trikebum.....rants, raves, rides

trikebum rides....

2009-03-21T22:21:00.002-04:00

The continued adventures of trikebum. Transportation cycling, vehicular cycling, tricycle touring and camping. Go to: http://trikebum.webs.com/

Santa's Elf's Christmas Trike Sleigh Part 2

2008-11-13T21:21:00.003-05:00

Santa's Elf's Christmas Trike Sleigh

2008-11-13T20:45:00.006-05:00

On Dec 6./08 I will enter my trike in the Peterborough Santa Claus Parade. This year the theme is Christmas sleighs so I've decided to turn my trike into a trike sleigh for the event, and I shall dress as one of Santa's elfs.
For the project I am using coroplast I have laying around including political signs. My environmental friends might cringe when they hear the word coroplast as it seems to have a bad name amongst greenies, as it is not always recyclable ( tho' the company begs to differ).
But it is reusable and it's light weight, durability and waterproofness makes it ideal for bike projects. It's also easy to cut and can be fastened using plastic cable ties. Holes can be punched with an awl.

Electric assist trike

2008-11-13T20:10:00.004-05:00

This is a 2003 Lightfoot Cycles Courier, my personal transportation. This fall I installed a Heinzman Electric hub motor kit. It's a Mountain drive 500W motor w/36v NiCad battery pak.
The beauty of the NiCad battery pak is it only takes 2 hrs tops to charge it.
This is a heavy bike to begin with. I would guess with tools, cargo box, fenders and fairing, It probably weighs about 80#. My average speed doing errands in town is about 8.5 mph.
With the electric assist my average increases to 10.5mph or there-a-bouts. On the level I can maintain speeds of15 mph easily which makes it very effective for traffic cycling. But it's a lot easier on me, and I don't think that is a good thing. This way I will not get in shape for out-of town touring which is my pleasure.
When touring I usually carry 65# of camping gear plus added water at 2# per litre. My average speed then is about 9.5 mph depending on terrain. The motor is ok used judiciously for about 20 miles, and when it runs out of juice, it's a lot harder to pedal than without. Consider that the weight of motor and battery is another 11 lbs and the electric motor hub does not freewheel as well as a regular bike wheel. There is a lot of resistance. So suffice it to say, it's only good for in town, but in town it's damn good.

Peterborough's worst intersection

2008-11-10T19:12:00.003-05:00

It seems the police and city staff have known for quite a long time that Lansdowne and Monaghan is the most dangerous intersection in Peterborough. I’m sure city council had that information too.

Knowing then what the Examiner has now revealed to the public, why would city staff and city council agree to create a bike lane that directs new cyclists into this unsafe intersection? And if they had the opportunity, would they change their minds on this?

In a presentation to city council last November I questioned city staff’s proposal to create a bike lane on busy Monaghan Rd., a high traffic, heavy truck route that cyclists would normally avoid. They were unable to show that bike lanes were any safer than riding on roads obeying traffic rules. But claimed one American study showed bike lanes attract new cyclists and that alone is good enough reason, as they have a mandate to encourage alternative transportation.

Competent cyclists who practice and obey the rules of the road are not attracted to bike lanes. But to the young, the inexperienced and the timid are. Bike lanes give a perception of safety as they are designed and recommended by the city. Many parents tell their children to use the bike lane, but what happens when it ends? They are directed into busy intersections such as the above without the experience or knowledge to cycle safely with traffic. There are three schools on Monaghan Rd., and Fleming College students have been directed to use this bike lane to access Crawford Dr. But there is no need for any of these students to use this intersection. There are safer alternate routes.

City police say there were 34 collisions at this junction last year. How many cyclists will be hit this year? Recently a young father was seriously injured while riding through this intersection, and I can’t help wondering if he was attracted to it because of the bike lane.

Transportation manager Jim Kimble says, “The intersection is a perfect example of engineering as much safety as possible.” And, "From an engineering perspective there's not a lot the city could do to make it safer.” I disagree. I would suggest that through engineering, the city is making this intersection less safe, by knowingly directing novice cyclists into an already dicey situation.

Visibility

2008-10-24T16:07:00.001-04:00

Who's In The Wrong? | Yehuda Moon and the Kickstand Cyclery - Bicycle Comics

2008-10-11T08:54:00.001-04:00

Who's In The Wrong? | Yehuda Moon and the Kickstand Cyclery - Bicycle Comics

Ya, right! The best defence is offence.

On the Phone in the Car | Yehuda Moon and the Kickstand Cyclery - Bicycle Comics

2008-10-11T08:49:00.000-04:00

On the Phone in the Car | Yehuda Moon and the Kickstand Cyclery - Bicycle Comics

Distracted drivers are my biggest fear!

Re: Scenic route gets facelift- Examiner article July 24

2008-08-10T09:09:00.004-04:00

I just got in from a trike ride down the River Rd and read the article about road crews ruining the scenery, and boy have they got it right.

The s-curve that goes under the Trent U pedestrian over-pass was repaved last year. They then put up a concrete barrier retaining wall all along it on the river side. It’s at least half a mitre high and really ruins a beautiful panoramic view of Trent U on the water. It has also blocked access to a lovely little shady nook, with benches for walkers, hikers and cyclists to tarry and enjoy the view.

This so-called road improvement is supposed to improve sight lines? It hasn’t improved sight lines for anyone. Please take down that ugly wall and gives us back our beautiful River Rd. If the city won’t consider its inhabitants, perhaps it will consider the tourist dollar.

Re: Perilous cycle spots (Examiner letters July 21)

2008-07-22T09:18:00.002-04:00

Mark Steele disagrees with me that Peterborough is bike-able, and he names two areas; Clonsilla Ave W and Ashburnham S of Lansdowne St.

These are 4-lane roads, and when the curb lane is not wide enough to share I take the lane, keeping highly visible to overtaking traffic and allowing them to pass in the inside lane. Drivers see me easily and understand my intent.

Under Ontario HTA 147. (1) , a bicycle as a slow moving vehicle is allowed to do this.

Situations such as this are learned and practiced in CanBike 2, cycling education for adults. Registration is at: http://www.learningsource.ca/

Peterborough is a wonderful, bike-able city when cyclists obey the rules of the road and act in a predictable manner.

"Nobody ever died from not knowing how to play flag football. Yet we spend tax money teaching kids its nuances in gym classes, while bicycle safety is still foreign to most school curriculums. That isn't right."

- Don Cuerdon, cycling journalist who uses the pen name "Captain Dondo"

Transit changes remain stalled- The Examiner May12

2008-07-20T13:14:00.001-04:00

The city says it cannot find the money to complete improvements to public transit that would encourage more ridership.

Even though, it received more money than expected from provincial gas tax revenue (which is supposed to be earmarked primarily for public transit).

As Transportation manager Kimble stated, ’Following implementation (of previous improvements) in fall of 2006, ridership increased by 8.5%.’

This only proves; if you build it they will come!

Given that more money spent on improvements equals increased ridership, what is wrong with borrowing the money required to continue necessary improvements - or perhaps taking it from the roads budget?

After all, more transit riders means less cars, less congestion, fewer roads required, and reduced emissions. This is where we should be headed.

Why is it that when spending money on roads, politicians and city staff call it investing in the future, or investing in infrastructure, but spending money on transit is called subsidizing?

In actuality, motorists are being subsidized through taxes of non-motorists. I just read that while drivers are belly-aching about $1.25 gas, the actual cost to society is $4 a litre

I submit that public transit decisions are made by city council and city staff who drive.

Motor heads just don’t get it.

Police charge 27 cyclists

2008-07-16T20:00:00.002-04:00

Traffic and downtown patrol officers laid 27 charges in a plainclothes sweep targeting cyclists and skateboarders in the downtown core, city police said Friday.

Sgt. John Ogrodnik said all the charges related to cyclists, and were related to riding on the sidewalk, going the wrong way on a one-way street and running red lights.

Riding on a sidewalk will net you a $65 ticket, he said, and a Highway Traffic Act offence is a $110 ticket-Peterborough Examiner July 11/08

To: letters@peterboroughexaminer.com

Congrats to our police service for their enforcement effort regarding cyclist’s infractions. As a transportation cyclist I recognize the security and safety of following the rules of the road as I go about my daily tasks.

I’m particularly pleased they are going after wrong-way cyclists. Almost 30% of all car/bike crashes are caused by cyclists riding against traffic flow. They’re not only a danger to themselves, but also a danger to those who cycle properly, with traffic. I’ve had many a close call coming around a corner to find someone coming right at me.

As far as sidewalk cycling goes, it’s not as safe as some might think. A cyclist is 2.6 times more likely to have a crash on the sidewalk as compared to riding on the road. They are a danger to the rightful users of this space e.g. children, senior citizens, mothers with strollers and dogs on leashes. Ironically, they flee the roads to avoid the SUVs and then become the SUV of the sidewalk.

I know it’s people like this that injury stats are culled from; and Darwinian theory prevails, but what bothers me is that in the process of eliminating themselves, they skew the stats to make people think that somehow cycling is a dangerous activity (which it isn’t). On an hourly basis, motoring is more dangerous than cycling.

They also give legal cyclists a bad name and we don’t like it. We ride according to the rules of the road in a lawful, predictable manner which motorists appreciate and respect. We don’t want scoff-law cyclists ruining our good relationship.

Good news! For those who cycle already and would like to cycle more, but feel intimidated in certain traffic situations, a CanBike2 course for adults starts on Sept 10, and there are still a few openings. This course will help you feel safe and confident in traffic; setting you free to enjoy cycling for shopping, errands and commuting in this wonderful bike-able city of ours. Register at www.learningsource.ca.

My main ride...

2008-02-19T22:42:00.002-05:00

The Lightfoot Courier is a cargo trike, built to carry 500 lbs.
In these pics I just picked up a weeks groceries for two and am
adding on a large bag of dogfood for a total of 85 lbs.

Global Warming

2008-01-26T15:45:00.001-05:00

Local Food

2007-10-14T19:17:00.001-04:00

Mmmmm......organic tomatoes from my garden, organic peppers and swiss chard from Anne and John in Wooler, oven-fry potatoes fro John Woods in Millbrook, hormone-free beef patties from Susan French in Millbrook, fresh baked organic bread rolls from Sticklings in Peterborough.
Combined to make the best and healthiest burger I've ever tasted!
Am I being subversive?
David Suzuki writes:

The subversiveness of eating locally

People should be able to enjoy growing their own food even if international trade suffers.

A Critique of BikePaths in Peterborough

2007-10-08T10:22:00.000-04:00

Chemong Rd. and Parkway Path Crossing (motorists' view)

Parkway Bike Path at Chemong Rd

Recreational cyclists and those who have not learned to ride on the road according to vehicular cycling principles choose to ride on bike paths and clamor for the city to build more.
They feel they won't have to deal with traffic and they perceive multi-use paths as safer than roads. Parents and school officials advise children to use MUPs.
Other than the fact that cyclists have to deal with little old ladies with little dogs on long leashes, big dogs off-leash, walkers with baby strollers, other uneducated cyclists who don't warn them (or pedestrians) when overtaking from behind, and rollerbladers doing dance moves, the MUP is only safe between road crossings. Most road accidents happen at intersections and many of these people, particularly children, do not have the skills to cross a busy road safely.
If the city is going to design and build MUPs, they must do so safely, taking into account the users' skill levels. This means all paths should have ramped curb-cuts and signage to warn and direct cyclists, and they must have adequate crosswalk markings and warning signs for motorists.

The road crossing at Parkway Trail and Chemong Rd. is probably the newest path crossing and the city has gone to a lot of expense to create an island half-way across this busy 4-lane road, complete with maze to prevent cyclists from riding straight across. Yet a young boy almost died a week ago (he's in Sunnybrook Hospital with serious head injuries), and another of similar age did die last year near this crossing. Can this crossing be improved to make it safer? I think so.

The bike-crossing sign at Armour Rd. and Rotary Greenway Trail is much more explicit, showing an X under bicycle symbol and the crosswalk marking is more explicit too, using a much wider broken line. After motorists have seen the Armour Rd sign, the Chemong sign which shows bicycle symbol with line beneath it is confusing as it is not uniform and could be mis-interpreted. Also, Chemong sign is on pole above traffic light warning sign which could lead motorists to believe, if there is a bike crossing, it is at the lights.
Some cyclists I met and spoke to at this crossing felt they would feel safer with a flashing overhead amber light.
According to City of Peterborough traffic count, this section of Chemong Rd. is used by 22836 cars daily, making it second only to Lansdowne W. in volume. A flashing overhead amber actuated by trail crosser would be a damn good idea. Traffic light warning sign should be taken down and moved past bike X sign. Another bike X sign should be posted further from crossing on vehicle approach.
If these improvements were made at this busy intersection, they could be used as a benchmark for other bike crossings in the city. And the City of Peterborough would be able to say that they've done all they could for crossing safety.

Car-free Day in Peterborough

2007-09-24T07:48:00.000-04:00

Big Bertha, trailer and Gypsy Rover
Jan, my favourite Sprout Lady with the Serious Shopper

Saturday was car-free day in the 'patch', so I took my trike 'Gypsy Rover' and side-by-side tandem 'Big Bertha' to the Farmer's Market. I met Hendrik on the way and he brought along his two self-built recumbent bikes. Sadly, I didn't see any evidence of less cars as I pedalled throught the crush of morning market traffic. China did better than the 'patch' when they had their 'No Car Day'.

Susan Sauve, transportation demand manager for the city was having a car-free display and had invited me to participate. Donald Fraser from Peterborough Green-up was there and also a member of Peterborough's 'finest' with his cop bike. There was free carrot cake too, so many cyclists took the opportunity to 'carb up'! The city was also offering free transit for the day.

They had free valet bicycle parking and Wildrock Outfitters were giving free bike tune-ups.

Spokes N' Pedals put together a 'Serious Shopper' for the event. It was a ladies hybrid all done up for a transportation cyclist; polycarbonate fenders, luggage rack with pillion bag, foldable wire basket and saddlebag attached to rear and a quick-release wicker basket in front. What a beauty!

Maybe next year the city could could close off a block of George St downtown and spring for some advertising to let people know in advance. I'm sure more people would have left their cars at home had they known. Anyway congrats to Susan and Donald for a job well done! Next year it will be bigger and better! Thanks also to Eric and Matt from Wildrock for the tune-ups!

The Rotary Greenway Trail

2007-07-25T08:04:00.001-04:00

Robinson St. traffic count 516

Douro ST. traffic count 2466

Hunter St. E traffic count 15,931----no curb cut, no bollards, no crosswalk striping,
no flashing amber,no bike xing warning signs for motorists.
Parkhill xing has actuated stoplight with traffic count 16,563....only 700 fewer than Hunter St.

This trail is probably the safest trail in Peterborough barring the new Tollington Bridge extension (see Tollington Bridge Dangers July (/07).
The reason being that it mostly follows the river so there are less intersections to deal with.
It is also the trail most worthy of being called a transportation artery as it is a major north/south route for bicycle commuters, including students and faculty from Trent U and Thomas A Stewart CI
That being said it fails miserably on crossing safety at Hunter St. E. In fact it has no crossing features whatsoever. There are no yellow bollards....no ramped curb cuts......there is no crosswalk striping...... and there are no bike Xing warning signs for motorists!!! Yet this stretch of Hunter has a traffic count of 15,931 !!! Robinson St., the next crossing south, is better marked and only has a traffic count of 516. This is a gross oversight on Peterborough's favourite and most populous trail. For novice cyclists and unwary motorists, this is an accident waiting to happen.

Recommendations to improve safety:

install bollards at trail entrance each side
cut curbs and ramp
broad broken crosswalk stripe on pavement
overhead flashing amber crossing sign actuated by trail crosser
bike X warning signs installed on Hunter St. at crossing and 1/2 block away in each direction

Bike lane urged after truck crushes bike

2007-07-24T18:57:00.000-04:00

A letter to Peterborough Examiner and city council:

Once again when a collision happens between a cyclist and motorist, the hue and cry continues for the city to install more bike facilities.

http://tinyurl.com/35wbcr

After a careful read and a careful look at photo from Examiner, I would suggest that the tractor trailer swung wide to make right turn onto Sherbrooke St. and cyclist came up on right. When truck completed it’s turn, rear wheels went close to curb.

How would a bike lane remedy this situation? The cyclist through ignorance and a lack of education put herself in a dangerous situation. She’s lucky to be alive. Had she taken a vehicular cycling course such as the CanBike programme, she would have known better than to pass a right turning truck on the right. http://www.canbike.net/cca_pages/index.htm

The city should not build new bike facilities until they have conducted an extensive review of design safety in existing bike facilities.

A young cyclist just got hit at a bike path crosswalk on Chemong Rd. and another young cyclist died near that location last year.

I am presently conducting a critique of Peterborough Bike Facilties and I am first dealing with that crossing because of collisions. Find out more at http://transportationcyclist.blogspot.com/ I welcome comments and am happy to debate bike facilities vs. education with anyone.

A Critique of BikePaths in Peterborough

2007-07-23T12:32:00.001-04:00

Chemong Rd. and Parkway Path Crossing (motorists' view)

Parkway Bike Path at Chemong Rd

Tollington Bridge Dangers

2007-07-09T19:08:00.000-04:00

Letter to City of Peterborough council and staff:

The Tollington Bridge extension to the Rotary Greenway trail shows the city’s lack of expertise when designing bike facilities.
Contrary to what was reported, the bridge does not connect the Rotary trail to the Lakefield trail. It misses by a mile or two, and in-between is trouble. Big trouble.

Before the trail extension, the path ended at a T intersection at Nassau Mills Rd, where, if the cyclist wished to continue north, made a safe right turn and on up over the Nassau Bridge and away they went.
Now, the extension leads them to make a left turn ( LTs being one of the more dangerous manoeuvres), then a right at a 4-way stop (which is quite busy at times).

Then over the Tollington Bridge to Nassau Mills Rd., where they end up having to make another left turn into traffic, this time between two curves where traffic is known to speed. This is still quite a ways south of the entrance to Lakefield trail. Approaching the bridge from the north, there is a right turn from Nassau Mills Rd., over the bridge and onto a contra-flow bike path ( a dangerous design flaw) that ends just before the 4-way stop where a left and a right is required to get back on trail.

Yet Mayor Ayotte is quoted as saying "….this adds a real safety feature to the trail system." Rotary President Storey says "this is a significant milestone" and "everyone should bring out their children and grandchildren to enjoy the bridge". MP Del Mastro says the bridge and trail are a great legacy.

The politicians have had their photo-op and showed they 'seem to be doing something for cyclists'. They want the credit for this project, but will they accept the blame when a young cyclist is injured or killed because of bad design?

With this as an example, the city now wants to add to their folly by creating unnecessary bike lanes when education and wide curb lanes are all that's needed.
I submit that there is no-one on city council or in any city department that knows anything about safe bicycle transportation. I welcome comments from these people and challenge them to prove me wrong.

The best 'bike facility' is traffic education and it should start with city council and staff. If a few of them were to take a Can-Bike course, their decisions might have more merit.
Oh, did I mention the great view from the bridge? It's a pity that we have to pay so high a price in safety.

'Made in Canada'- via China

2007-07-07T08:13:00.001-04:00

More consumers are taking a hard look at "Made in China" labels after a string of recalls and publicity over deplorable safety standards in China. But it's nearly impossible to get out of the supermarket without food from China in your cart.

The good news is that avoiding products labelled "Made in China" won't crimp your grocery list, unless you really like frozen seafood - including shrimp, pollock, sole, haddock and salmon.

The bad news is that food labels don't tell the whole story. A host of Chinese imports are hiding behind "Made in Canada" labels, from the freeze-dried strawberries in your cereal to the wheat gluten in your hamburger buns.

'Made in Canada' - via China

Hope Mill-Restored sawmill 35000 watts

2007-07-05T08:36:00.000-04:00

Canada Day Parade

2007-07-05T08:24:00.000-04:00

Mom and I and the MicroCar joined the Green Party contingent in Peterborough's Canada day parade. We all had a lot of fun and probably will do it again next year.

Bike lanes in Peterborough are a bad idea

2007-07-04T19:35:00.000-04:00

I cycle for transportation year round, and I believe bike lanes are a bad idea. Recreational and novice cyclists demand bike lanes as they don’t wish to deal with traffic which is understandable, but when biking for transportation, traffic is a given.

I can’t see how expending vast sums on bike lanes are going to improve the safety of the cyclists.

In fact I can see many ways where they would endanger cyclists, particularly those with little traffic experience (and those are the ones clamouring for BLs).

To begin with, the city can not build BLs for all the places transportation cyclists need to go; for work, meetings, doctor’s appointments, school, shopping and other errands. There is also the ongoing cost of maintenance and upkeep, including snow removal.

Building BLs on busy streets will attract novice cyclists to those streets, while Peterborough has so many quieter, safer residential streets with cleaner air, running parallel to same.

BLs lull novices into a false sense of security where they are not in tune with traffic flow, and suddenly they are dumped out at major intersections where most accidents happen.

Motorists pulling out of driveways and stop streets look to see if traffic lane is clear and do not see cyclists in BLs as they are not in traffic their line of sight.

Left turns from BLs are a real problem, requiring the cyclist to cross several lanes of traffic.

Cars parked in BLs cause cyclists to swerve in and out or onto sidewalks, which is dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians.

The travelled portion of the road is swept clean of debris such as

nuts, bolts, broken glass etc. by cars. It all would all end up in the bike lane.

The solution to safe cycling in Peterborough is EDUCATION, for cyclists and motorists.

· ‘Share the road’ signs on all busy streets, particularly where vehicles enter the city, and on the back of buses.

· Bike-awareness programmes for drivers of City of Peterborough vehicles.

· City-sponsored BICYCLE EDUCATION programmes in elementary and high schools such as: BikeEd Hawaii http://www.hbl.org/bikeEd_general.html

· City-organised Can-Bike programmes to teach vehicular cycling techniques to adults. http://www.canbike.net/

· And WIDE CURB LANES, allowing bikes and cars to share the road in a co-operative and safe manner.

In the official transportation plan, the city has allotted funds to encourage cycling for transportation purposes. It would be better spent on education than bike lanes.

Cyclists and traffic in Toronto

2006-06-03T19:16:00.000-04:00

Last week while I was in TO, the city was celebrating Bike Week. Ironically it got a good kick-off on Mon with the TTC strike.

At the same time Metro Morning on CBC Radio 1 did a segment every a.m. in their Freewheeling series. concerning cyclists and traffic. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone interested in transportation cycling. Also check out the their forum which had some interesting posts by cyclists.

One poster left this link on bikelanes which really deserves a good read for all those interested in the subject, pro and con.

Kiwis pushed to buy NZ-made products

2006-05-16T08:49:00.000-04:00

STUFF : POLITICS - STORY : New Zealand's leading news and information website: Kiwis pushed to buy NZ-made products: "Contained in Thursday's Budget, the campaign to urge Kiwis to buy New Zealand-made products was the brainchild of former Greens co-leader Rod Donald and was brokered as part of the party's cooperation agreement with the Government. "

Former Sierra Club head enters Green Party race

2006-05-10T07:45:00.000-04:00

Taking aim at the "frightening" Conservative government and an ineffective opposition, Elizabeth May, one of Canada's best-known environmental leaders, is officially entering the race to lead the Green Party of Canada.
Ms. May, an outspoken environmentalist who recently announced her resignation as executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada, says the country needs a party leader that is not afraid to challenge Prime Minister Stephen Harper for being a "carbon copy" of U.S. President George Bush.
globeandmail.com : Former Sierra Club head enters Green Party race

The case for eco-friendly bags

2006-05-08T07:23:00.000-04:00

Mountain Equipment Co-Op had what you might call an ethical dilemma.
The national retailer of outdoor recreation products, a 34-year-old organization that prides itself on being eco-friendly and embracing sustainability, was going through half a million plastic bags a year across its 10-store chain.
TheStar.com - The case for eco-friendly bags

TrikeDog

2006-03-05T17:05:00.000-05:00

Cush is a 3 yr old lab mix. She loves to run with the trike and pull. She's been an enthusiastic trikedog since she could run. Up to this point I've only triked her in town for short distances, but today was her long distance test ride! We went a total of 20 miles and averaged about 7.5 mph. The fastest she ran was 12 mph. When I want to go faster than she can run (downhill), I have her hop up on the back. So far no more than 20 mph this way. She's still in training.

Bottled water "one of life's crimes"

2006-02-13T17:31:00.000-05:00

Guelph, Ontario (CP) -----Margaret Trudeau wants people to stop drinking bottled water. "It's one of life's crimes. It's not natural, pure, clean....."

Yeah, and if people who can afford it, drink bottled water, they might not be as concerned with situations like Walkerton and Kasechewan
Low income people can't afford to buy their drinking water.

Here's another take on it:
Bottled water multi-million dollar scam, say Greens New ZealandGreen Party MP Nandor Tanczos is reminding people of the cost to the environment of drinking bottled water after a new study warned consumers were simply ...

Drivers on Cellphones

2006-02-08T20:10:00.000-05:00

In the middle of a snowstorm, Mother, son perish in icy canal plunge while driver talks to friend about picking up coffee and doughnuts. -"Ms. Read's father, Tim, told CityNews last night that his daughter was on the phone with a friend when the crash happened; when the friend called her back, she yelled, "Help me ... I'm drowning."
Interestingly, everyone's blaming the 'dangerous road'......

Bill seeks cellphone ban, but Premier McGuinty sez:
"I'm not convinced that we need to ban them in Ontario. I understand there's a law on the books that has to do with dangerous driving and the like. We can't have a law for everything.
We can't have a law for everything? Is that a Liberal safety nanny talking? He didn't say that when Liberal MPP Pat Malloy introduced a bill mandating helmets on adult cyclists! Thank God it died on the order table.
"My advice to Ontarians is: if you're using a cell phone when you're driving, be careful. Act responsibly, be sensible and take the necessary measures to protect yourself and others on the road."
He irresponsibly condones an act that has been proven to impair a driver as much as blowing .08 alcohol. As a cyclist it scares the hell out of me when I see a driver on a cell. I see and experience their lack of focus on driving. See: Cellphone and Drivers Don't Mix

Litterbug motorist beats on lady cyclist

2006-01-31T08:04:00.000-05:00

Cyclist Leah sez: "He had popped open his car door and whipped his food on the road, like a beef patty on a bun in a paper bag, and then slammed the door ... so obviously now, against better judgment, I leapt up, grabbed the food, opened his door, shouted something about `Don't litter in my neighbourhood,' and threw it back in his car and shut the door. He lost it."
Toronto Star story More pics at Citynoise.org

So my take on it is; he gets the asshole-of-the-day award, and she gets the eco-warrior award.