bike toronto

Drivers in Toronto are complaining about visibility issues with the Danforth bike lanes

The addition ofnew bike lanes across Torontoover the course of the pandemic has been a largely lauded initiative that hasmade streets saferfor non-drivers and made it easier for residents to opt for a more eco-friendly transportation alternative.

但是,推出hasn't been without complaints, firstfrom local businesses,cyclists themselves, and now from drivers.

The installation of the lanes along Danforth Avenue in particular has come with protective dividers that range from painted lines and intermittent flexible posts to more substantial barriers, such as planters that also serve as a public realm improvement.

Unfortunately, some of these delineations have made things a bit more confusing for drivers, some of whom say that they make it hard to see cyclists, especially when making righthand turns on green lights.

The rejigging of street parking — which is now on a lane inside the cycling path, rather than curbside— has not helped things, nor have curbside patios that make the streets even busier and space even tighter.

A recent post on the topicin the 5,000-strongDanforth Community Facebook grouphas gained a ton of traction and clearly resonated with locals who now find driving down the Danforth "stressful," "scary," "claustrophobic" and downright anxiety-inducing.

"Am I the only one that hates turning right off the Danforth because of those impossible to see bikes in the bike lanes? I’ve been driving for 20 years and this makes me so nervous," one resident wrote on Monday.

"I turn so slowly but still can't see if there's a bike coming. Something needs to be done ... it's extremely dangerous for the bikes and for drivers."

Of the 190 comments, many agreed that it is hard to see both cyclists and pedestrians obscured by either parked cars in the adjacent lane or the aforementioned dividers.

“停汽车的行really hard for a driver to see into the bike lane. The parked cars both block one's ability to see the cyclists coming down the lane, but also increase the angle of the turn which means drivers have to crank their neck past 45°," one commenter chimed.

"I love the bike lanes, but agree that the implementation can be reviewed (and I believe will be), including the interface at intersections, turning angles, and parking."

其他人补充说,一些骑自行车的人习惯加剧the issue, whether it's their high speeds or their propensity to squeeze through an intersection on a yellow light. Bicycles do in fact have the right of way to go straight through a green light and pass a turning vehicle.

"Bikes are harder to spot than cars or trucks. Also requires some retraining of the brain, to expect cyclists coming up on the passenger side," one member said, to which another added "the bikes are flying. Even when turning slowing they don't slow down when the cars are turning... there has to be a safer way to have these lanes for everyone."

Among the complaints, though, have been some useful suggestions that the city could take into account: things like signage to encourage both cyclists and drivers to slow down at intersections, mirrors at corners to help with visibility, and setting street parking further back from crossings (and better enforcing parking rules).

As many have pointed out, addressing this common problem (and other bike lane complaints) in such ways would greatly improve safety, as well as ease the nerves of everyone on the road.

Lead photo by

A Great Capture


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