May 26/00 1:54 am - Giro, Toronto Bike to Work Week

Posted by Editor on 05/26/00
 

Giro GC

General Classification after Stage 12

1 CASAGRANDE Francesco ITA Vini Caldirola - Sidermec 58:56:36
2 BELLI Wladimir ITA Fassa Bortolo at 0:04
3 TONKOV Pavel RUS Mapei - Quick step 0:07
4 DI LUCA Danilo ITA Cantina Tollo 0:10
5 HRUSKA Jan CZE Vitalicio Seguros - Generali 0:17
6 GARZELLI Stefano ITA Mercatone Uno - Albacom 0:22
7 FRIGO Dario ITA Fassa Bortolo 0:44
8 NOE Andrea ITA Mapei - Quick step 0:49
9 GOTTI Ivan ITA Team Polti 1:19
10 GONTCHAR Serguei UKR Liquigas - Pata 1:22


Bike Work Week - Toronto

BIKE WEEK SUPERHEROES KEEP CYCLISTS SAFE

Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists (ARC) will guarantee car-free bike lanes during Bike Week:

* Mon. May 29th, 12-1pm (at St. George and Bloor)
* Tues. May 30th, 5-6:30pm (at College and Bathurst)
* Wed. May 31st, 5-6:30pm (at College and Spadina)
* Thurs. June 1st, 8-9:30am (at Gerrard and Yonge)

ARC has identified illegal bike lane parking as a pervasive problem that endangers the lives of cyclists in Toronto. As there is no sign that motorists are improving on this delinquent behaviour, nor are the police enforcing the law adequately, ARC is providing Guaranteed Bike Lanes during Toronto's annual Bike Week Festival. ARC volunteers will defend these stretches of guaranteed bike lanes with cyclist friendly cheer and lollipops to help protect the safety of cyclists. The Guaranteed Bike Lane event is designed to raise awareness of the real risks and dangers that illegal bike lane parking poses to cyclists, and it also challenges cyclists to act on their feelings of cycle frustration to push for a solution to this problem.

What do cyclists want?
The fine for endangering cyclists' lives by parking in a bike lane is as little as forty dollars: the price of a couple of CDs. ARC requests the City to designate bike lane parking as a separate category from other parking infractions and to increase the fine to $150.00, the same fine amount for parking in a designated disabled space. The increased fine will send a message to drivers regarding the seriousness of the offence thus act as a deterrant. All Toronto cyclists will welcome a return to car-free bike lanes.

How big is the bike lane parking problem?
Over the past few years cyclists have conducted their own research. During the 1997 Bike Week ARC challenged cyclists to photograph vehicles illegally parked in Bike Lanes. In just 35 hours, on May 26 and 27, this Ultimate Big Game Hunt captured photographic evidence of 249 vehicles blocking Bike Lanes. On May 29, 1999 ARC members conducted a Guaranteed Bike Lane on College St. Between 10 am and 4 pm 167 bike-lane violations were documented. Has the situation changed? Unfortunately not. Motor vehicles parked in bike lanes continues to be the number one complaint ARC hears from other cyclists.

Just how often do bike-lane violations endanger cyclists?
In April 1999, ARC members surveyed the College St. bike lane and observed 50 to 85 cyclists per hour forced into motor vehicle traffic or onto the sidewalk. On average it takes only 55 - 65 seconds for a car stopped in the College St. bike lane to endanger the life of a cyclist. ARC has posted this data on-line for public inspection at www.web.net/~detour/arc/bl.monitor.html


CYCLISTS THROW STREET PARTY

Event: ARC's 5th Annual Parking Meter Party
Location: Parking spaces near 761 Queen St. W.
Date: Thurs. June 1, 2000
Time: 5:30 to 7:00 PM

On Thursday, June 1st at 5:30 pm, the Parking Meter Party is back! This year the popular Bike Week annual event is coming to Queen Street West where members of ARC will use downtown parking facilities to hold an open-air party.

Participants bring snacks, music, furniture and hold a party in a parking space. Putting a coin in the meter entitles the party-goers to use prime downtown real estate for mere pennies an hour. This space is usually for the exclusive use of polluting cars. Let's have a party in it instead!

Highlights:
* Music: Three great acts: Espin & Newman, Song Cycles, Ecobuskers

* ARCAngel award. ARC will present an award to someone who has made a large contribution toward advancing respect for cyclists

* CarTrash contest awards. Cyclists will submit pieces of automobile to be judged. Winners will be announced in five categories: Biggest, Dirtiest, Least Romantic, Most Dangerous, Most Expensive to Replace

At 7 pm, the party moves inside Intersection, Toronto's centre for sustainable transportation, for an open house hosted by Community Bicycle Network (CBN) featuring a Greenspiration Slideshow of eco slides and stories from around the world.

A.R.C. is Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists - www.web.net/~detour/arc


Product Clearances

The response to our new clearance products section has been stronger than expected. The tires and saddles that we have started with are going quicker than expected, so don't delay if you wish to get anything.