Bells on Bloor 2009 Video

Nice but certainly not Chic. All those helmets. So north american.

Nice but certainly not Chic. All those helmets. So north american.

Your'e so right.
Nothing says f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s like a head injury.

Honestly though they gave out rule pamphlets @ the B.O.B. not to wear headphones during the ride.
It isn't illegal to cycle with headphones. That just kinda miffed me, all the rules and alot of them annoying.

Hopefully my bell lasts more than a year so I don't have to go back.

So you do not even want to follow your own B.O.B. rules let alone MTO bicycle rules. That is the typical Elitest cyclist way. I do not care about rules from anybody, I will just ride any way I want to even if it does put myself or others at risk. Sounds like Cager Logic to me. Wearing headphones will not allow you to hear your surroundings properly, common sense should tell you it is not a good idea.

Ken Finch

Wearing headphones during a communal ride seems at odds to me. The spirit of creating and sharing the same sounds instead of being off in our own worlds is a nice idea to me.

That's on top of the danger factor, it's best to be fully aware of your surrounding when riding.

As far as helmets, I'm glad adults were free to make their own decisions. Some events insist on everyone wearing one, that's annoying to me.

Our BUG was handing out flyers at Castle Frank yesterday in preparation for our community meeting on June 17 (see events listing or www.29bikers.ca).

Through the course of the morning I noticed there was a surprizingly high number of cyclists that had ear buds (maybe 20%). They had to be removed in order to speak with us - so it was probably loud enogh to drown out all the outside noise.

I rode to work one day with my ipod in my ears to see what it was like, and I missed the audible connection to my surroundings - and the open wheel trucks that passed me.

There is a lot of controversy over the limited vision a motorcyclist has with his full face mask. Granted it may potentially save your skull in an accident, but possibly. was also the cause.
As always, two sides to every story....and sometimes three (the truth)

Ken...quit instigating...we are guests here.

helmet requirements at events are usually for insurance purposes. If you smash your mellon while at the event, they're liable. (which is totally ridiculous of course, which is why some events DONT require it.)

I will when their TCU retracks their Action Alert. Also when the Elitest cyclists here stop denouncing E-Bikes as a viable form of transportation that is almost as good as bicycles.

Ken Finch

Any good politician knows that getting the majority on your side is a huge win....So take it and move on. To try and convince who you are trying to convince, would be the same as them trying to convince you to their side. It is an impossible battle that nobody wins. Seeds are now planted, the meeting is in 11 days, the bill has passed and the only reason for this meeting is to bring certain stakeholders together and talk

Ok I concede and will back down. By the way I would make a lousy politician because I am honest, I am not a thief, I speak from my heart and I have morals. The difference is I am willing to be on the cyclists side if they would be willing to work with me instead of against me. But you are correct, I will turn the other cheek and move on.

Thanks,
Ken Finch

Ken

I know many politicians and they are certainly not thieves...lets not generalize again.

OK. In fact I will give up and shut up. Obviously I am outnumbered here trying to prevent E-Bikes from being outlawed from the bike lanes even though legally we can be in them.

Ken Finch

Right on Ken. Seems strange that cyclists immediately organized against e-bikes - when they should partner with them.

Believe me, if you were out trying to cure cancer, there would be a group that would complain that it is not right to play God...fortunately the government is used to "organized" groups complaining and they are very good at "humouring" them.

Ken,

This is a blog called I Bike T.O. We are not the Toronto Cyclists Union. Some people who post here are members of the bike union, but the blog nor the comments posted here are the Bike Union's.

If you have a beef with the Bike Union, take it up with them.

Please give it a rest around here.

Ok, Sorry Vic. I will not talk about TCU anymore. Though it seems I cannot seem to post comments to them without becoming a member which I will never do unless they change their attitude. But you are correct, enough is enough.

Ken Finch

Not to drag these ebike threads out eternally....

A few days ago, I received an email from the TCU stating "We want to make sure that we are accurately reflecting the opinion of the majority of our members (& soon to be members) regarding the new breed of scooter style e-bikes...." and requesting that I take a minute to fill out a survey to that purpose.

The survey wasn't restricted to TCU members but I expect non-members' opinions on the subject will be ascribed less import.

See, that's the way the world works: clubs heed their members concerns foremost, you know, those actually paying for that privilege. You want to be heard, or to change the situation then reconsider joining.

And how about this: one of dem dere eeeleetist TCU members providing you with a link (hope it works) to that survey.

Make your electrons count.

Yes but your union wants to change the rules for more then just it's members. Thousands more, so it cannot be limited to union members only.

Ken Finch

I'm a member of the TCU, as is my whole family, but I didn't get that email. The last email I received from the TCU was on May 25, about Jarvis. I wonder if I've missed out on any other TCU emails. Well, thanks for posting it anyway!

I am not fond of surveys and focus groups because a child can see through leading questions. You can get a focus group to answer anyway you want, simply by making one of the answers rediculous. Hoping to fool the government with this nonsense is childish.

It is hard to sit back and be silent when a group is this desperate that it stoops to any level.

Two Different Surveys regarding the same topic and I can guarantee a different result from both.
This is so sad that a group like this has this much time on their hands, when they should be focusing on more positve and humanatarian interests. Obvioulsy an understanding between the two of us is not possible.If i was a member I would ask for my money back. I have forwarded one of these websites to my own contacts, to show them what we are dealing with.

Pathetic...Unproductive....And way to much time on their hands....hopefully the time and money spent on this little project is only union members and not taxpayers. One of these things is not like the other...can you guess which one is insulting.

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2009/06/03/electric-bicycles.html

http://bikeunion.to/news/2009/06/04/what-do-you-think-about-scooter-style-e-bikes

BTW the survey about e-bikes on this site, posted by Tanya, is an example of a fair survey with the proper questions.

Now a smart union would be one that welcomes any two wheeled sustainable transportation option
regardless of its size, colour or race and frowns upon any other organization or person for that matter, who is judgemental, narrow minded and focused ..... Hmmmmmm....I am going to look into that right now.... a bike club for well balanced, mature, and friendly people.....open to change and the future...talking about the future for safe cycling and more paths....I would not allow mopeds or motorcyles however because of the emissions they both spew...It has to be friendly transportation. If you or any of your friends belong to an organization that is not transportation friendly and judges a bike by its cover, and is not open for more alternatives to get cars off the road, at least for short commutes ...demand they change or ask for your money back....do not support prejudice or websites that incite rivalry and road rage amongst riders of two or three wheeled bikes or trikes, or any sustainable transportation option. Viva la difference and peace not war.

Last post on this topic.

Ken, a club is absolutely within its rights to confine the debate to its members. And regardless of what it wants to do, it CANNOT change the rules, only politicians can. Since you're not excluded from engaging the political process, i.e., petitioning councillors, making deputations at committees, etc., the TCU in no way monopolizes the issue or constrains your input.

But if you want to directly participate in the TCU's dialogue, then guess what? The price of admission is membership. Do you think Greenpeace throws open the doors to CAA members for its policy sessions?

If you take umbrage with an association attempting to mold and galvanize public opinion and poltical will then you best reconvene the Meech Lake Accord and have another stab at rewriting the constitution.

I happen to agree (old news) with much of your ebike stance, but do you want to know the chief difference between us? The TCU is listening to me.

If they were Luke, they wouldn't be attempting to ban e-bikes off bike lanes and paths.

Since nobody is actually discussing the topic of this post, I am closing comments on it.

We have had many other e-bike threads here lately, and you can use those threads for all the e-bike bickering.

Stop turning every thread into an e-bike thread.