July 28th, 2010
Wednesday’s Headlines
By Nicole McIsaac // 7 Comments
Mayoral Race
• John Tory leaning toward run for Mayor's chair [ Toronto Star ]
• Speculation mounts over John Tory mayoral bid [ Globe & Mail ]
• Ford, Smitherman in radio debate? [ Toronto Sun ]
• Mayoral hopefuls hang signs [ Toronto Sun ]
• Smart car parked in dumb spot [ Toronto Sun ]
Eco Fees
• Beyond eco-fees [ Toronto Star ]
• McGuinty defends eco fees [ Toronto Sun ]
G20 Aftermath
• Police did fire rubber bullets into the crowd at Eastern Ave. during G20 [ Toronto Sun ]
• Accused G20 vandal to spend more time in jail [ CBC ]
Other News
• Bixi bike sharing program needs 1,000 members [ Toronto Star ]
• Customers on hook for Hydro suit [ National Post ]
• Hazel McCallion pushed sons project [ Toronto Star ]
• OPP cracking down on irresponsible drivers [ CBC ]
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Comments
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Since Montréal's Bixi had 7,600 members 3 months after its launch (and 63,000 occasional users), I doubt TO will have trouble finding 1,000 members by November, but it strikes me as a little backwards to ask someone to sign up for something that doesn't exist yet and to make that be a condition of its coming to fruition. To me, it also gives the impression that they don't, really, believe it'll work after all.
I don't know that it's going to be so easy to get the required 1000 from people who haven't even seen the system! The only people who are really clamouring for it at the moment probably already have bikes, and the non-biked who might be enticed the join probably would like to see them before singing up. I'm worried.
Maybe they want it to fail.
Yes, the way they are doing this is a little weird. And yet it is an opportunity for the people who have repeatedly called for bike sharing to demonstrate that they aren't just a fringe minority. Put up or shut up, as they say. Remember, Toronto had a failed bikeshare experiment once already... you can't blame people for being cautious the second time around.
Anyway, I will probably sign a pledge for a membership tonight, although I'm disappointed to learn that the first roll-out will be limited within a relatively small area (although that too is understandable). Until it spreads to other parts of the city (Parkdale & Dufferin Mall environs) I probably won't get much use from it.
Wow. Am surprised not to see link to item in the Globe from Spacing contributor John Lorinc calling into question claims by TTC about how committed transit systems in other jurisdictions are to "open-fare" technology.
Below is the link.
CultureLink (a non-profit immigrant settlement agency) has started a new initiative to help jump-start the bike sharing plan: it is calling for people to sponsor new immigrants with a one-year membership. I think this is a great idea. As a regular cyclist, I have my own bike so I don't really need the bike sharing membership. But even so, I'd stand to benefit if the bike sharing program is successful (well, all cyclists will benefit, as the more cyclists are on the road the better). So I was thinking, I don't mind signing up for the membership, if it helps to get it off the ground, even though I don't really need it. And then I heard about the CultureLink scheme. That is a wonderful idea, sponsoring somebody else who can really make good use of the system is even better. I certainly hope that other non-profit agencies to come up with similar schemes. That will make this 1000 number a much easier target.
Why do we have to be so half-...ed in Toronto? We are going to have a third of the Bixis in half the space Montreal had for its debut, and they blackmail us into signing-up, so we don't lose it, but there is no map yet!
Comment by jamesmallon
July 28, 2010 | 10:19 am