Toronto Newspaper Columnist Sees The Light 60

Photo of James Schwartz cycling through a typical non-accommodating Toronto construction zone – Jack Lakey / Toronto Star

In July I posted a response to what I felt was an ill-written newspaper column which antagonized cyclists for their apparent blatant disregard for traffic laws. I felt the article only served to create more animosity on our streets and I thought the point could have been made without so many generalizations and disdain towards people who choose bicycles to get around the city in imperfect conditions.

My response was picked up by the newspaper columnist Jack Lakey, the article’s author, and through subsequent emails and phone calls it turned out we had more in common than perhaps we had first thought.

It turns out Jack had good intentions but wrote the article “based on a perspective formed in a driver’s seat”.

I invited Jack out to come experience our streets first hand on a bicycle. Jack’s column is after all called “The Fixer” column, and he is tasked with fixing problems in the city. So I thought it would be appropriate to show Jack the inadequate conditions in which cyclists have to deal with on a daily basis.

That was the original intention, anyway. It turns out Jack loved pedaling around the city so much that his article changed from being a typical “Fixer” column, to allowing him to profess his enjoyment for riding a bicycle in the city – something he hadn’t experienced before, and one that he couldn’t understand or appreciate while sitting inside an automobile.

So as luck would have it, Jack and I now have one more thing in common: we both love getting around our city by bicycle. But Jack just didn’t know it until now.

Jack puts it succinctly in his article entitled “Cycling a better way to get around than it looks”:

“The idea was to provide us with examples of the perils encountered while riding, and to show us the need for and advantages of infrastructure that makes cycling safer and more viable.

But an unintended consequence of our journey was soon apparent: Cycling is an immensely enjoyable way to get around, especially on a fall day when moderate exertion results in minimal sweat.

It promotes a sense of well-being and gets the blood flowing without leaving one gasping for breath, and allows riders to quickly manoeuvre through heavy traffic without adding to the queue of gridlocked vehicles.

Aside from the exercise, it creates a connection between the rider and the surrounding community in a way that drivers, who are sealed off by glass and steel, could never feel for themselves.

While stopped at an intersection, you can hear the conversations of people waiting for the green light. You can smell onions sizzling at a hot dog cart, read the signs pasted to a utility pole and observe things that cannot be seen from behind the wheel.”

Sometimes all it takes is a ride around the city for someone to truly appreciate the benefit of using a bicycle for transportation. We do it simply because it’s fast, and fun.

And what words of wisdom does Jack offer to other drivers who don’t think of bicycles as a legitimate mode of transportation?

“It was a revealing experience for a guy who had thought of bikes as more of a toy than a real vehicle, one that should be tried by any driver guilty of making the same mistake.”

Read the full article on the Toronto Star website

James D. Schwartz is a Transportation Pragmatist and the Editor of The Urban Country. You can contact James at james.schwartz@theurbancountry.com or follow him on Twitter.

Related Articles:

“The Fixer” Not Fixing Anything (July 2011)
The Fixer Gets It Right (July 2011)
How To Win Over Non-Cyclists at a Dinner Party (Aug 2011)
Toronto Cyclists Are Selfish And Rude? (June 2011)

Tallycyclist

I was very glad to read this article and learn that the “fixer” finally sees the light. To simply go out for a ride for the experience is all it takes to put one’s self in the shoes of everyday cyclists, yet most Americans never do that for whatever reason. It totally changes your perspective about transportation, and gives you the ability to be more considerate towards others by removing that antisocial barrier imposed by the metal and glass shell.

Before I became an everyday cyclist I, like most drivers, didn’t have too much consideration for pedestrians trying to cross at a crosswalk, etc. I never had the anger that some people, who shout or harass others, exhibit on our streets, but by being a ‘full-time’ driver it was quite easy to get annoyed and impatient over things that to me now seem ludicrous.

It’s important to have activist, such as James, educate others and advocate for better conditions for all road users and I really appreciate their efforts. In the meantime, the rest of us can make a difference by being a good example. Just from commuting everyday by bike, I’ve motivated 2 of my co-workers to cycle to work as well, and the another cycle more often as well. Sometimes actions can speak just as loudly. And by doing both, you really give me motivation to continue to do what I do, James. Thank you!
Tallycyclist

I was very glad to read this article and learn that the “fixer” finally sees the light. To simply go out for a ride for the experience is all it takes to put one’s self in the shoes of everyday cyclists, yet most Americans never do that for whatever reason. It totally changes your perspective about transportation, and gives you the ability to be more considerate towards others by removing that antisocial barrier imposed by the metal and glass shell.

Before I became an everyday cyclist I, like most drivers, didn’t have too much consideration for pedestrians trying to cross at a crosswalk, etc. I never had the anger that some people, who shout or harass others, exhibit on our streets, but by being a ‘full-time’ driver it was quite easy to get annoyed and impatient over things that to me now seem ludicrous.

It’s important to have activist, such as James, educate others and advocate for better conditions for all road users and I really appreciate their efforts. In the meantime, the rest of us can make a difference by being a good example. Just from commuting everyday by bike, I’ve motivated 2 of my co-workers to cycle to work as well, and the another cycle more often as well. Sometimes actions can speak just as loudly. And by doing both, you really give me motivation to continue to do what I do, James. Thank you!
http://www.joyofbicyclecommuting.com Micheal Blue

Bravo. Regarding “…that drivers, who are sealed off by glass and steel, could never feel for themselves.” : so true. I call cars ‘sensory deprivation chambers’.
I’m not against cars, they have their uses, but in a city they are not needed most of the time. BTW, James, your bike has hub brakes? How do you find them? Can they stop you reasonably well?
- dr2chase
  
  I’m not James, but I’ve been looking into the possibility of a conversion, and the Sturmey-Archer front drums (even the normal sized ones, not the “cargo” sized ones) seem to get good reviews, even on tandems, even compared to disk brakes (which I can confirm are capable of some pretty powerful stops).
  
  As to “how to get”, my choices are either paying LBS to build a wheel for me, or to do it myself (I’ve built two, where one was a spoke-size McGuffin that means really, I’ve built three wheels). The Sheldon Brown instructions are pretty good, though I also have decades of experience truing my own wheels from time to time.
- http://www.theurbancountry.com James Schwartz
  
  Michael, the front hub brake on my Batavus works just fine. It doesn’t have the sensitivity of some high performance disc brakes I’ve seen before, but I can still stop on a dime. My rear brakes are coaster-brakes, which work reasonably well, but there’s always a slight delay from switching the pedals from a forward motion to brakes, so my front brakes would engage first if I needed to stop on a dime.
  
  However, I can’t emphasize enough the benefit of having the parts internalized to keep them from being exposed to the weather elements. I literally only need to oil my chain once a year. It’s a drastic departure from my previous Trek bike which I had to maintain on a weekly basis.
  - mkgordon
    
    Hi James. Are you sure you have a “hub brake”? Many Dutch bikes have what is known as a “roller brake”. It is hand controlled, but the actual brake mechanism sits in the hub of the wheel, and may have a disk-shaped cooling radiator – especially if your bike is configured for braking on hills. My Workcycles bike has roller brakes front and back, with large size cooling fins. I could have had coaster rear brake, but I wasn’t ready to give up hand control.
    
    How did this issue come up? Did you mention your bikes brakes somewhere I hadn’t noticed?
    
    I totally agree with you on internalising the parts to protect them from the weather.
    - http://www.theurbancountry.com James Schwartz
      
      No I’m not sure then Mike. The specifications on a website featuring the same model says “Front and rear drum”.
      
      Also not too sure how this came up. I assumed the photo in the article prompted the question…
      - mkgordon
        
        Turns out (maybe I should have googled it first) that roller brakes are a type of drum brake – there are differences, but it’s a sub-type made by Shimano.
        
        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_brake#Drum_brakes
        
        I don’t even see your bike’s brakes in the Toronto Star’s picture. Strange. Perhaps Micheal Blue can explain?
      - http://www.joyofbicyclecommuting.com Micheal Blue
        
        Yeah, the photo in the article prompted my question about the brakes. I’ve been looking at Dutch-style commuters, especially at Curbside Cycle. I like them a lot, though some reports of the hub brakes not being very strong haven’t been encouraging…
        BTW, another feature of these Dutch commuters that wouldn’t be very convenient for me are the flat handlebars. I commute for one hour along the lake shore and most of the time have to bike against the wind; while it can be done in an upright position (my folder), it’s not very efficient. I guess I could always put different handlebars on the bike, eh? Can you imagine…a Batavus or Pashley with drop or trekking handlebars?
        Another feature of the Dutch bikes I’m not fond of is the black paint.
      - mkgordon
        
        Hi Micheal. Keep on looking at the Dutch-style commuters. Why don’t you try and take one for a long test ride? I’ve got one, made by the reputable Amsterdam-based firm Workcycles.
        
        I think you should disregard these reports about hub brakes, or roller brakes. I have roller brakes, and they work fine. The reports you’re reading are probably from reviewers who think stopping power is the only issue for a brake. Hub/roller brakes have the added value of requiring little maintenance and bikes equipped with them can be left outside in the winter with no worries. And for riding around a city, the stopping power is more than adequate. If you’re going to be stopping on hills, make sure you get hub/roller brakes with large cooling discs.
        
        As for your concerns about flat handlebars – well, the upright cycling that these bikes permit has to be appreciated in its own right. It’s a different kind of cycling, where racing isn’t important. Lots of Dutch people ride these types of bikes in windy conditions, and I don’t see them retrofitting drop bars – though I have seen trekking handlebars on some bikes (more modern Dutch bikes, not the traditional-looking ones). But you can still cycle bent over on these bikes – just not into the racing tuck. But that’s one of the major points of these bikes. They’re not racing bikes.
        
        As for your concern about colour, there are Dutch bikes – more modern models from Batavus mostly – that come in a variety of colours. But black is the traditional, no-fuss paint job. My bike is black and I think it suits the look of the bike.
        
        http://www.batavus.nl/collectie/fietsencollectie/allround-fietsen/modellen-2011
        
        Good luck with your bike research.
Boyan Tsolov

This is a great article by Jack and a great initiative by you James. Great job!
Guest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTG_KzdnxfI

Nice to see some more balanced reporting from The Star after all the vitriolic articles they published last year regarding bicycle commuters. Thanks for taking that guy out on a bicycle, always good to walk in another persons shoes for a while. Here is another piece from The Star again.

http://www.wheels.ca/Columns/article/800592

Indeed, Toronto has outgrown the car.
mkgordon

Congratulations on your constructive approach – look what a total win your decision to converse with Lakey turned out to be. Like someone said – this is amazing bicycle advocacy. Keep up the great work!
http://www.joyofbicyclecommuting.com/ Micheal Blue

Bravo. Regarding “…that drivers, who are sealed off by glass and steel, could never feel for themselves.” : so true. I call cars ‘sensory deprivation chambers’.
I’m not against cars, they have their uses, but in a city they are not needed most of the time. BTW, James, your bike has hub brakes? How do you find them? Can they stop you reasonably well?
dr2chase

I’m not James, but I’ve been looking into the possibility of a conversion, and the Sturmey-Archer front drums (even the normal sized ones, not the “cargo” sized ones) seem to get good reviews, even on tandems, even compared to disk brakes (which I can confirm are capable of some pretty powerful stops).

As to “how to get”, my choices are either paying LBS to build a wheel for me, or to do it myself (I’ve built two, where one was a spoke-size McGuffin that means really, I’ve built three wheels). The Sheldon Brown instructions are pretty good, though I also have decades of experience truing my own wheels from time to time.
http://www.theurbancountry.com/ James Schwartz

Michael, the front hub brake on my Batavus works just fine. It doesn’t have the sensitivity of some high performance disc brakes I’ve seen before, but I can still stop on a dime. My rear brakes are coaster-brakes, which work reasonably well, but there’s always a slight delay from switching the pedals from a forward motion to brakes, so my front brakes would engage first if I needed to stop on a dime.

However, I can’t emphasize enough the benefit of having the parts internalized to keep them from being exposed to the weather elements. I literally only need to oil my chain once a year. It’s a drastic departure from my previous Trek bike which I had to maintain on a weekly basis.
Boyan Tsolov

This is a great article by Jack and a great initiative by you James. Great job!
Guest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTG_KzdnxfI

Nice to see some more balanced reporting from The Star after all the vitriolic articles they published last year regarding bicycle commuters. Thanks for taking that guy out on a bicycle, always good to walk in another persons shoes for a while. Here is another piece from The Star again.

http://www.wheels.ca/Columns/article/800592

Indeed, Toronto has outgrown the car.
Mike

Hi James. Are you sure you have a “hub brake”? Many Dutch bikes have what is known as a “roller brake”. It is hand controlled, but the actual brake mechanism sits in the hub of the wheel, and may have a disk-shaped cooling radiator – especially if your bike is configured for braking on hills. My Workcycles bike has roller brakes front and back, with large size cooling fins. I could have had coaster rear brake, but I wasn’t ready to give up hand control.

How did this issue come up? Did you mention your bikes brakes somewhere I hadn’t noticed?

I totally agree with you on internalising the parts to protect them from the weather.
Mike

Congratulations on your constructive approach – look what a total win your decision to converse with Lakey turned out to be. Like someone said – this is amazing bicycle advocacy. Keep up the great work!
http://www.theurbancountry.com/ James Schwartz

No I’m not sure then Mike. The specifications on a website featuring the same model says “Front and rear drum”.

Also not too sure how this came up. I assumed the photo in the article prompted the question…
Mike

Turns out (maybe I should have googled it first) that roller brakes are a type of drum brake – there are differences, but it’s a sub-type made by Shimano.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_brake#Drum_brakes

I don’t even see your bike’s brakes in the Toronto Star’s picture. Strange. Perhaps Micheal Blue can explain?
http://www.fullfat.ca Octavian

I’m not one for government intervention, but I’m wondering if it would be productive to have 1 mandated no-car day per year. It wouldn’t change much, it would be a logistical nightmare, and it would probably inconvenience a lot of people, but it could be interesting to study attitudes before and after to things such as public transportation, cycling, walking, and tele-commuting. What do you think?
- http://www.theurbancountry.com James Schwartz
  
  Octavian, in theory it’s a good idea. But as you mentioned, in practice it would be a challenge. Most people would probably end up taking public transit that day and then they might resent it because a) they were forced to do it, and b) it was extremely busy on that particular day.
  
  Some cities do in fact do a car-free day once a year when they close off downtown. I think Montreal closes off a big chunk of downtown. I’m not sure how much of an impact it has on change though, but it’s certainly a good idea in theory.
  
  Someone on twitter yesterday suggested we should do a “everyone drive a car to work” day each year so drivers can get a taste of what life would be like if everyone drove. Here in Toronto we have close to a million people taking public transit each day, more than 300,000 people taking commuter trains, and probably more than 30,000 people bicycling each day. Could you imagine how traffic would be if all those people who already don’t drive ended up driving on that day?
  
  Now that might create real change
  - http://www.fullfat.ca Octavian
    
    Talk about traffic jams. I was recently in Toronto and I opted to drive from downtown to east Danforth. Took me 30-40 minutes for a 4-5km trip. The subway would’ve been much faster, but I didn’t want to get lost.
http://twitter.com/doc0c Octavian C.

I’m not one for government intervention, but I’m wondering if it would be productive to have 1 mandated no-car day per year. It wouldn’t change much, it would be a logistical nightmare, and it would probably inconvenience a lot of people, but it could be interesting to study attitudes before and after to things such as public transportation, cycling, walking, and tele-commuting. What do you think?
http://www.theurbancountry.com/ James Schwartz

Octavian, in theory it’s a good idea. But as you mentioned, in practice it would be a challenge. Most people would probably end up taking public transit that day and then they might resent it because a) they were forced to do it, and b) it was extremely busy on that particular day.

Some cities do in fact do a car-free day once a year when they close off downtown. I think Montreal closes off a big chunk of downtown. I’m not sure how much of an impact it has on change though, but it’s certainly a good idea in theory.

Someone on twitter yesterday suggested we should do a “everyone drive a car to work” day each year so drivers can get a taste of what life would be like if everyone drove. Here in Toronto we have close to a million people taking public transit each day, more than 300,000 people taking commuter trains, and probably more than 30,000 people bicycling each day. Could you imagine how traffic would be if all those people who already don’t drive ended up driving on that day?

Now that might create real change
http://www.joyofbicyclecommuting.com/ Micheal Blue

Yeah, the photo in the article prompted my question about the brakes. I’ve been looking at Dutch-style commuters, especially at Curbside Cycle. I like them a lot, though some reports of the hub brakes not being very strong haven’t been encouraging…
BTW, another feature of these Dutch commuters that wouldn’t be very convenient for me are the flat handlebars. I commute for one hour along the lake shore and most of the time have to bike against the wind; while it can be done in an upright position (my folder), it’s not very efficient. I guess I could always put different handlebars on the bike, eh? Can you imagine…a Batavus or Pashley with drop or trekking handlebars?
Another feature of the Dutch bikes I’m not fond of is the black paint.
Gclarke

Is anyone writing bicycle insurance in Canada or the US right now? If so, I’m out of the loop. As far as I can tell, no insurer is writing such a policy.

If you have a car, you get car insurance. That policy typically contains a number of different coverages. If you hit someone in your car, you are covered. If your car is damaged, your policy can cover it. If you are hit by an uninsured motorist, or one without enough insurance, this policy may provide a pool of money to pay your claim. The “Medical Payments” coverage can be used to pay your medical bills the uninsured motorist coverage pay for your property damage.

What if you are a true “transportation cyclist” and give up your car? Who pays the claim if you run somebody over? What if you get hit by an uninsured motorist? What kind of insurance is available to protect you?

The short answer is that it is much easier to protect yourself on the bike if you own a car.

If you do NOT own a car, there is no “Uninsured/Underinsured” policy that will protect you if you are hit by an uninsured motorist or liability coverage if a cyclist hits someone and gets sued. No one appears to be selling this type of “Bicycle Insurance”, as far as I am aware.

In the UK such policies are available for full time cyclists and appear to be very reasonably priced. On the other hand if James in the picture above were riding in the UK and had “Bicycle Insurance” and was hit by an under insured motorist his claim maybe denied since his isn’t wearing a helmet and bright clothing as some of these insurance policies require.
- http://www.fullfat.ca Octavian
  
  I fail to see your point. You can get insurance that covers you in the event of an accident through your house/life/auto insurance. That’s only if you want their draconian rules imposed on you as you mention. What’s wrong with taking your chances?
- http://monkeyphotomcr.blogspot.com/ John_the_Monkey
  
  “In the UK such policies are available for full time cyclists and appear to be very reasonably priced.”
  
  Not just that, we tend to get them as part of club memberships. Cyclists do so little damage to others that the policies can give a great deal of coverage for a small premium (last time I looked, the coverage I get was worth several millions of pounds, I think). And sometimes we get a nice magazine to read every couple of months as well.
  
  “On the other hand if James in the picture above were riding in the UK and had “Bicycle Insurance” and was hit by an under insured motorist his claim maybe denied since his isn’t wearing a helmet and bright clothing as some of these insurance policies require.”
  
  I’m not aware of any requirement on the policies offered by the organisation I belong to, or any other mainstream bicycling organisation. (In the UK, it’s mostly the CTC (Cyclists Touring Club) or British Cycling & clubs affiliated to them whose memberships offer such coverage).
  
  There are often mutterings about this happening when claiming against a motorist’s insurance, but I’m not aware of any judgements thought to set a legal precedent (as yet). To be fair, it is the motorist’s insurer’s job to reduce their liability by any means possible.
Gclarke

Is anyone writing bicycle insurance in Canada or the US right now? If so, I’m out of the loop. As far as I can tell, no insurer is writing such a policy.

If you have a car, you get car insurance. That policy typically contains a number of different coverages. If you hit someone in your car, you are covered. If your car is damaged, your policy can cover it. If you are hit by an uninsured motorist, or one without enough insurance, this policy may provide a pool of money to pay your claim. The “Medical Payments” coverage can be used to pay your medical bills the uninsured motorist coverage pay for your property damage.

What if you are a true “transportation cyclist” and give up your car? Who pays the claim if you run somebody over? What if you get hit by an uninsured motorist? What kind of insurance is available to protect you?

The short answer is that it is much easier to protect yourself on the bike if you own a car.

If you do NOT own a car, there is no “Uninsured/Underinsured” policy that will protect you if you are hit by an uninsured motorist or liability coverage if a cyclist hits someone and gets sued. No one appears to be selling this type of “Bicycle Insurance”, as far as I am aware.

In the UK such policies are available for full time cyclists and appear to be very reasonably priced. On the other hand if James in the picture above were riding in the UK and had “Bicycle Insurance” and was hit by an under insured motorist his claim maybe denied since his isn’t wearing a helmet and bright clothing as some of these insurance policies require.
Mike

Hi Micheal. Keep on looking at the Dutch-style commuters. Why don’t you try and take one for a long test ride? I’ve got one, made by the reputable Amsterdam-based firm Workcycles.

I think you should disregard these reports about hub brakes, or roller brakes. I have roller brakes, and they work fine. The reports you’re reading are probably from reviewers who think stopping power is the only issue for a brake. Hub/roller brakes have the added value of requiring little maintenance and bikes equipped with them can be left outside in the winter with no worries. And for riding around a city, the stopping power is more than adequate. If you’re going to be stopping on hills, make sure you get hub/roller brakes with large cooling discs.

As for your concerns about flat handlebars – well, the upright cycling that these bikes permit has to be appreciated in its own right. It’s a different kind of cycling, where racing isn’t important. Lots of Dutch people ride these types of bikes in windy conditions, and I don’t see them retrofitting drop bars – though I have seen trekking handlebars on some bikes (more modern Dutch bikes, not the traditional-looking ones). But you can still cycle bent over on these bikes – just not into the racing tuck. But that’s one of the major points of these bikes. They’re not racing bikes.

As for your concern about colour, there are Dutch bikes – more modern models from Batavus mostly – that come in a variety of colours. But black is the traditional, no-fuss paint job. My bike is black and I think it suits the look of the bike.

http://www.batavus.nl/collectie/fietsencollectie/allround-fietsen/modellen-2011

Good luck with your bike research.
http://twitter.com/doc0c Octavian C.

Talk about traffic jams. I was recently in Toronto and I opted to drive from downtown to east Danforth. Took me 30-40 minutes for a 4-5km trip. The subway would’ve been much faster, but I didn’t want to get lost.
http://www.fullfat.ca/ Octavian

I fail to see your point. You can get insurance that covers you in the event of an accident through your house/life/auto insurance. That’s only if you want their draconian rules imposed on you as you mention. What’s wrong with taking your chances?
http://monkeyphotomcr.blogspot.com/ John_the_Monkey

“In the UK such policies are available for full time cyclists and appear to be very reasonably priced.”

Not just that, we tend to get them as part of club memberships. Cyclists do so little damage to others that the policies can give a great deal of coverage for a small premium (last time I looked, the coverage I get was worth several millions of pounds, I think). And sometimes we get a nice magazine to read every couple of months as well.

“On the other hand if James in the picture above were riding in the UK and had “Bicycle Insurance” and was hit by an under insured motorist his claim maybe denied since his isn’t wearing a helmet and bright clothing as some of these insurance policies require.”

I’m not aware of any requirement on the policies offered by the organisation I belong to, or any other mainstream bicycling organisation. (In the UK, it’s mostly the CTC (Cyclists Touring Club) or British Cycling & clubs affiliated to them whose memberships offer such coverage).

There are often mutterings about this happening when claiming against a motorist’s insurance, but I’m not aware of any judgements thought to set a legal precedent (as yet). To be fair, it is the motorist’s insurer’s job to reduce their liability by any means possible.
Lightings18

Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now. Keep it up!

lighting
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