Bike Lanes and Power

Week 4 meant our last week of field trips. I have seriously enjoyed this part of the class so much, and getting out into the community has made my time at Munk so special. This week we got to walk what once was the pilot location of the Bloor bike lanes. Although it seems like they have been there forever, the bike lanes that are so integral to helping Torontonians get East and West, are relatively new. It was only in 2017 that the pilot was installed between Avenue Road and Dovercourt.

I could not believe how difficult the bike lanes on Bloor were to get passed, let alone how long it took! 40 years! It seems like a no brainer to me — bike lanes save lives. And that is coming from a self-proclaimed car driver. I can’t remember the last time I rode a bike! Although the idea of riding a bike on Bloor still makes me a bit uneasy, I could not imagine trying to do it before the bike lanes. The city traffic is way too unpredictable. But, as someone with friends and family who use the Bloor bike lanes every day, I am grateful they finally were implemented.

Power is a funny thing. As we learned this week, it can be visible, hidden, or invisible. There is also the difference between authority and influence — both different types of power. Politicians have authority and visible power. If they are popular and doing their job correctly, they probably have a good amount of influence as well. However, those who solely have vast amounts of influence, but no official authority, still are quite powerful. Having social capital or a loud voice and platform can be incomparable to creating change.

As we continue with our projects for next week, these are all important issues to consider. Who do we need to talk to? Who is the decision-maker that can turn our ideas into reality? Who are the intermediaries that can help get the ear of that decision-maker?

I look forward to thinking through tactics next week.