Canadian Urbanism Uncovered
Read more articles by Matthew Blackett
Today is international Car Free Day. Toronto’s celebration of this important day is embarrassing compared to what other cities are doing (even the UK government has a week to celebrate forms of transport other than the vehicle).
This makes a good poll question: Do you plan to drive on Car Free Day?
photo by Hypersapiens
With the final council session of the year now in the rear-view mirror, Mayor Olivia Chow is spending part of this week powering through year-end...
By John Lorinc
There’s a lot to question about the Ontario government’s plans for Ontario Place. The 95-year-long lease of the land on the site’s West Island to Austrian...
By Maryam Siddiqi
It’s getting to be that time of year – queer or straight, people will be busting out the rainbow garb and glitter. Toronto hotels and restaurants...
By Mary Fairhurst Breen
16 comments
Wotta road!
And not another cyclist on it – heaven!
I never drive. I think it is unethical.
Haha, oh the irony. There is no other way to get to Harvest Festival, unfortunately. I will resume my car free year when I return 🙂
Are there extra GO trains and TTC buses running?
I plan on taking transit today. Does that qualify as using a car? Nevertheless I plan on attending Bells on Bloor tomorrow!
I just realized that the picture is of the DVP looking south towards Eglington. I work in the building on the far right!
Its in Barrie, no? No buses to Barrie? What’s wrong with your bike? Its a beeyouteeful day for a ride (and I wish I could). You have me insanely jealous passing up a ride like that.
As for me, you will have to pry my cold dead fingers from this bar preventing me from fitting in a motormayhem machine. Get me within a few feet of one of those things and the cold sweat and panicked screaming starts.
Every day should be car free day.
I rode 20km into a headwind to work in Mississauga today. Besides the bit of wind, it’s gorgeous out there. Not sure why anyone would want to be stuck in a car.
Every day is car-free day.
I am not driving today but thats because I am having a get to know your neighbour party at which everybody will walk to.
But I am not going tom lie, there are times when driving is a must and I don’t feel guilty.
Intersting statistic, but apparently Toronto has the lowest car ownership numbers amongst Canadian cities.
Ever notice that the drivers can’t edit?
Doe, there are only three cities in Canada you could pull it off without a car, since the rest are typically North American in car-dependency. Even so, how far from the centre of Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver could you do it? I spent a year in Brampton without a car. I now understand the concept of purgatory.
More ass, less gas.
Cycling is all well and good if you’re fortunate enough to be healthy and able-bodied. Some of us, however, are not and must rely on cars to get around the city.
Do you self-righteous “cars are unethical” types ever spare a thought for the likes of us?
No Matthew, we never thought about that… Of course people have.
It’s pretty clear that the great majority of drivers are able bodied, even if we do not always add a subordinate clause that some, very few, need to drive. I do not know the nature of your disability, but it is clear that many people living a car and poor food choice lifestyle are going to develop disability from lifestyle choices, which is a shame for them, and a waste of our health care dollars. I’d rather more drivers got more active, so more money was left for people who have disabilities that have nothing to do with their own choices. The latter may include yourself. Don’t you deserve better care than you get?
I don’t have a car, or a licence so probably not. =)