I live in Toronto and I'm a pedestrian.
Cars don't like me and I've made my peace with them, in that I often jaywalk because it's safer than using an intersection. I'm used to motorists seeing yellow lights as a challenge and right turns into a herd of crossing pedestrians as a bonus round. But the sidewalk...that beautiful, Dentyne-defiled, granite paradise...she used to be mine.
I took her everywhere. When I went to see The Cable Guy on the hardest-earned babysitting money of my life- she was there. When I waited for a Blue Night bus to whisk me into a dreamland of clumsy pickups and terrible life choices- she was there. A bit damper perhaps, but a refuge nonetheless.
Then something changed...
In the ever-present battle for movement, cyclists and pedestrians have grown closer. Very close. Uncomfortably close. True cyclists- the ones that wear moisture-wicking fabric, perform in IRON MANS and possess the ability to re-shape a damaged frame from their titanium gonads- would never be caught dead on the sidewalk. If my own experiences in the past year are any indication, these people account for about 2% of the cycling population.
Roughly 8 times in the past few months, I have experienced moments that go something like this:
*Walk with friend on sidewalk
*Turn head roughly 2.5 inches so our conversation carries on the age-old tradition of "eye-contact"
*Cyclist blazes past skin, leaving a safe distance of 6 nanometers, naturally making sure to avoid all forms of audio cues including bells and speech
*Heart rate surges / belief in the frailty of life strengthens
Recently I was almost struck by someone on a UNICYCLE. Granted, they were clearly learning how to ride a unicycle. Luckily, they decided to hedge their safety bets by picking a major route filled with people / streetcar tracks (Bathurst) and donning an IPOD. As comical as that collision would have been for spectators- I'm sure our respective spleens would have felt differently.
Some cyclists, in their fear of vehicles, have forgotten that when it comes to inflicting injuries- they are NOT at the bottom of the hierarchy illustrated in simple math below:
Tractor Trailers > SUVS > Toyota Echo > Cyclists > Pedestrians
I'll take it another step.
Things Bicycles have: wheels, spokes, sharp metal, more assorted 'impale-y' things
Things People have: soft tissues, kidneys, loved ones (generally)
Some cyclists also forget that pedestrians have curious habits like changing their pace, stopping or taking a step that may veer slightly to the left. Assuming that you can speed past without acknowledging your existence, is a bad plan for all parties involved.
To the bicycle warriors that brave Queen street, with all of its obstacles and threats- my hat goes off to you. I'd feel safer ensconced in a quilt of tainted syringes, which is what propelled me to stop riding when I moved here.
If it's a side street, you make your presence known and you're under 6 years of age- I'll gladly share the sidewalk.
Otherwise- leave it alone. My guardian angel is tired of shitting its pants.
And I'm assuming yours is too.
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5 comments:
Welcome back.
Ooohhh, I have an extreme dislike of cyclists that do not obey the rules. And they're all over the place, both on the roads and the sidewalks. I wish you needed a license to drive a bike.
Totally with you. I mean I'm pretty pro-bike, and I understand there are some places that it's just too freaking dangerous to ride on the road (like the entire 905 area code) but if you're on the sidewalk show some respect, understand that you're not supposed to be and treat pedestrians with the same respect that you wish cars showed to you ...
It seems to me that some some people are the most important people on the road in their SUVs and that some of those people are now "green" and so they are on bikes now - but they are still the most important person on the road.
I'm gathering up my courage to become a Toronto biker once more when the snow melts, but you have my word that when I'm forced onto the sidewalk by construction, taxis or dumbasses in SUVs, I either walk my bike (whose name is Brutus, in case you were interested in that useless fact) or ride more slowly than a grandma and defer to any and all pedestrians.
(Jess)
True story.
Fascinating, as a pedestrian I was hit into the air by a yellow cab @ Bathurst & Dundas while getting onto the streetcar, that was stopped and had its doors open. long story that somehow was my fault with no help from the cab company, TTC or the police at St Mikes...
I used to bike downtown Toronto all the time, now that I have moved back to Vancouver, I assure you, it does not get better there.
Had some guy park & open his car door on me, pinning me between a bus waiting at the same light, then proceeded to go off on me for denting his door... I hit his hood with my lock as I rode off.
seems this is another dead blog, but a dead blog is good to find :]
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