Take The Lane

Died on a Ride #2, 2009

According to the Hamilton Spectator, an 81-year-old cyclist is among three people killed in a horrific roadway tragedy on Friday.

Tong Vi Duong was the first killed in a series of crashes blamed on Allan Maki, a 40-year-old geography teacher who was at the wheel of his SUV. The Spec story talks about Maki being diabetic, and says Maki may have suffered a medical emergency, but doesn't really indicate whether diabetes was the factor.

After Duong was hit, and thrown through the air to the pavement, the SUV dragged Duong's bike for about 15 metres before hitting a small car, pushing it into the path of a pickup truck. The couple inside the car, Hannah Gordon-Roche and Jeffery Roche, were killed.

Although the accident is still being investigated, Maki has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and three counts of dangerous driving causing death.

Great photoblogger, not so great a road-user

Sam Javanrouh is a photoblogger in Toronto. More than that, his blog Daily Dose of Imagery has been cited by photoblog.org as among the best photoblogs in the world.

But based on "Biking with 5D Mark II" I can't say that Javanrouh is among the best cyclists in the world. This video is about four minutes of Javanrouh using the Canon 5D Mark II to grab some test footage facing forward while riding in the Yonge and King areas of Toronto about a month ago.

A lot of the footage was "hands-free," (and some of that was on wet pavement and beside parked cars). He apparently ran a yellow light, passed a lot of stopped cars on the right (in a space too tight for me, but maybe it was the wide-angle lens) and entered a street that police had blocked to traffic. Oh, and he appears to pass on the right a vehicle that is about to turn right (hello, officer!).

So, he's a top blogger. I'm a top curmudgeon, and I couldn't help but think as I watched his test footage: Man, this guy is a moron.

How do police treat your Critical Mass ride?

I've had a question from a Critical Mass participant in response to an earlier post, and it was so interesting that I wanted to include it as a post for your attention:

glomeral@yahoo.ca writes:

"Just came back from a Critical Mass ride in Ottawa (2009-06-26), and there's an apparent new police strategy (at least new to my experience):
They brought their car alongside (at some points partially in the oncoming traffic lane) and dangerously (at least to me-- I was in the back) edge the car towards the bikers while telling them to ride single-file.
So how do CM's ride now? Single file?"

Assuming that a cyclist can take the whole lane, single file is not necessary. In fact, should a large group (say 50-60 cyclists) ride in single file AND take the lane, the resultant convoy would take up way more space than a bunched-up group. I wonder if club rides in Ottawa are treated similarly?

So, how are Critical Mass rides treated in your community?

Got a workshop? Want an old Toronto bike?

One of my neighbours asked me if I wanted his old bike. What he hauled out of the shed was more rust than metal, but still intriguing.

It's a Superior, made by The Cycle Supply Co. Ltd of Toronto, Canada. Black. Fixed gear. A Brooks C12 release hammock saddle that no amount of Proofhide can help. A 1936 Hamilton bicycle licence plate (4832).

I'll post a picture when I get one. Just from the look of the bike, I'd peg it as a 1920s or 1930s vintage machine. My neighbour doesn't want a nickle for it. Could be an art object for you.

Farewell to the D'Iberville

I finally sold my Mikado D'Iberville. For less than I thought it was worth and less than I wanted, but someone got a decent bike for his bucks and we should both emerge happy.

I'm a little sad, though. Since the aneurysm, I haven't been doing any real touring, so the D'Iberville has mostly been used for commuting, and when I got the True North a couple of years ago, the D'Iberville was essentially retired.

Every bike for me has been a progression, from that first Jeunet to the Norco Magnum SE to the Shimano 105 componentry of the D'Iberville, and the custom-build of the True North. Stronger, faster, sleeker. I started thinking about the cross-Canada ride once I felt comfortable on the D'Iberville and was looking forward to the point in my life when I could parlay my holidays and time off to cover the weeks needed for that monster trip. Then the aneurysm happened and my cycling life was rethought. I bought the True North as part of my transition from long-haul cyclist to dedicated short-haul cyclist, charity rider and noodler (on hiatus pending surgery for the wonky artery). A bike loaded down with camping gear rolling along the trans-Canada ride was no longer on the radar.

Well, not for me. But maybe for the D'Iberville. My old bike's new owner wanted if for a summer holiday trip, from Toronto to Halifax, partly for the glory of the ride, and partly to raise money as a part of the Ride for Refugees program. It's his first major ride of any sort (ah, the enthusiasm of the young) and he's excited. I'm excited, too.

I may not be dipping the D'Iberville's wheels in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, but someone will. He got what he wanted in this transaction, and I got some of what I wanted, too.

When you're at the end of your rope, hang on

Here's an amazing story that Canadian Press has picked up from the Winnipeg Sun.

A 19-year-old female cyclist hit by a tractor-trailer unit grabbed its front bumper after being struck, and hung on for dear life to avoid being dragged under its wheels as it drove on.

According to the report, the 28-year-old trucker was turning right in Brandon, Man. on Monday. The cyclist was in the crosswalk on her bike. He didn't see her and didn't stop until frantic pedestrians managed to get his attention and waved and yelled for him to stop. The report doesn't mention the actual distance covered, but suggests it was "considerable."

Brandon police Const. Ron Burgess is quoted as saying, "I would have to say it's quite remarkable to have the fortitude to do that considering she was seriously injured in the collision." The woman suffered serious injuries to her lower body, but they are not considered life-threatening.

No charges yet as the investigation is continuing.

Dirty Enduro offers a challenge

If your idea of fun is 100 kilometres of single-track cycling with 7,000 feet of ascents and 7,000 feet of descents that, last year, only 12 riders competed in under seven hours, then you might be interested in Paul's Dirty Enduro.

I got a note recently from Bloomfield Bicycles (the Prince Edward County bike shop whose slogan: "TV Sucks: Ride Your Bike" is an inspiration to us all) asking me to spread the word about this year's enduro. The event, Saturday, Sept 19 in the Garanaska Forest, north of Orono, was created in memory of "Paul," a cyclist who committed suicide. The 100K route is designed for Paul, who loved the area and often said he wanted to do a 100K day, but never did. Proceeds from Paul's Dirty Enduro go to the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Details about the enduro are hosted here. Based on what I read, this would be a great challenge ride to end your off-road cycling season.

CAN-BIKE on CKCO

CKCO's Leslie Gordon is doing a piece on CAN-BIKE on the 6 p.m. TV news tomorrow (Thursday), says Colleen Cooper, the regional public health unit nurse who has been the driving force behind getting CAN-BIKE training in our area.

If you know someone who is hesitant about cycling in traffic, let them know about this program (or if you live with such a person, get them to watch the segment with you).

How cyclists should deal with traffic tickets

Since this is the week that Toronto police have chosen for their cyclist ticketing blitz, the Toronto Cyclists Union is reminding its members how to respond to getting a ticket.

Part of that post is a link to the Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists website, which has a very helpful page, incorrectly titled "How to Fight a Traffic Ticket." (Incorrectly titled, because several of the options include pleading guilty and paying the fine, which wouldn't seem to involve much "fighting" at all.) It's a good, clear wiki, and worth a look by any cyclist.

One of the points the cyclist union emphasizes, and a good reminder to all cyclists, is demerit points do not apply to cycling offences. To ensure that you somehow don't get saddled with demerit points, you need not show your driver's licence to a police officer if you are asked to identify yourself (but you do have to show some kind of ID that gives your name and address -- that's all that's required under the Highway Traffic Act), and you should ask the official to write on the ticket that the offence was for "cycling."

Of course, you shouldn't be doing anything that will cause the police to pull you over in the first place: running red lights, switching back and forth between sidewalks and roads, riding without illumination at night, etc. But you know that, already.

Feel like a Lake Ontario cycling tour?

If the promoters of the Great Waterfront Trail Adventure are being straight with us, the second year of this Niagara Region to Quebec border cycle event is gaining some traction.

Last year, the GWTA had 148 riders who went from end to end. This year, it appears that 250 riders have signed on for the 740-kilometre ride along the shores of Lake Ontario and down the St. Lawrence River.

The Great Waterfront Trail Adventure is very similar to the week-long cycle adventure known as Braunstorm that was run by Braun's Bicycles in Kitchener. The GWTA ride is supported (luggage is trucked, mechanics available), the overnights are in community-hosted venues, and tourism-promotion is part of the event. Braunstorm has been on hiatus since the 2006 tour. The ride turnout had not met the expectations of the organizers. The GWTA seems to be willing to start with a smaller pool of riders, and hope for growth. It helps, too, to have the Waterfront Regeneration Trust on board as the principal sponsor.

The ride leaves Fort George at Niagara-on-the-Lake on Saturday, July 4. End-to-end participation is limited to 250 riders, and that goal may have been met, but you can add your name to a standby list if you are interested. Check the website.