I'm one of those lycra cyclists who "took over" High Park last Sunday - this is my own footage above. I will preface this by saying that they shouldn't have called it a "takeover" since the idea was to propose a
sharing solution. The name is needlessly combative. And why the event was scheduled on a Sunday is also a mystery to me - the average road cycling enthusiast is mostly looking for a venue for mid-week workouts. Weekends are for long rides out of town.
Cycling training requires lots of volume. We don't think we're special - that's just the sport. All of us are hyper-alert when looping HP and I have yet to witness a single incident there.
There is also the loop around The Ex which I use regularly, but that one is regularly closed without warning and the surface is rough.
If you're a runner, ask yourself how you would feel if you were asked to run half as fast as your normal training pace in the name of "safety", when accident data and common sense already show that you're simply not a great source of danger.
I know that public opinion is squarely against me on this topic.
I'll see myself out.
I'm open to suggestions and open minded discussions. The situation is complex.
Health Canada tells us to exercise but doesn't give us any help. We pay taxes on gym memberships that theoretically reduce medicare costs. The obesity epidemic and assosiated costs, escalating as the years go on. This is a long term investment that won't pay off for decades. Meanwhile higher taxes to feed the program means fewer people being able to buy their dream home.
We are told that we have to expect higher population densities. The single family home dream is fading like cheap cotton.
New subdivisions have minimal facilities. Developers slice the pie with a sharp knife.
Slugging jobs started fading after WWII as machines took over with TV and a bag of chips becoming the normal end of the day. Find your own solution to your beer belly.
Life is vanilla pudding if you toe the line. A lot of people are prepared to accept that. If you aren't, how do you do your thing without stomping on the rights of the ones that are OK with vanilla pudding?
If the goal of the cyclist is exercise it can be done at low speeds but it isn't fun and it's harder to stay at it.
The big need is land and it isn't cheap. Cheap land is far from the city so an evening lap or two isn't realistic. Weekend jaunts would require accommodations.
Add in the list of expected land uses. This started with bicycles but the whole solution includes skate boards, e-bikes, joggers, runners.
The government will build new roads based on road taxes. Where does the money come from for bicycle tracks? NFMP says the motorist, Not From My Pocket
The solution is higher taxes, the death knell for a politician.
Sharing requires critical thinking. You don't have to study trail interactions. Just go to a supermarket and see the carts blocking the aisles as Mr or Mrs Dumass brouse across from their cart, oblivious to others. Follow them to the parking lot where they walk down the middle of the driveway blocking traffic on their way to their poorly parked car. Watch them drive home monopolizing the left lane.
Watch the mom's and dads walk their kids without telling them to look out for traffic.
Try correcting anyone that is obviously misusing a pathway or trail and you get F*** Y*******
Two choices, billions in land costs (Taxes) or educating the public. No government is going to offer more than crumbs.
In the mean time people become more confrontational.
