TORONTO Mayor ROB FORD - "CYCLISTS ARE A PAIN IN THE ASS"

FORD wants BIKES on SIDEWALKS!!!

In an address that meanders as much as a riverbank bikepath, TORONTO's popular mayoralty hopeful ROB FORD shares his thoughts on active urban transport infrastructure during City Council's pivotal JARVIS STREET BIKE LANE debate, May 2009.

This public performance underscores wide criticism that FORD attacks everything, but has no realistic solutions for anything. Just scattershot rants that resonate with an angry, long-disengaged electorate.

Sadly, comic relief is not always a welcome part of the skill-set that the job demands. We already learned this the hard way with another Rexdale-based businessman, Mel "Nobody" Lastman.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ROB FORD
• TORONTO
• mayor
• election
• bicycles
• bikelanes
• active transportation
• comic relief

[elmtreeroad]

i say let em ride..theres tons of concrete in the city. but spending our tax dollars to benefit members of the community who probably work in coffee shops and retails stores is ridiculous..i work in a skilled trade and the amount of money i see go to the government every year is disgusting especially with overtime..and i still pay money at tax time..i think people are scared of ford, but i like him. ask another 55+hour tradesperson what they think..theres lots of us trust me

[HOOFandCYCLE]

@elmtreeroad Given the level of social intelligence displayed here, one would suggest you are still vastly overpaid - even with the taxes you are paying. Did you know that Toronto's street infrastructure is funded through local property tax and not through the income taxes you are whining about?

[HOOFandCYCLE]

@cheeriosinabowl I and many others ride all year. Some winter days it is not advisable, but its often not too smart to drive then either.

And yes it is up to you and I and all of us to avoid accidents. You avail yourself of the privilege of driving a dangerous, dirty machine in a densely populated urban setting and you assume responsibility for not harming others.

[poswimol]

ugh. why us. toronto is a great city, but sometimes i'm ashamed to live there because of this slob...

[thefreeagent4life]

the only reason rob ford hates bicycles is because when he tries to sit on one he gets violated by the seat

[elmtreeroad]

@HOOFandCYCLE lol ur a bike courier i passed your level of intelligence around 5 with my first supercycle..grow a set man instead of expecting a 4000lbs hunk of steel to have to give you the rigth away. ive shreded on the streets of toronto with my kona hardtail its not that hard.

[PETETHEMEAT42]

He feels passionately about what he's saying and the people shouting at him are acting even more immaturely.

[PETETHEMEAT42]

It's a lot easier to call someone fat than to become mayor of a major city.

[DredWolfster]

He's comparing the inner city with suburban Metro. The two are incompatible. De amalgamation is the only way the inner city will be able to fend itself from people like him. I may sound futile saying this, but we have to start somewhere. Otherwise this is just going to keep happening again and again, with the outer regions inflicting the Mike Harrises of the world on us. Eventually we'll do something, and I look forward to when that time will come..

[mrwonderfulman2011]

His belt looks like it's gonna give way any moment! LOL!

[jjoaquin]

If there were dedicated bike lanes in the City of Toronto, I would take my bike anywhere. As both a cyclist and and a car driver, cyclist SHOULD NEVER share a road with a motor vehicle. Let's be honest, anytime you drive and there's a cyclist on the road, you ALWAYS have to switch lanes cause you don't want any accidents to occur. Either get dedicated bike lanes in the city or make cyclist get licenses and pay for insurance

[930588210]

Maybe if he used a bike he wouldn't be so....rotund.

[HOOFandCYCLE]

@ricciryanify One would think that you might want to actually know something about a subject before speaking out on it publicly. It is inane, illogical, uninformed statements like yours that underscore the need for a complete overhaul of our transportation system. One suggests you read up on the existing traffic laws as they relate to cycling. It is sadly astounding that you have been given a license to enjoy the privilege of operating a motor vehicle on our public thoroughfares.