Sidewalk Cycling: to Ride or Not to Ride?

I admit that I sometimes ride my bike on the sidewalk, usually with my kids or along certain busy roadways with very few pedestrians.  Of course, I use extra caution, as motorists at driveways and intersections are not expecting cyclists, and I'm courteous to pedestrians by ringing my bell in advance and passing on the grass.  This video by the Bicycle League of American Cyclists does a great job explaining the risks:



Is sidewalk cycling legal?  According to Every Cyclist's Guide to Canadian Law:

"Traffic laws in Ontario do not specifically prohibit riding on sidewalks.  Restrictions on cycling on sidewalks can be regulated by municipal by-laws."  

In 2014, the City of Toronto amended it's bylaw to state that no person age 14 and older (rather than based on wheel size) may ride a bicycle on a sidewalk.  The fine for an adult who rides a bicycle on a sidewalk shall be $60.  The intent of this bylaw is to allow young children to cycle on the sidewalk while they learn to ride.

Here's a summary of the cycling on sidewalk laws in York Region:

Municipality	Bylaw No.	Definition(s)	Relevant Clause(s)	Adults Allowed Cycling on Sidewalk
City of Markham	106-71: Traffic	“Bicycle” includes tricycle or unicycle with a wheel or wheels of more than 24 inches in diameter.	15) No person shall ride a bicycle with a wheel or wheels more than 24 inches in diameter upon a sidewalk on any road.	NO (but $2 fine!)
Town of Richmond Hill	N/A	N/A	Traffic Bylaw Not Available	YES
City of Vaughan	284-94	“Bicycle” includes a tricycle having a wheel or wheels of more than 60 centimetres in diameter.	1)       “Where official signs to that effect are erected and on display, no bicyclist may travel on any sidewalk section set out in schedule A” Schedule A is blank	YES
Town of Aurora	4574-04.T	“Bicycle includes a tricycle having a wheel or wheels of more than 60 centimetres in diameter.	No Clause	YES
Town of King	N/A	N/A	Traffic Bylaw Not Available	YES
Town of East Gwillimbury	2014-048	“Bicycle” includes a two or three wheeled non-motorized vehicle having wheels of more than 60 centimetres in diameter.	1)       “No person shall ride a bicycle or a motor-assisted bicycle with a wheel or wheels more than sixty (60) centimetres in diameter upon a sidewalk on any highway”	NO
Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville	2008-147-TR	“Bicycle” includes a tricycle and unicycle but does not include a motor assisted bicycle.	1)       “No person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk on any highway”	NO
Town of Georgina	2001-0046 (TR-1)	“Bicycle” includes a tricycle having a wheel or wheels or more than 60 centimeters in diameter.	1)       “No person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk on any highway”	NO
Town of Newmarket	2011-24	“Bicycle” is a device propelled solely by human power, upon which a person may ride either on or astride a regular seat attached thereto, including a tricycle and unicycle, but excluding children’s bicycles or toy vehicle.	1)       “A person driving a bicycle, power assisted bicycle, moped or motor assisted bicycles upon a roadway shall not: (c) Ride a bicycle, power assisted  bicycle, moped or a motor assisted bicycle with a wheel or wheels more than sixty (60) centimetres in diameter upon a sidewalk on any roadway”	NO

Main Street in Newmarket has specific pavement markings clearly indicating no sidewalk cycling.  This makes sense because of the pedestrian activity, and the number of store entrances right next to the sidewalk makes it hazardous if cyclists and pedestrians were mixed.

The problem with sidewalk cycling as I see it is the risky behaviour of some cyclists.  Here's an example at the Dufferin/407 interchange in Vaughan.  The sidewalk cyclist is riding against traffic, does not slow down at the intersection, and does not have a bike light.  To make matters worse, the sight lines for right-turning motorists coming off the ramp are restricted by the guiderail and bridge.  These drivers will be looking the opposite way to see if it's clear to turn, and may barely slow down.  The cyclist was lucky this time around, but it will catch up with him eventually.  

Advocate for better cycling facilities.  In the mean time, if you do choose to ride on the sidewalk because it's the best option, ride smart!

Winter Bike to Work Day

A couple of weeks ago, I learned about International Bike to Work Day on Feb 13, 2015.  I was up for the challenge and immediately signed up to ride that day.  I've ridden in cold weather before, but only about minus 5C or warmer.  When that morning came, the temperature read -22C (-33C with the windchill), but it was a clear sunny day, and I remained undaunted.  My original plan was to combine biking and transit for the 35 km, but I didn't have that much time to spare, so I threw my bike in the back of my truck, parked about 10 km away from work, and biked the rest of the way.

Here I am riding the Tom Taylor Trail (check out the bare pavement):

I have a few observations from my winter ride:

1. I was quite warm, though my fingers and toes started to get uncomfortable toward the end.  I could have used warmer boots and gloves (mitts) to help with this.
2. My mountain bike took more effort than I expected, particularly up the hills, for several reasons:
- slower bike than I'm used to (thicker tires, no clip-in shoes)
- terrain is a little rough in the winter
- things don't lubricate as well in the cold (e.g. my bike wouldn't shift to low gear for an unknown reason)
3. Newmarket has awesome winter trail maintenance; Aurora does not
4. It was a fun way to start the day and I'd definitely like to do it more often.
5. Most people I talk to think it's crazy to bike in winter.  It's certainly not considered normal in the 905.

I find it interesting to see which cities have high participation in winter bike to work day.  It's an indicator that they have normalized winter cycling.

# of Participants in 2015 Winter Bike to Work Day
York Region - 3 (including me)
Mississauga - 2
Brampton - 2
Hamilton - 13
Toronto - 44
Peterborough - 44
Thunder Bay - 21
Ottawa - 115
Montreal - 292
Winnipeg - 179
Saskatoon - 38
Edmonton - 219
Calgary - 292
Ankorage - 194
Minneapolis - 275
Halifax - 62

2015 Winter Bike to Work Day made headlines in some Canadian cities: Edmonton | Halifax | Winnipeg

I'm hoping that it will catch on here in York Region too.

Blast from the past - Maple to Downsview

I found this video I took a few years ago of my bike commute from Maple (Keele/Major Mackenzie) to Downsview (Keele/Wilson) area of Toronto.  It's about 18 km, which typically took me about 45-55 minutes on my road bike.  I've moved and changed jobs since then, so no longer ride it.  But between 2007 and 2012, I rode it hundreds of times.  I'd sometimes vary the route, depending on my mood, or whether I was pressed for time, or wanted to explore a new area.  Every ride gave me time to think, and pump my lungs, and feel the wind against my face.

This video is 4x actual speed, so looks a lot scarier than it actually was.  And yes, I rode on the sidewalk, cautiously and courteously, for some of busy high speed roads with infrequent pedestrians encounters (e.g. Keele from Steeles to Langstaff).  It needs some cycling infrastructure.


My Bike Commute in Sept 2011 from Shawn Smith on Vimeo.

The Finch hydro corridor trail opened in 2012, providing an off-street east-west connection on my route to the Dufferin Street bike lanes north of Steeles, and on to the Bartley Smith Greenway.  But it was several km of out-of-way travel, so I stuck with my original route most of the time.

In the next few years, there are plans for dedicated bike facilities on Keele Street from Steeles to Hwy 7, as well as on Hwy 7 in Vaughan, and others.  Things are looking up!

Cyclists from around York Region

Here are a few candid shots from around York Region.

Group ride on Keele Street in King Township.

Family on Major Mackenzie @ Dufferin in Vaughan

 Tannery/GO Station Parking lot, Newmarket

Tom Taylor Trail, Newmarket

Tom Taylor Trail, Newmarket

Dufferin Street approaching Major Mackenzie (on road even though there is a multi-use path in the boulevard)

I spotted this guy crossing High Tech Road in Richmond Hill.

A January ride in DC

In January 2014, I was in Washington DC for a conference and took the opportunity to take Capital Bikeshare for a spin.  It was actually the most convenient way to go between the conference hotels.  With 2500 bikes and 300 stations, it is more connected and expansive system than Toronto's 800 bikes and 80 stations.  Check out Capital Bikeshare's data page with an impressive performance metrics dashboard.

Here's a look at some of the DC sights and infrastructure from my self-guided tour.

Bike box to get in position ahead of the queue:

Sharrow intersection crossing along a two-way cycletrack:

Bollards and parked cars provide segregation from cars:

Peds watch for bikes:

Cyclists stop for peds:

White House selfie:

I loved these clever graffiti messages on bike lane stop bars:

Crossing a driveway, green dashed bike lane:

 Left-turn lane for cyclists:

Trail-a-bike

Wayfinding:

This bike was picked clean!

Rock Creek Parkway

All along the path were stations for different exercises.  This one is sit-ups.

Trail crossing.  The refuge island makes crossing easier.

I encountered this bike share station vandalized.

I spotted this solar/pedal-powered trike!  Organic Transit sells them for $5000.  I can dream :)

Embrace Winter

I recently read the book Frostbike, by Tom Babin.  Going in, I had a lot of questions about whether year-round cycling is a realistic option for most people.  The book is a refreshingly inspiring take on winter. Winter cycling is certainly doable, and very common in many cities. How do we get there?  Firstly, we have to personally plan for it by choosing the right bike equipment and clothing.  Secondly, our city needs to support winter cycling through adequate infrastructure and maintenance.  However, what's the main thing holding us back?: our attitude.

Some quotes from Frostbike:

"Bike infrastructure can work wonders for most of the year, and having it used less frequently for a few winter months doesn’t negate its need." 

"Our personal and collective outlooks on winter are key to the mass acceptance of year-round cycling."... "A city that encourages year-round cycling helps normalize it."... "The three most bike-friendly cities in North America have harsh winters: Montreal, Minneapolis, and Anchorage"

"When women, children, and the elderly, not just aggressive young men, start to see the bike as an easy way to go shopping, to school, or to work, then our cities will start to enjoy improvements in our street life, our economy, our health, and our transportation systems."

I snapped this photo in a Toronto a few years ago.  But the truth is, most of our winter days aren't this extreme.  We tend to exaggerate our winter weather.

I would say that most of the neighbourhood residential streets in York Region are quite bike-friendly all year round.  Rural and arterial roads are a different story, but getting better as each new project gets built.  As for the trails, try a Fat Bike!

Remember the ice storm last December?  Well, there was at least one winter enthusiast at the Richmond Hill GO Station.

My main takeaway from Frostbike: Get outside and embrace winter, whether it's cycling or another type of outdoor adventure.  It makes the winter season a lot more fun!

Imagine a car-free Major Mackenzie, teeming with people!

Before the 2014 Santafest Parade in Maple, as people started lining the route, I took the opportunity to bike along Major Mackenzie from Wonderland to Vaughan City Hall without any traffic.  What great fun to experience this road from a different perspective and without having to worry about traffic zipping past me.



Imagine this street with hundreds of other people running, walking, cycling, rollarblading, dancing, and having fun!  It's called an Open Streets event.

Open Streets are programs where the streets are opened to people and closed to cars. People traffic replaces car traffic, and the streets become “paved parks” where everyone and anyone can come out to get active, improve their health and have fun.

Toronto is doing it.  Thunder Bay is. video | article.  Maybe we'll see this happen in the City of Vaughan one day?  It would be good for community-building, public health, and even businesses along the route.  And it would certainly open some minds and get people out of their cars.


The Rise of Open Streets from STREETFILMS on Vimeo.