Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD

This is incredible camera work

Screenshot of LinkedIn post from Yellowknife Mayor describing the costs and consequences of trucks having gotten so much bigger. In the link, he explains the backlash he received for his post.

This is good —the Mayor of Yellowknife NWT in Canada’s far north weighs in on “Car Bloat” (truck bloat actually) and its many big costs & consequences (thanks @davidzipper.bsky.social for heads-up). And like most who dare tell the truth about that, he’s taking flack.
www.linkedin.com/mwlite/feed/...

New favourite hashtag just dropped #TruckTooBig

Yes! They already have signs, and a period of signs before the camera is installed warning that it will be installed soon. What we need are *bigger* signs.

The safe systems pyramid for road safety. From bottom (most impactful) to top: 1. Socioeconomic factors, e.g. affordable housing near transit, zoning reform 2. Built environment, e.g. roundabouts, curb extensions, raised crosswalks, sidewalks, bikeways 3. Latent safety measures, e.g. signal timing, leading pedestrian intervals, air bags, automated emergency braking 4. Active measures, e.g. signals and signs, in-vehicle collision warnings, seatbelts, helmets 5. Education, e.g. driver education campaigns, slow down campaigns

Adapted from public health, the safe systems pyramid for road safety places population-level changes at the bottom, having the most impact. At the very top are individual-level measures like education and enforcement.

visionzeronetwork.org/applying-the...

a man wearing a schitts creek shirt smiles Alt: David from Schitts Creek nodding and giving a fake smile

Road safety advocates arguing in favour of speed cameras while understanding the safe systems pyramid and the danger of a "false equivalency between engineering, enforcement, and education"

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

POLICING THE OPEN ROAD is really important reading. From the very beginning, we've had a deeply ambivalent answer to the question "should the law apply to upper- and middle-class people?"

But when I drive, I don't know exactly where the red light cameras or speed cameras are, so I am careful everywhere. I think of the cameras like GO fare enforcement: mostly they don't check, but sometimes they do, so best be on the safe side. You shouldn't need enforcement 24/7 everywhere!

I want to bring in this good point: it *feels* unfair to get caught in a culture that never enforces it and designs for high speeds.

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Yeah, that's a good point. But I see this as kind of like fare enforcement checks on GO - they don't check every ticket, it's an honour system, and occasionally you might get caught if you habitually don't pay. The cameras make me drive carefully, because I might not know where the cameras are.

Matt Elliott: Cash grab? If there’s a problem with Toronto’s speed cameras, it’s that they aren’t grabbing enough cash The data shows that if it were logistically possible to fine every driver doing one km/h over the limit, the Parkside Drive speed camera alone could have brought in half a billion dollars.

I completely agree, except that even with the cameras they're not ruthlessly enforced at all. @graphicmatt.com's great analysis ⬇️

www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...

Olivia Chow is a smart politician who knows how to say things in the right way to work with obtuse people like the Ford government, so I don't fault her for angling for compromise. It's just, so weird to be having this fight at all.

Like, either accept that speed limits don't influence operating speeds and design roads so that natural operating speeds are safe, or be consistent with believing the law means something!

Chow is pushing for larger signage and changing Toronto’s program so that once a driver is fined for speeding the first time, they cannot be fined again for seven days. It gives drivers an opportunity to receive their fine in the mail and become aware of the camera’s location.

This makes me feel crazy. Being aware of the speed limit is like step 1 for driving! "Stealing is illegal, sure, but how are people supposed to know which stores they can steal from without getting caught if the camera ones don't have giant 'NO STEALING' signs??"

www.thestar.com/news/gta/20-...

When I was undergoing cancer treatment it was easiest to ride my bike to most appointments as I could park right beside the hospital and reduce both walking and stairs compared to driving or transit. The bike lanes were a huge help.

😂😭

His entire MO lately is to hold his finger in the wind and jump on whatever the grievance of the day is. He seems to be entirely devoid of convictions of his own.

A selfie of me in a bike helmet on my way to work

A gorgeous crisp morning ride to work, sailing past the traffic! #WeekWithoutDriving

My great aunt lives the life I hope I get to live at her age: independent, out every day talking to her friends and neighbours, enjoying daily activity and fresh air. When we build communities where people can get around safely outside a car, everyone wins! #WeekWithoutDriving

We often assume seniors rely on driving and can't use active transportation for their daily needs, but often it's the reverse: many people become unable to drive as they age. This #WeekWithoutDriving, I'm thinking of my great aunt and others like her who get around without a car.

My great aunt is in her 80s and lives in a Vancouver apartment. She doesn't drive anymore, too painful for her back, but she walks every day. Her walker fits a shopping basket perfectly on the seat, so she takes the bus to the store and then walks home with her groceries.

Finally, the bit about balancing bikes and cars which the right preaches must be thrown out the window! Our transportation system has been imbalanced in favour of cars for decades, so achieving real transportation balance will inevitably mean taking space away from cars & giving it to people! (5/5)

Worse than that, buddying up with far-right Alberta premier Danielle Smith. Behaviour of someone whose sights are higher and more conservative than just a simple centre-right mayor of Toronto

I'm sorry, mayor of what now?

Ward 19 is so done with this poser. Brad came 6th in the ward in the last mayoral race, couldn't even beat Anthony Furey in his own ward! He hasn't answered constituent emails in months. Can't wait to have @jennie1ofmany.bsky.social as my councillor!!

And the closer the game, the better, so they wear out their best bullpen!

I encourage you to reflect on why you think safety is the responsibility of the person *not* operating heavy machinery. Think about how children, people with impaired hearing, etc. exist in public. This post and the linked article, as well as the replies, might be helpful! bsky.app/profile/howd...

Be aware of your surroundings like driving the speed limit, I agree!

A teen boy on the back of a long tail cargo bike. The bike has a tuba case strapped to the side. The boy is throwing devil horns.

But what if my kid plays the tuba and I have to take them to school?

#cargobike #terngsd

Sign the Petition Stop Premier Ford from cutting speed safety cameras in Ontario

Petition to save speed cameras in Ontario: www.change.org/p/stop-premi...