My thoughts on Ontario’s Cycling Strategy can be summed up pretty easily –> It sucks.

Anthony from ibiketo.ca who got me on this topic was a little nicer  … “If someone were to ask me how I would describe Ontario’s new Cycling Strategy in a word I would have to choose one of these: “vague,” “wishy-washy,” or “same-old, same-old” ….”

As cyclists our opportunity to provide feedback lasts until the end of January 2013. Take a read of the strategy and provide your feedback to the Province.

Links:

• Link to Government website providing more info and a submit comments button
• Link to a good piece from ibiketo.ca
• Link to Ontario’s draft Cycling Strategy

Also let Bob Chiarelli know he can do better. I’d be curious to know how much it cost to produce this drivel. My few bullet points on my previous post would have been a better start.

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Dear Bob Chiarelli or whomever has the the Ministry of Transportation portfolio come spring,

It helps to have a compelling vision for cycling in Ontario before you come up with a strategy. What does a successful implementation of your strategy look like? From reading your strategy paper, I have no idea. A vague, impassioned vision leads to a lack luster strategy, particularly when there’s no suggested timeline.

Here’s a wishlist I put together in like 10 minutes before reading the draft strategy. Pick one, pick a date, start acting on it and voila you’ve got a better strategy. And one more thing, ask Ontario’s cyclists to hold you (or whomever) accountable.

• Inclusion of a bicycle safety course as part of the provincial mandatory curriculum in elementary school (say grade 7).
• Inclusion of cycling awareness in the Ontario Driving Manuals.
• Upgrade provincial standards for roundabouts to include safe cycling paths or lanes, here in Waterloo Region they plop down a roundabout and pretend cyclists don’t exist 10 feet before and after, at least that’s where the cycling lanes begin and end. (Usually I just take the lane).
• Provincial standards for road maintenance of cycling lanes and or sides of roadways; too often cyclists must ride in the gutters that are filled with debris,  potholes, ruts, man hole covers, drainage grates, or it’s the place where ploughs dump all the snow.
• Whenever a road is resurfaced mandate at least a paved shoulder, painted cycling lane or even better a segregated cycling lane.
• Launch awareness campaigns on the rights of cyclists, beginning a conversation to educate drivers. A good start would be the 1 meter passing law followed by at fault accident legislation when a motorist hits a cyclist. Make drivers tremble with fear if they were to ever hit a cyclist or pedestrian. The dutch put the onus on the driver to prove they’re not at fault when a driver collides with a child.
• When a new bike is sold in Ontario make sure it’s safe … ie. we don’t sell cars without lights, so why do we sell bicycles without them.
• Legislate away laws prohibiting cyclists on sidewalks of roadways where there isn’t a cycling lane (ie don’t make it illegal to be safe).
• Decrease speed limits t0 a maximum of 40km/hr in urban areas.
• Any urban roadway where the speed limit is more than 50km/hr should be accompanied by a segregated bicycle lane (thinking Homer Watson in Kitchener).

Yours Truly,

Graham Roe

Waterloo, Ontario