The Stolen Bike Listing exists to bring more attention to what has been stolen in Toronto so that we can all keep an eye out for our beloved missing bicycles.
Since this began on November 1st, 42 stolen bikes have been added to the Listing.
You can visit the Stolen Bike Listing Page for more details about how to prevent your bike from being stolen, and what you can do if you find it missing one day, as well as a full list of bikes stolen recently.
New to the Listing this Week:
Again, the full list is on the Stolen Bike Listing Page.
Since this began on November 1st, 42 stolen bikes have been added to the Listing.
You can visit the Stolen Bike Listing Page for more details about how to prevent your bike from being stolen, and what you can do if you find it missing one day, as well as a full list of bikes stolen recently.
- If you've had your bike stolen, you can post all the details on the Stolen Bike section of the BikingToronto Forum - include as many details as possible! These postings will be listed on the Stolen Bike Listing Page, and once a week here on the BikingToronto main page.
- A new as-it-happens Stolen Bike RSS Feed - accessible now through the more popular RSS Readers:
New to the Listing this Week:
- Powder Blue Atala (Queen West)
Again, the full list is on the Stolen Bike Listing Page.
I knew back in December that the 100,000 mark was coming for BikingToronto, but now that I've gone back and looked at the stats - the site actually hit the mark on or around Christmas Eve, 2007.
This is just a rough guess, as I have a few statcounting programs tracking visitors here and while different, all their numbers are roughly the same. :)
Oh, and I should mention that these 100,000 pageviews are real HTML pageviews - someone actually loading a page in a web-browser. A lot of sites include things like RSS, PHP, CSS, XML and Javascript files being accessed, which pump up statistics a lot but give a very inaccurate view of how much a site is being used, as many of those things (don't worry if you don't know what the acronyms stand for - it's techy gobbledygook) are parts of a larger page.
Anyways - thank you, BikingToronto visitors, for being part of that 100,000.
Joe.
This is just a rough guess, as I have a few statcounting programs tracking visitors here and while different, all their numbers are roughly the same. :)
Oh, and I should mention that these 100,000 pageviews are real HTML pageviews - someone actually loading a page in a web-browser. A lot of sites include things like RSS, PHP, CSS, XML and Javascript files being accessed, which pump up statistics a lot but give a very inaccurate view of how much a site is being used, as many of those things (don't worry if you don't know what the acronyms stand for - it's techy gobbledygook) are parts of a larger page.
Anyways - thank you, BikingToronto visitors, for being part of that 100,000.
Joe.
Labels: bikingtoronto
There are a lot of BIAs in Toronto who see cyclists as a nuisance (I'm thinking specifically of the Yorkville BIAs exclusion of cycling infrastructure in their multimillion plans), but that isn't the case with the Roncesvalles Village BIA.Recently, plans have been unveiled for a reconfiguration of Roncesvalles that placed more emphasis on making it a people-friendly place (with more trees, more cafe space, and wider sidewalks) rather than a collection of parking spaces.
One of the significant features of the plan is "sidewalk bumpouts" which will bring the sidwalk almost all the way out to the streetcar tracks at some intersections - great for people and transit, but perhaps not so great for cyclists trying to get through.
So, they went back to the drawing board and came up with 3 options:
The planners are considering three options (PDF). The first has no cycling provisions, such as shown in the picture mentioned above. No one appears to be in favor of this option, and the BIA would strongly oppose any option that made no provision for cyclists.Do you have any ideas on how best to balance the needs of cyclists with those of other users of the road? Please share your opinion by emailing the BIA or your local residents’ association, or leaving a comment.
The second (see image, right) would simply continue the “sharrow” zone, leaving a 1.6 metre space between the curb and the rail. This would mean that transit riders would not be able to step directly onto the streetcar, but at least would not have to cross a traffic lane. The third option calls for a 1.5 metre “bike trough” (click here (PDF) for an illustration) that would cut through the curb extension itself, mixing the pedestrian and cycling zones and allowing transit riders to board directly from the curb.
At a recent meeting with businesses and residents, the community expressed its preference for the second option out of what has been proposed.
Labels: infrastructure, news, transit
Here in Toronto, we keep hearing plans for BikeStations (secure spaces for cyclists to keep their bikes near workplaces or transit stations) for places like Union Station, Nathan Phillips Square and some subway stations.
Until then (I have no doubt they are coming, it's just a matter of time), we can look with admiration at a "private sector solution to problem of secure bike parking" coming out of New York City:
City officials have been trying to create more places where New Yorkers can ride their bikes safely, but finding secure places to park them is an enduring problem.Now, a few business executives have dreamed up a private-sector solution: the city’s first bikes-only parking lot, complete with attendant. Already, they have cleared the high hurdle of finding available space in Midtown, on West 33rd Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues.
All they need is a corporation willing to pay as much as $200,000 a year to sponsor the idea.
“We’re really looking for a big number to build something quite spectacular,” said Daniel A. Biederman, president of the 34th Street Partnership. “We want this to be the premier bike parking facility in the country.”
Read more at the New York Times, or CityRoom, their NYC blog.
Labels: elsewhere
Here's a look back into the BikingToronto Archives for today:
2007: BikingToronto Photo of the Day
2007: 5 Bike-Related Things You May Not Know About Me
2006: Flickr Find #2
Labels: archives
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
If you don't already know about Streetfilms... it's an NYC-based site that is all videos about the improvement of public space. It's affiliated with Streetsblog.
Bikeboxes are little areas painted behind crosswalks (and ahead of where cars stop) at intersections that give cyclists priority when the light turns green.
Here is a Streetfilm about how to use them:
You may also find Jonathon Maus' (BikePortland.org) interview with a radio station about the new Bikeboxes being installed in Portland interesting. Jonathan does a great job of responding to the DJs questions calmly and sensibly. The interview is here - look for "BikePortland's Johnathan Maus".
Bikeboxes are little areas painted behind crosswalks (and ahead of where cars stop) at intersections that give cyclists priority when the light turns green.
Here is a Streetfilm about how to use them:
You may also find Jonathon Maus' (BikePortland.org) interview with a radio station about the new Bikeboxes being installed in Portland interesting. Jonathan does a great job of responding to the DJs questions calmly and sensibly. The interview is here - look for "BikePortland's Johnathan Maus".
Labels: video
For those of you who like to film while you're riding - a camera built for your bike:
This 'All Terrain Camera 2000' - or ATC2K for those in the know - is a simple concept. Mount it on your bike and off you go. Or, if you're the type to wear a helmet, mount it up there if you prefer.
Capture video of your ride or any other outdoor activity and either watch it on a TV with the AV-out function or download it to your computer for editing and uploading for all the world to see.
Nerdy specs:
AVI format in three sizes: 640x480, 320x240, 160x120.
Two frame rates - 15fps and 30fps.
AV-out for TV viewing.
Runs on 2 AA batteries.
Multiple mounting design.
USB interface.
(via The Copenhagen Bike Culture Blog)
Labels: stuff
From Streetsblog:
For 40 years, Britain's motorists have been the kings of the road, claiming their title through tax discs and fuel duty. But now the balance of power is shifting. There are new pretenders to the throne. Pedestrians and cyclists want equal rights on the road, and this has sparked a war. Our roads are now a battleground.
There are 27 million cars on Britain's roads, an increase of over 5 million in 10 years. But there are also 23 million bicycles fighting with them for road space.
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