My view of Canada

[xtinab 0]

Wow! I think BB and I are almost the opposite. Columbus is very car heavy and our location here, its not pedestrian oriented at all, but the roads are SO much calmer! Driving in TO is soo much more stressful. I can see what BB was complaining about after I had been to Columbus. The driving in TO was so much crazier. My apartment was midtown, Eglinton and Avenue, and when he came, Obviously I took him downtown. The roads and the streetcar tracks drove him crazy, not to mention the busses all over the place. Nothing like that in his town.

[The_Dude 1,142]

I'm from Los Angeles, birthplace of driveby shootings and road rage......

Here, the car reigns supreme. In some cities around L.A., Jaywalking tickets are upwards of $180 My personal pet peeve is bicyclists. They get their very own lane on most major streets here, but some of them feel that they need to use the left turn lane when they want to turn. Use the crosswalk, its faster for you and for people in cars. /rant

I have tried to get my fiance to attempt driving around the city here in Los Angels, just to get used to it so it won't be such of a shock when she moves here, but thus far I have been unsuccessful. I can understand her apprehension completely. People here drive like its a Formula One raceday.

[Emancipation 2]

My personal pet peeve is bicyclists. They get their very own lane on most major streets here, but some of them feel that they need to use the left turn lane when they want to turn. Use the crosswalk, its faster for you and for people in cars. /rant

nope.. it's doesn't work that way.. sidewalks and crosswalks are for pedestrians.. the road is for moving things like buses, cars & bikes.. I HATE it when bikers use the crosswalks and sidewalks

[MrsCat 6]

My personal pet peeve is bicyclists. They get their very own lane on most major streets here, but some of them feel that they need to use the left turn lane when they want to turn. Use the crosswalk, its faster for you and for people in cars. /rant

nope.. it's doesn't work that way.. sidewalks and crosswalks are for pedestrians.. the road is for moving things like buses, cars & bikes.. I HATE it when bikers use the crosswalks and sidewalks

I hate when they make use of both and you're never really sure which one they're going to access next.

(looks over shoulder for Platy)

I hate bicyclists on the road (shhhhhhhhh).

[Emancipation 2]

My personal pet peeve is bicyclists. They get their very own lane on most major streets here, but some of them feel that they need to use the left turn lane when they want to turn. Use the crosswalk, its faster for you and for people in cars. /rant

nope.. it's doesn't work that way.. sidewalks and crosswalks are for pedestrians.. the road is for moving things like buses, cars & bikes.. I HATE it when bikers use the crosswalks and sidewalks

yep that's a problem too... bikers need to get some manners too..

[warlord 73]

I work partially with the Bike and Ped plans for the city here and I can tell you bicyclists piss me off a great deal in this city. On the boards we have the bicylists are all about them and rights for them, but yet they ignore the traffic rules all the time. Running red lights, riding on the sidewalks, cutting through traffic etc. Then complain about the Car traffic when they are in the middle of a traffic lane (with ample side on the side of the road for them) slowing down everyone.

We have one of our big parks here a path that's split one for pedestrians and the other for bikes/rollerblades etc. On so many occasions bikes ride in the pedestrian lanes and there have been many issues with them hitting pedestrians. I've been tempted many times when spotting a bike comming my way on the sidewalk or hearing them comming from be hind me to just suddenly move in their way and getting them charged. Ugh it's so damn irritating.

P.S. on the LA driving thing, I've driven in about 95% of major and semi major US cities and LA traffic is actually one I have no problems with. Just a little more packed, but I've never had issues there (been driving there for over a decade). Now Washington DC and I-4 in Florida on the other hand, or I-94 in Destroit is another story. Those are my 3 worst driving spots in the country. Turn signals (never used), cutting off (all the time), tailgaiting (mandatory) etc...

[The_Dude 1,142]

Warlord,

Have you encountered a group called Critical Mass? Holy #######, they are like the ghestappo on bikes.

I too have driven in most cities in the U.S. and find that Los Angeles and Boston are by far the worst. I live 23 miles away from my job...... which takes me 2 hours to get home

It's annoying, but as my fiance tells me .... Nothing I can do about it....

[Emancipation 2]

Warlord,

Have you encountered a group called Critical Mass? Holy #######, they are like the ghestappo on bikes.

I too have driven in most cities in the U.S. and find that Los Angeles and Boston are by far the worst. I live 23 miles away from my job...... which takes me 2 hours to get home

It's annoying, but as my fiance tells me .... Nothing I can do about it....

we have critical mass here in the city.. New Haven needs it though.. it's like Russian roulette around here if you ride a bike (or are a pedestrian)

[The_Dude 1,142]

The Critical Mass group here are A-Holes!!!! They refuse to ride in the bike lane, or even the right lane. They insist upon riding in the left or middle lanes, and use the left turn lane. When they have their monthly event here in Santa Monica, CA, they try to disrupt as much auto traffic as possible.

Bikes belong in the bike lane, and crosswalks for turns. They are allowed to use crosswalks here.

[trailmix 77]

Please just remember that the person on the bike is someones Son or Daughter, my Son has been hit by a car, while on his bike, twice.

No reflection on anything anyone has said here, just got me to thinking about it.

[Reba 2]

Wow! I think BB and I are almost the opposite. Columbus is very car heavy and our location here, its not pedestrian oriented at all, but the roads are SO much calmer! Driving in TO is soo much more stressful. I can see what BB was complaining about after I had been to Columbus. The driving in TO was so much crazier. My apartment was midtown, Eglinton and Avenue, and when he came, Obviously I took him downtown. The roads and the streetcar tracks drove him crazy, not to mention the busses all over the place. Nothing like that in his town.

One of the busiest intersections in Toronto is at Yonge and Eglinton. I've sat at the corner trying to turn right onto Young from Eglinton for nearly half an hour sometimes! If you're in that neighbourhood during rush hours, better hope you went potty before you left home

My Gramma used to live on Avenue Rd not far from there, my sister lived just off of Eglinton and Rohampton (??? IIRC somewhere around there) and I used to work up Yonge a couple of blocks. Still have an Aunt and a Cousin who live just up Yonge St. too, its crazy traffic around there, both car and pedestrian. I prefer to walk around there than drive.

I try to avoid downtown with all the streetcar tracks as much as possible, but I lived at Coxwell & Girard for a couple of years, with a streetcar stop right outside my door. I didn't need to drive much when I lived there, except to work, because it was quicker to drive than to take transit. But if we were going anywhere downtown, we'd take the streetcar. Plus the bus ran 24/7, so all-nighters weren't much of a problem.

Where I live now, we don't even have Greyhound

[SpiritAlight 1]

Wow.

Such animosity for the cyclists.

Must be because you have never tried the fun ride with the Critical Mass group.

I did it sometimes in Vancouver; have not hooked up with the Chicago clan, and now is not the time. Brrrr....

There is a militant part of the cyclist riders that not every one agrees with.

However, having been a cyclist for my whole life, I can see how and why they got to those conclusions.

Remember:

"We're not blocking traffic, we are traffic!"

I like that chant.

B)

[Marilyn. 340]

what bugs me about traffic in LA is some of the motorcycle drivers... they weave in out of traffic like they own the road and I have even seen a few using the carpool lane...

[Sprailenes 47]

Wow.

Such animosity for the cyclists.

Must be because you have never tried the fun ride with the Critical Mass group.

I did it sometimes in Vancouver; have not hooked up with the Chicago clan, and now is not the time. Brrrr....

There is a militant part of the cyclist riders that not every one agrees with.

However, having been a cyclist for my whole life, I can see how and why they got to those conclusions.

Remember:

"We're not blocking traffic, we are traffic!"

I like that chant.

B)

No, if a cyclist wants to be the traffic then they can pedal faster if they want to drive in front of me.

[SpiritAlight 1]

Wow.

Such animosity for the cyclists.

Must be because you have never tried the fun ride with the Critical Mass group.

I did it sometimes in Vancouver; have not hooked up with the Chicago clan, and now is not the time. Brrrr....

There is a militant part of the cyclist riders that not every one agrees with.

However, having been a cyclist for my whole life, I can see how and why they got to those conclusions.

Remember:

"We're not blocking traffic, we are traffic!"

I like that chant.

B)

No, if a cyclist wants to be the traffic then they can pedal faster if they want to drive in front of me.