Manifesto - We, the Motorcycles, Are Here to Save Toronto

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jonpurdy said:
Totally agree. I rode in Korea and lane splitting cuts our commute by like 80% sometimes. And since cars there expect it they don't do stupid things like cut motorcyclists off.
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This. I've filtered in Ireland and Bermuda without a concern, as motorists know and expect bikes to be coming up. I wouldn't try it in Canada, there are too many idiots rushing around oblivious to everyone else to put my life on the line like that.

Alan
 
1. Why should anyone that doesn't associate with Toronto or the GTA care about this?
2. Motorcyclists are the 1%, the 99% sure as hell isn't going to subsidize most of those demands
3. Gridlock in Toronto will only stop when everyone moves back into the city to justify public transportation enhancements
 
Free parking, which as you should know is about to be taken away. And the HOV lanes are only in Scarborough - What about the 404? You're (technically) not allowed in there.

As for what I do want, there's a number of things mentioned in the manifesto - For example. why if I live downtown should I pay in excess of $4000 to insure a litre bike? Especially when the same bike in the 'burbs would be about $1000. Then there are the other things we could do - what about lane splitting for example? Let's say the traffic on the gardner is crawling (which is already is). There's enough gaps, especially with the shoulders, that riders could fit through. But we are not allowed. This practice is employed elsewhere in the world with great effect (Italy, UK, California for example) and would be a boon to the motorcyclist. After all, why do we have to sit in traffic if we don't have to.
 
FWIW, I've also ridden in many countries around the world. Only in Canada have I observed cars who will *deliberately* move into my path.

And so the problem is drivers: It always will be. That's why we need to work together, as one cohesive motorcycling group and talk with the council, provincial and even federal government to make them understand that while change is hard, it is also worthwhile.
 
Thanks for the constructive feedback...

But, let me ask you this. Are you not sick of the cost of your insurance? It's three times higher than in the UK as it stands and about five times what it is in many US states. Why? Please don't tell me it's market economics as it's not. Simply put, you are legally required to have insurance, but the insurance companies are not legally obliged to give it to you. In other words, the system is one-sided.

And let me ask you this: Are you not sick of sitting in traffic knowing you could easily get out but aren't allowed to, especially when every car you see has just one person in it? Haven't you had enough of the terrible road surfaces (go ride anywhere else in the western world and then come back - you'll know what I mean). Don't drivers piss you off when they sit across intersections, or pull into your lane without looking? Or drive along parallel to each other on a four lane road, blocking your progress?

I'm not saying everyone is an angry biker, but i've yet to meet one who isn't angry about some aspect of riding. We need to start having a voice that's heard clearly and succinctly.
 
The best thing about this picture is that if these people were all in cars, the entire line would probably stretch all the way to mississauga. Whichever way you look at it, the roads are much clearer
slogan said:
Yeh, TO will be looking much better, safer and faster, if everybody will ride bikes (image below) :lmao:
toronto_bikes.jpg
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1 - Because bikers are everywhere, not just in Toronto. The same manifesto can and should apply to urban centres everywhere. For example, ever tried crossing the Capilano bridge in Vancouver? In a car, it's about 20 minutes at rush hour. Lane splitting, it would take you maybe five. Just because cars can't make progress doesn't mean bikes shouldn't

2 - From the stats, bikes are nearer 4% of the population. But what's the point of that? If the laws were better, there'd be more of them out there. More bikes = lower prices and more choices at retail.

3 - get more people on bikes and gridlock will go down. Make biking even less attractive than it is, people will go back to cars. Besides, the TTC will never be adequately able to meet demand unless bold expansions take place. That's never going to happen in the current climate

Deimos said:
1. Why should anyone that doesn't associate with Toronto or the GTA care about this?
2. Motorcyclists are the 1%, the 99% sure as hell isn't going to subsidize most of those demands
3. Gridlock in Toronto will only stop when everyone moves back into the city to justify public transportation enhancements
Click to expand...
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