Despite getting one thing right, the rest was very wrong. Noel Taylor writes,

“For cyclists, supremacy on the road is a new sensation. It comes with weight of numbers. Other road-users have to make space for them, and they ride with the certainty that they represent the ecological way of the future. There are signs of a new assertiveness, expressed by the 100-odd cyclists who met recently at the invitation of a local MP to form their own lobby group — the better to push their demands for more space on the road and better-maintained bike paths and road lanes.”

I certainly don’t think that cyclists have the weight of numbers. Cars far outnumber cyclists on every street in Ottawa and in every other city in North America. Cyclists have to be assertive because not only are we in the minority on the road but also are in a far more vulnerable position. It is very easy for cars to ignore cyclists and not treat us as vehicles, a status protected under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act. In order to protect ourselves cyclists have to be assertive on the road. I certainly wouldn’t call demanding to be treated like any other vehicle arrogance, instead I would call it demanding equality on the road.

The only other complain Taylor raises is that cyclists don’t follow traffic laws. Yes, many people coast through stop signs and red lights while on a bike however that doesn’t mean that all cyclists are rule flaunting exceptionalists. Rather it means that some people don’t follow the letter of the traffic law, just like the vast majority of drivers. How many times has the writer done a rolling stop or went above the speed limit when driving? Exact.

The final point I would like to raise is that when more people cycle, it is actually drivers who win as it means less cars on the road. Not only does that decrease smog and all the other environmental harms associated with cars but it also means LESS TRAFFIC. If people find other ways to get to work then the fewer remaining drivers have more room on the road. If that means having to occasionally slow down for cyclists then I think that is a fair trade for less time spend in gridlock.

1. Stop at major intersections.
2. Don’t go the wrong way on one-way streets.
3. Stay off sidewalks.
4. Signal before turning

These suggestions strike me as incredibly modest and probably already followed by everyone who reads this blog. In fact, I’m not sure the bad reputation that cyclists have comes from anybody who is serious enough about cycling to read a blog, join an advocacy group, etc. (although Sullivan does criticize the “Lance Armstong types” in his piece for their poor urban etiquette). That being said, it’s good to remember we are all in this together, as far as reputations go – maybe some more casual cyclists will read this the Times and reform their ways.