Cycling in Waterloo Region

[creative]

Look at all the walkers and cyclists being inconvienienced in that photo! He was probably there for 2 or 3 minutes. I'm sure that he has a schedule to follow and would get reprimanded if he deviated from it. Stop sweating the small stuff!

[Pheidippides]

Actually I try not to get by-standers in my photos when possible.

So in additional to myself, there were two cyclists that had just gone around the truck, and at least one pedestrian. There is also a GRT stop right in front of the truck so the bus could not pull to the curb properly. It also blocked cars trying get in or out of one driveway and slowed cars coming out of the Caley driveway because they could not see what was coming SB on Park. And that was just in the 30sec I was walking by.

UPS sweats the small stuff to the tune of logging individual key-strokes to make their company more efficient. If cities were as anal and did the same to ensure their transportation networks worked efficiently for all users we wouldn't be having this discussion (again).

[danbrotherston]

Look at all the walkers and cyclists being inconvienienced in that photo! He was probably there for 2 or 3 minutes. I'm sure that he has a schedule to follow and would get reprimanded if he deviated from it. Stop sweating the small stuff!

Actually I try not to get by-standers in my photos when possible.

So in additional to myself, there were two cyclists that had just gone around the truck, and at least one pedestrian. ...

UPS sweats the small stuff to the tune of logging individual key-strokes to make their company more efficient. If cities were as anal and did the same to ensure their transportation networks worked efficiently for all users we wouldn't be having this discussion (again).

If that's your photo, that's one of two photos of that same truck (I assumed it was mine from twitter, as it's identical in appearance).  He's there every day that I've seen, at 5:20 during rush hour, blocking one of the busiest cycling routes in the city.  There were a half dozen cyclists who passed by while I was taking my photo and several pedestrians.

In any case, it's not small stuff, it's my safety.  I shouldn't have to move into traffic, with cars which may or may not wait calmly behind me, that's why there's a bike lane.  I've been hit by a car once this year already.  I have no interest in repeating that experience.  And as for the sidewalk, most people can walk around it, anyone using a mobility device, or a stroller, less so, the numbers don't even matter.

That's basically what the cyclist behind me said, and this grinds my gears.  This isn't something we should accept.

....

Unfortunately, for a company like UPS that has the cost of each additional keystroke figured out ($100,000) none of these options make economic sense for them.

Then the answer is very simple, the city should fine them until it makes economic sense to follow the law and stop endangering people.  As is, the city outright refuses to even fine them for breaking the law.  Which really frustrates me.  If I parked a car in the bike lane and went into a house for a few minutes and someone calls bylaw, I could get a ticket, but because that van says UPS, they won't.  Basically I'm angry at everyone .

Also, I would think that stopping in the vehicle lane would take less time even for the driver.  If the city was unwilling to confront UPS on this issue, but still wanted to care about cyclists, they would require drivers to stop in the vehicle lane.

[panamaniac]

Has the City confirmed a policy of not ticketing delivery vans found blocking bicycle lanes? I'm rather surprised at the idea.

[danbrotherston]

Has the City confirmed a policy of not ticketing delivery vans found blocking bicycle lanes?  I'm rather surprised at the idea.

So was I, but they have on several occasions explicitly confirmed that they will not ticket delivery vehicles making deliveries---in bike lanes for sure, I guess I never thought to ask about sidewalks.

[creative]

Maybe it's a generational thing but I find it strange when people post photos and complain about things online when they know that doing so will not accomplish anything. "Hey look at this, it annoys the heck out of me. I now feel so much better now that I have done that!" Life is way too short to be angry all of the time. But if that makes you happy, good on you.

[jamincan]

On the contrary, it's actually been shown to get quick results on countless occasions

[danbrotherston]

Maybe it's a generational thing but I find it strange when people post photos and complain about things online when they know that doing so will not accomplish anything. "Hey look at this, it annoys the heck out of me. I now feel so much better now that I have done that!" Life is way too short to be angry all of the time. But if that makes you happy, good on you.

Life's too fragile to sit back and let other's endanger it?  

When it comes right down too it, I'm going to advocate for changes I believe in, that includes safer cycling.  I don't know if posting on Twitter is the most effective thing I can do, I'm open to suggestions if you have better ideas, but I'm not going to sit back and accept the current situation.

[creative]

All that I am saying is that with local homelessness, child poverty, opioid and other drug problems not to mention high rates of suicide; freaking out about a delivery van stopped briefly blocking a bike lane and sidewalk seams pretty trivial to me.

[Pheidippides]

I also share my concerns local council members electronically or when I see them at a public event.

I don't think politely building greater awareness of an issue, no matter how trivial it is considered, can be construed as "freaking out."

[danbrotherston]

All that I am saying is that with local homelessness, child poverty, opioid and other drug problems not to mention high rates of suicide; freaking out about a delivery van stopped briefly blocking a bike lane and sidewalk seams pretty trivial to me.

You can care about or focus on those issues if you like.  I agree they're important, but please don't trivialize the issues I feel are important.  I respect your right to feel more strongly, or act for the issues you care about, please grant me the same.

I'll also take a moment to tell you why I feel so strongly about cycling and active transportation:

1.  Climate change: Transportation is > 50% of our carbon emissions.  Enabling active transportation is essential to reducing them.
2.  Equality:  Cars are expensive, building a city where it is possible and safe to walk and bike, and a city which has effective public transit gives more equal access to transportation (something of great economic value) than one where you must own a car to effectively get around.
3.  Personal:  I bike, my loved ones bike, I'd very much like for us to be safe when doing so.

I realize that not everyone will agree with or prioritize cycling the same, and that's fine, but it really bugs me when people argue that I shouldn't care about the issues I care about--and that's how I perceived your response.  Like I said, if you feel there are more effective ways to advocate for the issues I care about, let me know, but it feels to me like you're arguing I'm caring about the wrong things.

[danbrotherston]

I also share my concerns local council members electronically or when I see them at a public event.

I don't think politely building greater awareness of an issue, no matter how trivial it is considered, can be construed as "freaking out."

Lol, I'll admit that my passion can be construed as "freaking out" from time to time , I won't speak for others though .

[tomh009]

1.  Climate change: Transportation is > 50% of our carbon emissions.  Enabling active transportation is essential to reducing them.

Transportation is 28% of CO2 emissions in Canada.
http://climatechangeconnection.org/emiss...by-sector/

Of that, road transportation is about two thirds (or about 19%); the remainder is primarily air and rail.

That said, I very much do agree with reducing our GHG emissions.  (Note that we should also eat less beef, cows emit massive amounts of methane, which is far worse for the climate than CO2.)

[MacBerry]

All that I am saying is that with local homelessness, child poverty, opioid and other drug problems not to mention high rates of suicide; freaking out about a delivery van stopped briefly blocking a bike lane and sidewalk seams pretty trivial to me.

I have learned and observed (as you have now)  one thing over the years ... never comment NEGATIVELY on bike issues or challenge someone posting about bicycle rights supersede all others. I learned the bicycle group on here is often like a small organised group and they are always right and they won't let a comment go ... it's their way or no way in terms of reason. 

Let the lashing begin.

[danbrotherston]

1.  Climate change: Transportation is > 50% of our carbon emissions.  Enabling active transportation is essential to reducing them.

Transportation is 28% of CO2 emissions in Canada.
http://climatechangeconnection.org/emiss...by-sector/

Of that, road transportation is about two thirds (or about 19%); the remainder is primarily air and rail.

That said, I very much do agree with reducing our GHG emissions.  (Note that we should also eat less beef, cows emit massive amounts of methane, which is far worse for the climate than CO2.)

Our region is not the same as Canada:

http://www.climateactionwr.ca/wp-content...r-Path.pdf

Page 12, regionally our transportation emissions are 49% of our total emissions in 2015.

Yes, methane is a more potent green house gas, but it's more complex than that, it breaks down in the atmosphere far quicker than CO2, so the long term steady state result is more complex.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/...remain-air

IANACS