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[surrey_sucks]

Today I spent the entire day inside. My landlords are re-doing their roof, so there was debris everywhere, some blocking my door for a while. As inconvenient as it was, I didn't mind so much (although Simon was dying to go out), as I didn't have any plans to go anywhere, plus, it was cooler in my place, even with the windows closed (I had to keep

Comments

[nicosian]

We noted the other day that translink could use a few tips from TTC transit. We've had a few subway line outages but blammo! and the Transit authority has busses on the quick to get people moving. Translink, when an issue occurs on the bus routes or skytrain, needs an extra 45min to find their freaking ass with a map.

I understand what Critical Mass was attempting to do but it's only serving now to aggravate the public and does nothing for the road sharing harmony. When I was in Holland, cyclists and motorists just know the rules apply to both, bikes tend to get more right of way due to their smaller size and no one gets shoved off the road. Critical Mass is no longer doing what it's intended goal is, it's only aggravating people. But I noticed in Van, that there's a lot more aggro spandex bike jocks, and they think it's a game to ride up on slower rider's asses, and dodge through traffic. ( I didn't see aggro riding in Holland. what's the point there?)

And the bulk of bikes: its why I'm getting a folding one. People here tend to respect bike lanes, but manuevering a bike on transit or on our elevators is a right bitch. We had one guy with I swear, the biggest mountain bike I've ever seen....

I hated the cyclists on skytrain who'd prop their bike up on the stanchion, and go sit down. One guy would holler if people even looked at the bike "don't touch my bike!"

Ok, so we didn't, and when it fell over and got tangled in the stanchion, you deserved it, jerkass.

[surrey_sucks]

Critical Mass is no longer doing what it's intended goal is, it's only aggravating people.

Exactly.

I really hate the mentality of the cyclists in this city. Not just the aggressiveness, but the mentality of, "Why doesn't everyone bike everywhere?" People suggest that I bike to school, for example. Uh, I don't think so! First, how the hell can you bike in dresses and boots? I don't like looking like garbage and like to dress up. I can't bike in my clothes. And bringing a change of clothes is not possible, for a variety of reasons. Second, I would be too sweaty upon arrival of my destination. Don't people sweat when biking? I know I would! Isn't walking and taking transit environmentally friendly enough? Why must I bike! Oh, yeah, because biking is the cool thing to do! Maybe I can bike to Wreck Beach and smoke a joint there! *rolls eyes*

[nicosian]

Lots of workplaces and stuff here have lockers and showers. If you're gunning like it's the Tour De France, you sweat. The more leisurly, moderate paced commuters on bikes that I saw in holland, people weren't sweating like hell, also I suspect because they don't have to gun to keep up with traffic.

Here, same, you don't HAVE to pace cars. I will be getting a bike soon I suspect, I actually quite like riding them, I just don't subscribe to the bike counterculture stuff.

( also holland is relatively flat. less hills to contend with. )

I get monsterously sweaty on transit or walking, biking makes no difference to me.

Downtown here you can buy memberships in the "bike station" which is a secure lockup, and has showers. People DO need to give up cars, which is what draws me to europe, you don't NEED a car. I like that it's walk, bike, transit, and maybe a car if it's a lot of you and you're all going one place. It only makes sense to me.

I had a bike in Van for two weeks but couldn't cope with the lance wannabees and the drivers with a grudge and there's very little bike lanes, what there is, is patchwork and the cars don't give a fuck.

I've seen people in boots and skirts and way more out of shape than I, rocking the bikes here.

One can ride a bike and not go all granola. It's just Vancouver that has to do that! Arg. I don't miss the pothead culture there a bit.Amsterdam is less potheady, for fucks sake.( mind you, the dutch are all about moderation, which I adore.)

[surrey_sucks]

Well, I don't have a job, nor have I ever had a job, where there are fancy showers and whatnot--low paying retail jobs don't provide luxuries, such as showers, vacation time, or an adequate lunch break. And as I said, bringing a change of clothes is not an option. My bag is heavy enough with school stuff, I can't lug clothing around. And if I took a shower at school, which is not a possibility, my hair would be wet. Logistically, biking is not an option for me! I hate biking! So don't try and suggest reasons why it is possible. I have thought about it, and concluded that biking is not an option for me, given my lifestyle and habits.

One can ride a bike and not go all granola. It's just Vancouver that has to do that!

What is wrong with Vancouver? I really need to move out of this horrible city. The people....what is wrong with them?!

[nicosian]

I wasn't suggesting it, simmer down. I like that TO has the bike station, to cater to bike commuters. Neat idea. But don't get mad at me. I didn't say you had to get on a bike.

I was just saying that more workplaces are accommodating it, and that it's not impossible to be a bike commuter and not look like sweaty rat. That the more average people who get on bikes instead of jocks and the hippy protester set, the better.

Don't like it, don't do it. I don't care why. I just think other cities are adapting to bike commuters better, or have done it for so long it's no effin big deal, but halifax, and Vancouver had critical mass, and yeah, halifax is as emo-granola-protest crap as Van.

Vancouver has a lot going for it but they need to shed the hippy/dimwit culture and act like a major city. They're certainly charging enough in rent for it!

I don't expect to bike every day, rain or shine, I'm not that hard core. I'd like to be able to bike the waterfront. I actually liked biking. Just not the assholes on bikes that were around me, a newbie rider.

[surrey_sucks]

Sorry, but you sounded like all the people who are trying to convince me why biking is an option.

they need to shed the hippy/dimwit culture and act like a major city. They're certainly charging enough in rent for it!

Exactly. This is one of the many things I hate about this city! We're considered a "major world-class city", but it doesn't feel that way towards me, especially when I can't get home at 11:30pm because it's a Sunday or holiday.

[nicosian]

I didn't mean it to come across that way, just outlining the way "big "cities handle it as opposed to Vancouver and smaller cities. I'd have kept a bike in Van just for riding the seawall, to be honest, if it was easier to GET there, but downtown the bike lanes were so random. One block had em, the next did not.)

I love vancouver, but I'm not sure we'd return. R wasn't getting paid remotely what he was worth there, vs the cost of homes. Even Toronto's out of reach, hence looking to europe.

TTC runs most of it's lines till 2 am or so? London, 4 am. I never did figure out amsterdam, but cardiff all the busses ran every 7-9 minutes, and the underground had strict measures in place to avoid delaying people.

Hell TTC here lets you take pets on board, as Sera demonstrated.

Vancouver's grown quite fast, and has some issues to work out. Lovely people, some morons ( of which I swear you find all of em!) but not so good on the cost of living and commuting. months before we left, Skytrain would lock up in Sept as back to school hit and I was also facing 45 min waits to get home at 8 am because there's not enough trains, or long enough.

It's like they don't "get" how many people are trying to use commuting other than cars.

Some of us just want to bike without the radical crap, and those radical fools make the situation worse by fostering ill will towards cyclists. Too bad CM can't see it that way. I don't agree with tying up traffic to make a point how you'd like to be respected on the road. Arggh.

[surrey_sucks]

those radical fools make the situation worse by fostering ill will towards cyclists.

Yeah. Between them and the assholes riding on the sidewalk, acting like they have the right of way on them, I am really beginning to dislike cyclists.

Cyclists are like kids who bully others because they are getting bullied. They are getting "bullied" by drivers, so must take it out on pedestrians. In the end, due to their (the cyclists') actions, the pedestrians are the ones who lose out. Vancouver is not very pedestrian friendly.

[nicosian]

Not all cyclists are bad. I'd hazard most are decent. It's that one dick that has to ruin it for everyone. It's a law, there's ALWAYS "that guy",in any crowd, group, who thinks the rules don't apply to him. It's a percentage or something, the more people, the more dickheads. It varies by city. Halifax had a high dickhead ratio, Vancouver's moderate, Toronto, I suspect is lower because being a dickhead here will get you smacked down faster by sheer volume of people. The city wouldn't function if we had a higher dickhead ratio.

We have really wide sidewalks here so sometimes cyclists use it, and I don't blame them. It's the speed demon slalom with the pedestrians that I might just jam a stick in the wheel and teach em a lesson.

Halifax was bad, pedestrians acted like they ruled the roost, and add in a few aggro drivers, and the place is chaos.

[surrey_sucks]

In Vancouver, the ratio of dickheads to normal people is skewed. We have far too many dickheads. Probably because many dickheads from Toronto or wherever come here (there are so many people who aren't originally from Vancouver).

I don't care if a cyclist is using the sidewalk, if there is room, and they are being respectful of pedestrians. But if I am on one side of the sidewalk and there is plenty of room to go around me, don't steer right into me and expect me to move!

[nicosian]

You could send some of em back, but I dont want em!

and those sorts of cyclists are the ones that should get a stick in the spokes.

[geek_dragon]

amen to vancouver sucking.

[surrey_sucks]

Oh does it ever!

[geek_dragon]

in defense of this person, i found her comment informative.

[geek_dragon]

bike to wreck with those stairs???