridto.com/life/advice/urban-etiquette-cycling/#comment-34879 Jo Thu, 17 May 2012 16:44:23 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=53026#comment-34879 I'm new to commuting to work on my shiny new bike. At first I was really nervous about navigating the roads from North Toronto to downtown, but for the most part, I'm finding that as long as I am careful and respectful of those around me- other cyclists, cars and pedestrians - they are careful and respectful of me. Sure, I've almost been side-swiped by a few idiots in their cars who aren't paying attention; the other day a pedestrian randomly decided to step off the sidewalk without looking and I nearly hit him; I made a error in judgement and cut off another cyclist not too long ago, but I smiled at her and apologized, and she seemed startled that I even bothered to say anything. I try to stop at stop signs (not always fully, but I always look both ways), and I have decided that I am never going to make it a habit of crossing at a red light just before it turns green, because as a Torontonian born and raised, I've seen waaaaay too many cars fly through red lights. But things happen, even when obeying the rules of the road, so respect is a big factor to me. I'd rather let some idiot driver cut me off than, you know, die. But hey, that's just me. I’m new to commuting to work on my shiny new bike. At first I was really nervous about navigating the roads from North Toronto to downtown, but for the most part, I’m finding that as long as I am careful and respectful of those around me- other cyclists, cars and pedestrians – they are careful and respectful of me. Sure, I’ve almost been side-swiped by a few idiots in their cars who aren’t paying attention; the other day a pedestrian randomly decided to step off the sidewalk without looking and I nearly hit him; I made a error in judgement and cut off another cyclist not too long ago, but I smiled at her and apologized, and she seemed startled that I even bothered to say anything. I try to stop at stop signs (not always fully, but I always look both ways), and I have decided that I am never going to make it a habit of crossing at a red light just before it turns green, because as a Torontonian born and raised, I’ve seen waaaaay too many cars fly through red lights. But things happen, even when obeying the rules of the road, so respect is a big factor to me. I’d rather let some idiot driver cut me off than, you know, die. But hey, that’s just me.

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