A few years ago a friend of mine returned from a trip from Holland and was sharing all their cycle stories with me. I was shocked to know how seriously cycling was taken. I discovered that Holland is pretty advanced in comparison to Toronto in terms of a cycling infrastructure. Why they even have a Cycle Parking Station. Yes, Cycle parking, like I've never seen it before at a Railway station. They also have much more designated cycle lanes, most are seperate from motorist lanes.
Here's a video to give you an idea of how many cycling commuters there are. (sorry about the music...)
Why can't Toronto do that? Well it turns out that they were planning something neat called Bixi, which is currently being used by our neighbors in Quebec. It's a bike rental system situated all over town. Of course not comparable to Holland but definitely a start. Bixi has been delayed due to the City Worker's strike which occurred over the summer, but it's a great alternative to those who don't own bikes and need to get from point A to point B. Also convenient for those experiencing transit delays; you'd have the option to cycle to your destination instead of taking a cab or waiting for a shuttle bus. Bixi stations are out of service during the harsh winter season from Nov-March, but still a great green transport alternative.
I think that if Bike lanes were barred off with road medians all over town it would make cyclists feel safe. Possibly even encourage more. A median would make it harder for cabs and reckless drivers to run cyclists off the road. Yes an expensive project, but in the long run better for the environment. As for Bixi, hopefully it will reach Toronto soon.
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