Can't wait for September

Sunday, September 9th will see the return of the world's best cyclists for the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal.

http://gpcqm.ca/en/event-mtl/

Canada's top cyclist, Ryder Hesjedal, who rides for Garmin-Barracuda, performed very well at the inaugural races two years ago both in Quebec City and Montreal. He has stated that this year's Canadian races are amongst his main goals along with the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France.

Although he doesn't get alot of media coverage in the European press, his spring results have been getting steadily stronger. Here's hoping he stays healthy through the summer and does Canada proud this September.

http://ryderhesjedal.ca/
http://twitter.com/#!/ryder_hesjedal

Les Flics a deux roues

A plethora of constables on bikes heading east on Sherbrooke today. While it is nice to see them promoting the advantages of cycling in the urban environment, I don't think they'll get any points for making themselves visible to drivers.

 

 I wonder if they have sirens, and flashing red and blue lights to stick on their helmets? Or whether drivers would even give them the right of way if they used them?

 

City Cycling Survival Tip of the Day

I have taken more buses this past month than all of last year combined, and it has given me a better appreciation of the tough job of Montreal bus drivers as well as their overall excellent performance on the mean streets of the city.

Today, my bus ride gave me a chance to witness one of the silliest and riskiest moves a cyclist can make in a traffic situation. With my limited mobility, I tend to stay near the front of the bus. I was on the number 24, Sherbrooke, bus that was heading eastbound just past McGill. The bus was stopped at a bus stop at an intersection waiting for the red light to turn green. Just as the light turned green and the bus driver began to move forward into the lane of traffic, a cyclist came from the left side of the bus and then turned right directly in front of the bus in order to go up the side street.

It was only due to the quick reaction of the bus driver slamming on the brakes that he avoided hitting the blissfully oblivious young woman. Her impatience to get past the bus and save a few seconds might have cost her alot more if the driver had been looking any longer in his side mirror or been distracted the least bit.

Cyclists should treat all motorized vehicles, and especially large vehicles like buses and trucks, with a great deal of respect. Especially around intersections. Motorists expect cyclists to generally be on their right unless there is a left turn lane. If you are a cyclist and will be turning right at the next intersection, wait until you can safely get to the corner even if it means waiting behind a bus.

If you can't wait, you can always dismount your bicycle and walk it along the sidewalk to the corner and then go on your way again. It might cost you a few seconds, but it might save you alot more!

Ride the City-Toronto

While checking out cycling in Toronto on the interweb, I came across this website for cycling directions:

http://ridethecity.com/toronto

You can also select other cities in Canada, the US, France and a few other countries. I had a look at the Montreal page and tried a couple of my regular destinations in town. I don't think I would necessarily rely on its results to provide me with the safest route as it does not take into account the width of streets, the fact that everyone parks their cars on the street in Montreal nor did it always follow the flow of traffic; that is, sometimes sending you the wrong way down a one way street.

The Big Smoke

Easter weekend brought me to Toronto for a visit. My hopes of trying out a Bixi in Toronto had to be put on hold due to the dodgy ankle still trying to mend, but I did see a couple of people riding them around the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO).

The Bixi Toronto website notes high numbers of kilometers traveled with the service, but these were the only two Bixis I saw in motion over the weekend. I did pass a few Bixi stations full of idle bikes. They are probably used more during weekday commutes, I suppose.

While I did see a fair number of cyclists on the streets, there is no where near the volume as compared to the streets of downtown and Plateau Montreal. This brings up the question of whether bike sharing can, of itself, increase ridership if a city does not have a sufficiently developed infrastructure of bike paths, lanes, signage, etc. I do not believe it can because a majority of people will not even try cycling in an urban centre because they do not feel it is safe. The car is still King in the Queen city.

Signs of the new cycling season in Montreal?

Funny how the cars rush back to claim their territory in the fall even before the closing date arrives for some of the city's bike paths yet when the paths are supposed to be open on April 1st they stubbornly cling to the space a day later.

I wonder where all those eager municipal agents are who are so quick to ticket vehicles for any type of parking infraction? It seems respecting the small space allotted to bike paths is low on the priority list.

Perhaps if the city of Montreal issued some form of notification during the last week of March it might alert car owners to the need to keep clear of the bike path rather than waiting for two or three weeks before city employees get around to installing those green poles.

Or maybe the city could even update its website to change all its cycling information from being buried in the 'Summer Activities' section of its website to a more appropriate section relating to public transportation. And it could change its note about bike paths being open from the end of April to the end of October (variable) to agree with its street signs and reality.