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news
Toronto.jpgDead cyclists? It's their own fault according to Toronto mayoral candidate
Normally we don’t report on provincial Canadian politics. In fact we have never before reported on provincial Canadian politics, but there’s a first time for everything, right?
We’ve always thought Canadians were up there with the more enlightened European nations when it comes to advocating cycling in urban areas. We might have to think again, at least as far as the city of Toronto is concerned. How else to explain that Rob Ford, the current front-running mayoral candidate for the city is actually taken remotely seriously after making this statement in a council meeting?
Nice touch, that bit about how his heart bleeds for those dead citizens who had the temerity to ride a bike on the road. Ford made the statement in 2007 but there is little evidence to suggest his stance has changed in the interim and judging by this item in Toronto's Globe and Mail, there are plenty more "colourful" remarks where the above came from.
In other Canadian cities, notably Montreal in whose Gazette newspaper we came across the quote, attitudes are more progressive. Indeed Montreal’s Bixi Bike hire scheme is effectively the model for its London counterpart which uses the same bikes and docking station infrastructure.
The author of the Gazette article expresses how lucky he feels to live in Montreal rather than a city run by a politician like Ford who is “stuck in the car-centred, 1950s mindset.” Mind you, judging by his waistline, even if Councillor Ford does take up the mayoral chains of office there are no guarantees about his tenure. He looks like he might have a heart-attack scheduled for circa 2012. There's a lot to be said for shark-swimming...
Latest Comments
- Andrewbanshee 2 sec ago
Where I live we are experiencing a lot of housing development on small and large plots of land. These developers don't seem to have problems...
- slc 2 min 11 sec ago
There is a spot in the River Avon which seems to attract bikes and scooters that have been chucked in. At low tide it looks like an archeological...
- hawkinspeter 6 min 18 sec ago
Sometimes peanuts
- chrisonabike 25 min 49 sec ago
As noted the problem is mixing modes again. No driveways, no need for drivers in a hurry to cross footways or cycle paths. No problem!...
- Homebaker 1 hour 22 min ago
Oh you can't block roads, what if I need to drive my elderly aunt to the emergency hospital, and even though there are better routes, I want to go...
- mdavidford 2 hours 54 min ago
The answer to this is to have no friends.
- Backladder 4 hours 48 min ago
While original sash windows are nice they make it very hard to keep the house warm, we eventually went for upvc double glazed sash window...
- Andrewbanshee 6 hours 11 min ago
As you said the pedals will be hidden anyway. My shoes, 3 pairs of them, have reflective strips on the heel and my winter trousers do too on the...
- Steve K 6 hours 12 min ago
Other drivers only care about disabled people when it gives them a way to object to cycling infrastructure.
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13 comments
There's more. Mr. Ford won the election and was recently sworn in as mayor. Speaking briefy at the ceremony was Canada's answer to soccer hooligans, Don Cherry, a prominent hockey commentator. The highlight of the speech for me was when Mr. Cherry showed his love of cycling by blasting "all the pinkos out there that ride bicycles and everything." Mayor Ford's 4-year term is off to a great start ... face-plant right out of the start house!
Isn't that Boris in a fat(ter) suit and tidy hair?
So....he wants people to cycle on the sidewalk then?
I'd happily cycle straight into him. It'd be a cushioned impact for me.
He sounds like he has the charisma of our own charming Nick Griffin. We can only hope that having alienated joggers, cyclists, gay people, immigrants and presumably Jewish or black people (if I'm following his theme correctly), the pool of would-be voters for this clown is limited to the remaining drinking buddies he hasn't so far beaten up or his immediate family members.
And of course he wasn't charged for driving under the influence because he did not, as requested, provide samples.
To quote a not particularly PC football chant (is there any other kind?) I believe relevant in his case, "You f@t b@st@rd, you f@t b@st@rd, who ate all the pies?"
You've all got this so wrong. We should concur with this guy. Obviously, I have been mistaken all along that riding my bike is a good way to keep my carbon emissions low and keep fit.
Mr Ford has worked out the best way to live. He eats 7,000 calories a day and never takes any exercise. He has an impressive physique to show for it and apparently has many fat munters fantasising about him every night.
He will die of a heart attack due to furring arteries but at least he will not face the agony of being crushed to death by a selfish motorist. He has made the right choices in life and looks better for it too.
Dead, overweight, under-excercised right-wing politicians? It's their own fault.
Look at that bell, no surprise he doesn't like fit people on bikes or jogging.
What an arsehole.
He looks like he could do with putting in a few miles on a bike.. or a swim with sharks.
lol - where's lois?
I actually live in Misissauga, west of Toronto. Our mayor, Hazel McCallion -- who is 89 -- could probably drop Mr. Ford in a sprint finish as easily as Cav could!
Imagine ... Peter Griffin for mayor
Rob Ford is making friends everywhere. He has PO'd runners, transit riders, cyclists, gays, immigrants, women.....
DO NOT assume he represents Toronto, just a portion that is angry at everyone.