George Bell

2 Feb 2025

I have created a starter pack for the City of Toronto, councillors and visible staff…please let me know if I’m missing anyone…if you are verified and want to replace the X echo accounts with official ones please DM me…also if there is anyone missing please post in the comments!

This is incredibly frustrating to see @cycletoronto.bsky.social posting this small tent crap. There is no such thing as an illegal ebike, emoto or e-scooter in Ontario. They are all legal to buy. The only reason we can’t use them in Toronto is because cycleTO has advocated against them…

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CycleTO needs to stop alienating cyclists, and others who use bike lanes. Lots of us use the bikelanes and will never attend their events or protests, because they keep posting crap like this that makes it harder for us to get around. Pushing us out of the tent. It’s dumb…we are not the problem…

Ford is…

There are lots of people who would benefit from being able to use these vehicles in the city. Including folks with mobility issues. I was hit by a car while riding a bike. My options while I was recovering were a car or an e-scooter.

I chose an e-scooter because it made sense for me, despite the city not being part of the Ontario pilot. I bought my scooter locally… I used it in mississauga, Toronto and in Ottawa. Only one of those locations is it “illegal” to ride…in none of them is it illegal to buy or own.

Excellent!!

Cycle Toronto@cycletoronto.bsky.social

The protected bike lanes along Bloor Street West between Islington and Royal York are gone, but we want to ensure folks in Etobicoke-Lakeshore can safely bike to the polls on Monday. Cycle Toronto will be leading a complimentary bike bus on Election Day through this new gap in our cycling network.

empireclubofcanada.comUpcoming Events | The Empire Club of CanadaCanadian thought leadership events accessible to the public. Register Now.

empireclubofcanada.com/upcoming-eve... #biketo November 10 looks to be an interesting discussion...wonder how you get tickets...

These two things are mutually exclusive...you can't have more say over municipal matters by uploading the Gardiner...in fact you have less say when you upload or require funding from upper levels of government... #topoli

It's weird because Chow seems to be advocating for giving away Toronto's power... Miller knew that actually having our own funding and trying to control our own destiny was really important... If the province is paying, they get to decide... #topoli

Matt Elliott@graphicmatt.com

Asked if there's a city program that they would review or cancel, Chow says she'll be looking for ways to share more of the load on transit funding with provincial/federal govs. "I'm not going to look at one thing. I'm looking at everything," answers Bradford, promising a line-by-line review.

It's still incredibly frustrating that the minister of transport and premier are posting on the other site without any pushback from the main toronto cycling advocacy group... They have been doing everything else very well...in person protests, their instagram and Bluesky posts are well received...

Tom Flood@tomflood.bsky.social

"For now, we're advising supporters to cease organized protests during the road work. It's time to rest and regroup ..everyone should be incredibly proud of how we peacefully and lawfully resisted together.The city, the province, and the world are watching We're not done" @cycletoronto.bsky.social

But the lack of engagement in places where the premiers followers and supporters will see it is a big miss...and waste of an opportunity... It's like not protesting at Queen's Park because you don't like Richard A. Waite (look it up)

This is actually one of the reasons we need to change the language about mobility lanes...they are about safety - for delivery drivers, taxis, scooter users, folks with disabilities, safer for parking, crossing the street, intersections, babies in strollers, drivers, police... Not Just Bike Lanes!

Kanchan@kayehm.bsky.social

Bikelanes aren't the issue. They're the scapegoat. These projects are never about bike lanes, they're road safety projects, designed and proven to reduce collisions and improve safety for everyone using the street: people driving, walking, taking transit, cycling, and using mobility devices.

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In a bigger tent there is room for skateboards, for roller blades, for all the active forms of transport...there is also room for the micro mobility and adaptive mobility...the e-scooters, e-bikes, trikes, pedal pubs...there is room for the fun and the crazy...the fast and the slow...

"bike" lanes would be better for it, they would be bigger, longer, more connected...harder to remove...higher utilization...better parking...better signage, lighting...all the things... Small tent makes this much harder...

Kanchan@kayehm.bsky.social

If I could do one thing...it would be to rename the cycling department at the city...then rename the cycling advocacy groups...it's small tent... Change the iconography, change the language...bigger tent...mobility/safety is the focus...within that there is room for bikes, but it's a bigger deal...

t.cohttps://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2026/pa/bgrd/backgroundfile-290665.pdf

Toronto Bikeshare (actually parking authority) has an updated accessibility plan...one mention of adaptive bikes...would be good if they had a timeline for adaptive introduction, similar to Hamilton and Detroit systems. #biketo t.co/koH8ne0QnI

I'd ask Bikeshare Toronto what their plan is...but they are only on X...maybe @cycletoronto.bsky.social knows more...they are only on Bluesky... Hard to have a good discussion with anyone online these days...

These guys seem to be missing a big opportunity to improve Toronto BikeShare...they could be charging an entry fee for the bikeshare race with proceeds going to Toronto BikeShare... Instead they are likely damaging the fleet (and maybe toronto bikeshare is a sponsor?) seems crazy... #biketo

Alex Freeman@northernnerd.bsky.social

I'm dying to see someone make it up the north slope on an acoustic bike share. #BikeTO

This could add 15 bikes to the system every year if they did it right...and if they used end-of-life bikes on purpose it could potentially be a net positive...

George Bell reposted

Replying to @george.borkbork.ca

Yes, they were supposed to salvage everything and return them to the city. They can easily be removed and salvaged (if not broken), if they know what they are doing. As they claim they did

x.comSiobhan Morris (@siomoCTV) on XHappening now on Bloor at Islington. Construction workers remove a transit platform where cyclists had been protesting. One person has been arrested after sitting and refusing to leave

Hey #biketo this is one of the 6 remaining subway stations that isn't fully accessible...probably could be an injunction just for this...cc: @cycletoronto.bsky.social www.ttc.ca/subway-stati...

ttc.caIslington Station

George Bell@george.borkbork.ca

@kayehm.bsky.social looks like they are destroying the bus stop...couldn't this have been reused? x.com/i/status/211...

@kayehm.bsky.social looks like they are destroying the bus stop...couldn't this have been reused? x.com/i/status/211...

Good to see this important change in language and bigger tent focus from @cycletoronto.bsky.social …hoping we can also see a scooter ride, and maybe even a delivery rider ride in the near future…. They aren’t just bike lanes!

I’ll just add that a big push to add adaptive bikes and e-scooters to the Toronto BikeShare system is long overdue, and these rides would be even better attended if we had a fleet of adaptive bikes that could be easily rented…like Hamilton and Detroit…

Also, can I suggest a limited return to X, explicitly to directly and publicly engage with the mayor, councillors, MPPs and the premier. I think we all understand the reservations many have about Elons site. But use it for what it is, a place to engage with people in power in a public way.

Legend!

Ashley@ashleyquan.bsky.social

The Toronto Police arrested Aly Van Wyck-Smart, a Paralympian with cerebral palsy who was protecting part of the bike lane from removal. On the bright side, the construction workers put the bollards back and said we'd won for the day.

George Bell reposted

Tom Flood

@tomflood.bsky.social

Replying to @tomflood.bsky.social

rOAD SAfeTy iS A SHarED REspOnsIBiLiTY 🎥 @cycletoronto.bsky.social

Legend!

Just move them to the car lane. Problem solved.

Sean Marshall@seanyyz.bsky.social

There are tacks and nails in the bike lanes here.

George Bell reposted

Some construction background info so y'all are equipped: Paving and line marking have limited temperature windows. Ideally it's above 5-7C and dry (the hotter and dryer the better). Anything below that and the materials don't work so good. Overnight work is best due to traffic management, but..

Lanrick Bennett@lanrickbennett.bsky.social

Who’s Streets? Our Streets! #BikeTO

George Bell reposted

toronto.caRoad RestrictionsUse this map and list to find better travel routes around the City and avoid disruptions. All information is subject to change without notice.

You can also keep eyes on the intersection here. There are 2 cameras at Islington and Bloor (Zoom into map, turn on camera layer) www.toronto.ca/services-pay...

Kanchan@kayehm.bsky.social

Here we go. Do your thing.

George Bell reposted

Replying to @kayehm.bsky.social

Same place you see the work permit - turn on the "camera" layer and zoom in for a live view of the 2 cameras

@theomoudakis.bsky.social

I've been told the algorithm on the other site is not good for progressives...but we're all over there having a grand old time ratioing the transportation minister tonite... #biketo

George Bell reposted

Theo Moudakis

Please enjoy my cartoon for Wednesday's Toronto Star

#biketo - here are the public phone numbers of the company...feel free to let them know what you think...they should be awake right now...

George Bell@george.borkbork.ca

Verdi Alliance Civil is what's showing up for me...Bolton...google gives a number of contact numbers...am I reading this correctly?

Looks like about 22m$ in business with the city... www.toronto.ca/business-eco...

ecoplanning.caVideos: Electric bicycles for wheelchairs - Ecopath PlanningCarlos de Albert Ysamat used to drive everywhere in Barcelona. But when he got what he calls his “electric bicycle […]

This is the sort of big tent thinking we need in the BikeLane debates... It's not just a bike lane! #biketo

Eric Doherty@ericdoherty.bsky.social

The bike and roll lanes Doug Ford is now trying to destroy are used by people on wheelchairs and (3&4 wheel) mobility scooters. Many people who don't ride bicycles use 'bike lanes' including Carlos in Barcelona, Oda in #Toronto and Isabelle in London. #biketo #onpoli #wheelchair