A Difficult Ride: Bike Lanes in Toronto

It was the summer of 2019. The sky was clear, the temperature comfortable, and the breeze perfect. I was a block and a half away from my home, picking up a few things at a convenience store. Before exiting, I looked both ways and walked along a sidewalk I had trodden many times before. 5 steps later, I was hit from behind by a cyclist who was going too fast and lost control and we both landed on shattered glass on the sidewalk. That accident left me with a concussion, broken teeth, bruises and scrapes everywhere, and an unfortunate fear response to cyclists peddling past me that still stays with me today.

This accident took place on a sidewalk that bordered a main road 4 lanes wide where there was absolutely room for a bike lane. But, our society’s car-centric culture prohibited a safe lane for cyclists who were often forced to use sidewalks due to the fear of being hit by cars. Although disoriented, I was angry — not at the cyclist who hit me — but at the city that refused to prioritize the safe movement of all people.

Toronto’s bike lanes have an interesting story of an uphill battle that was aided by opportune timing. The notion of the “war on the car” came up during our discussion of the process to get bike lanes and it was a painful reminder of both the accident that had changed me and the struggles to implement policies that save people when they are contrary to the status quo. Cars are one of the most prominent symbols of capitalism and the culture it breeds as a machine that physically isolates you from your community, disincentivizes the use and progression of public transit, and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. It epitomizes the individualistic nature of Western capitalist society in a covert way and yet we are surrounded by cars daily.

This week’s field trip featured the manifestation of the phrase “timing is everything.” It also provided insight into how to get the policy ball rolling despite deep-rooted opposition. It was interesting to hear about the opposition to bike lanes, particularly on the business side. On the surface, I would have thought that bike lanes actually increase economic activity by providing people with a means to get to businesses in addition to arriving by car or public transit. However, the resistance by some business owners tells a different story.

I was especially struck by Mike Layton’s recounting of a particular business owner who was against the motion because it would impede their convenience at grabbing their regular coffee. Once again, the selfishness of car culture permeated even if this had nothing to do with cars specifically. For this reason, I think bike lanes represent a kind of community-centred approach to policy. They are symbolic of grassroots community organizing but also of promoting a shift away from car use in a tangible way.

I am still unable to ride a bike and continue to be uncomfortable when cyclists pass me but the presence of bike lanes in themselves is a comforting thing. The fear of going through a similar event, or someone else experiencing what I had, is quelled because they exist. Bike lanes are a subtle reminder that policy can be community-driven and community-oriented.

The best part of this trip was the subtle reminder that sometimes the Overton window opens when it seems like it will stay firmly shut and that a small push forward in the policy realm can still change segments of an entire jurisdiction, even one as dense and developed as the city of Toronto.