Downtown Toronto Riders

f1mauro

f1mauro

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I have a whole new respect for you folks dealing with the pathetic driving habits of the cabbies downtown. Was driving up Jarvis towards Bloor in my cage this quiet sunday morning and in the span of 3 city blocks with no other traffic on the road I had a cabbie bust a U-turn in front of me without checking first to pick up a fare in the other direction. Two blocks further up while my light was green, another cab sailed through the red in front of me like it wasn't even there causing me to lock up and slide. I laid my horn as he rolled past my front bumper but he didn't even flinch, just had a stupid little smirk on his face like "O well, my bad".
I can't imagine riding a motorcycle in these circumstances doing maybe 10-15k faster speed if there would even be enough reaction time. My hats off to you guys/gals who put up with this crap on a regular basis. I've always heard the legend of the Toronto cabbies lousy driving skills but witnessing it firsthand was definitely an experience to behold! Next up, towtruck operators....
 
f1mauro said:
I have a whole new respect for you folks dealing with the pathetic driving habits of the cabbies downtown. Was driving up Jarvis towards Bloor in my cage this quiet sunday morning and in the span of 3 city blocks with no other traffic on the road I had a cabbie bust a U-turn in front of me without checking first to pick up a fare in the other direction. Two blocks further up while my light was green, another cab sailed through the red in front of me like it wasn't even there causing me to lock up and slide. I laid my horn as he rolled past my front bumper but he didn't even flinch, just had a stupid little smirk on his face like "O well, my bad".
I can't imagine riding a motorcycle in these circumstances doing maybe 10-15k faster speed if there would even be enough reaction time. My hats off to you guys/gals who put up with this crap on a regular basis. I've always heard the legend of the Toronto cabbies lousy driving skills but witnessing it firsthand was definitely an experience to behold! Next up, towtruck operators....
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Nothing worse than a cabbie looking for a passenger.

This is one of the downsides of living in the city. You have to get through the city to get to where there are lunatics on the road. With all the urban sprall these days, it takes a while.
 
I understand the hustle and bustle of rush hour on a work day but come on, 8:30 on a sunday morning for chrissake!
Like I said, a whole new respect for you folks.
 
f1mauro said:
I had a cabbie bust a U-turn in front of me without checking first to pick up a fare in the other direction.
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To cabbie, a fare is worth far more than a human life. At least where they come from.
 
I am not super proud of it, but I have taken some solid swings at cars downtown doing some crazy ****.
 
I had a guy bounce another drivers head off my hood downtown....the offender was tailgating him and he got out at the light and the fun began. The both drove away after landing a couple of blows each. I am surprised it doesn't happen more often.
 
cabbie from the left lane stopped at a red light as I approached intersection in right lane .I stop look and start my turn and dont ya know it he takes off turning right almost running me over.I was pretty calm didnt freak out waited till the next light and pulled up asked him to roll his window down and told him if he realized he almost killed me he gives me the "you guys on your bikes can go to hell"At this point what can I do pound him and potentially end up the back of a cruiser, think not.Maybe I should keep a pocket full of bolts to throw when I get cut off like in my younger days. I keep my distance from wacko cabbies and dont know how they get away with the **** they pull off on the roads cops dont even bother with them but if I do anything wammo busted
 
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eh you get use to it... i come across worse drivers outside of downtown... cabbies is another story... just keep your distance
 
the bandit said:
cabbie from the left lane stopped at a red light as I approached intersection in right lane .I stop look and start my turn and dont ya know it he takes off turning right almost running me over.I was pretty calm didnt freak out waited till the next light and pulled up asked him to roll his window down and told him if he realized he almost killed me he gives me the "you guys on your bikes can go to hell"At this point what can I do pound him and potentially end up the back of a cruiser, think not.Maybe I should keep a pocket full of bolts to throw when I get cut off like in my younger days. I keep my distance from wacko cabbies and dont know how they get away with the **** they pull off on the roads cops dont even bother with them but if I do anything wammo busted
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That attitude is nothing a hand grenade wouldn't take care of
 
Yeah, I live downtown and spent 80% of my time on the streets here unfortunately. I also cycle a ton around these streets in the summer so I've developed some super-defensive habits, especially around cabbies. They're just terrible, terrible drivers that make terrible, terrible decisions. I don't know how they're allowed to get away with it either.

Other than the cabbies, you also have the drivers from the suburbs, usually in a van or SUV, who are either (a) rubbernecking and enjoying the scenery too much or (b) so nervous about driving downtown they slow to a crawl or (c) are always lost and are crawling along looking for street signs. Either way, those drives combined with the cabbies makes for some frustrating riding/cycling.

Oh, and you forgot to mention what happens after they pick up their fares - they just pull away from the curb and rip right back into traffic. There are no blindspots when you don't care who you might hit.
 
you need to be very defensive in DT riding. Don't argue and **** if someone cuts you off you should have realized before they do it it is our problem not spotting the forecoming hazards. As a biker I always treat myself an invisible.
No matter how wrong car drivers were in a given situation, the one who loses is always the one on the bike.
 
And some people wonder why I'm sporting a front and rear video camera on the bike, these days. Wish that I could side mount 'em too.
 
Rob MacLennan said:
And some people wonder why I'm sporting a front and rear video camera on the bike, these days. Wish that I could side mount 'em too.
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You should volunteer to be the the Google Streetview Bike :)

It's an experience riding/commuting downtown, but I think you get used to it. For the commute, you take basically the same route every day so are used to where the hazards are, physically, and somewhat mentally. Cabbies, crappy roads, distracted drivers (the amount of people still using their phones while driving is insane)...it's all still better than taking the ttc.
 
It's true. I could tell you every rut on every road on my ride to work. Did 15k km in the city alone this year. It all becomes second nature, like breathing or blinking. You go through the motions instinctively, and lanesplit for fun.
 
This is why I love riding downtown (no sarcasm). Lol it's like logician/chess player's heaven

But just a reminder to everyone who riding downtown: look left & right before going through any intersection (especially if your red light just turned green). Good thing you saw it coming, OP.
 
knowledge said:
This is why I love riding downtown (no sarcasm). Lol it's like logician/chess player's heaven

But just a reminder to everyone who riding downtown: look left & right before going through any intersection (especially if your red light just turned green). Good thing you saw it coming, OP.
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And never think that just because you've got a green light, some jackhole pedestrian won't think that they have the right of way just 30 feet down from it.

.... especially on, but not limited to, St. Patrick's Day.
 
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