- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

A new, and dangerous, kind of distracted driver
by Dave Elmore 21 Jan '16

21 Jan '16

http://www.macleans.ca/society/the-most-dangerous-kind-of-distracted-drivin… A new, and dangerous, kind of distracted driver They hog lanes, ignore emergency vehicles, and treat their cars like multi-tasking way stations. That culture of entitlement makes drivers a new kind of menace. Anne Kingston <http://www.macleans.ca/author/annekingston/> January 21, 2016 Working in traffic enforcement for a quarter of a century has exposed RCMP Cpl. Chris Little to bad driving in all of its manifestations. Recently, though, he’s noticed a concerning, and deadly, trend: the self-preoccupied driver in a steel-and-glass bubble, oblivious to the outside world. The telltale texter (head down, stopped on a green light) is the least of it. Little, an officer with Strathcona Traffic Services in Strathcona, Alta., has pulled over drivers brushing their teeth, applying makeup, even reading a novel. “A 300-page book, balanced on the steering wheel,” he says. Car-as-mobile-kitchen is another theme: he pulled over one man eating a bowl of cereal while trying to drive with his knees; another man was eating waffles from a plate with a knife and fork. Then there was the solo female driver taking driver distraction to a new level: “A call came in that a vehicle was driving erratically,” Little says. When I pulled her over, her clothing was around her knees and she was flushed. You get the picture.” She was charged with careless driving. It’s a roadscape familiar to Angelo DiCicco, general manager of Young Drivers of Canada (GTA). A driving instructor for three decades, DiCicco is also director of operations at Young Drivers’ new five-acre advanced driving centre in Markham, Ont., which offers rehab for drivers involved in serious crashes and also focuses on the perils of distracted driving, or, as DiCicco puts it, “to prove to people that multi-tasking is a lie.” People are far more stupid than they think, he says: “Just having your eyes open isn’t enough to see a dangerous situation; your brain has to be engaged.” The fact that distracted driving <http://www.macleans.ca/politics/how-the-war-on-drunk-driving-distracts-from…> now accounts for more fatal car accidents than impaired driving hasn’t made a dent in driving habits, says DiCicco, who sees the rise of “assertive” and now “aggressive” driving over the past 15 years as equally narcissistic and dangerous. It’s not unusual for impatient drivers behind a nervous novice trying to turn left to pull ahead and cut the new driver off, he reports. Such “me-first” behaviour—disregard for traffic signs, failing to signal, lane-hogging, crowding intersections, sailing through red lights—has led to a culture of driving entitlement squarely at odds with the spirit of co-operation needed to navigate the impromptu societies that occur when motor vehicles share space. That has made driving, the most dangerous and behaviourally complex activity most people engage in on a daily basis, a cultural menace that affects not only drivers but pedestrians and neighbourhoods as the spillover effects puts cyclists on sidewalks and pedestrians at peril. Some solace for drivers can be taken from Transport Canada <http://www.macleans.ca/tag/transport-canada/> statistics that reveal a decrease in deaths from automobile accidents over the past decade, in good part due to improvements in car design that reduce the impact of rear-end collisions. But it has never been a more dangerous time to be a pedestrian, bicyclist or motorcyclist; for them, deaths from automotive collision have risen in the same period. Even standing on the sidewalk isn’t safe; last year, four people were taken to hospital when a car plowed into a bus station in a Toronto suburb. Aggressive, thoughtless driving is not new, says psychologist Leon James, a pioneer in the field of “driver psychology.” References to “road rage” date to ancient Rome, which had a law against “furious driving,” the University of Hawaii professor says. Comparison between North American driving habits and an empire in decline are appropriate. As James sees it, the rise of a selfish roadway culture is not only dangerous but culturally corrosive: “It’s anti-social, even immoral to expose others to risk.” The evidence is plentiful. Consider Sheryl Sandberg <http://www.macleans.ca/society/life/sheryl-sandbergs-cosmic-lean-in-moment/> ’s widely circulated Facebook post written last year after her husband died of a heart attack; the Facebook COO recounts the “unbearably slow” trip to the hospital in an ambulance because drivers refused to get out of the way. She implored drivers to do what is both legally and morally required: yield way to emergency vehicles. Cars blocking emergency vehicles is a huge problem on Canadian roads as well, says Little. “And it’s getting worse.” No tale illustrates the spirit of driver entitlement better than that of Jourdan Bancroft, a 25-year-old woman pulled over at 8:20 p.m. on an Ontario highway last July for driving 150 km/h in an 80 km/h zone; she was charged with road racing. Her explanation for putting her life and others at risk? She told the arresting officer she wanted to get to her cottage to “see the sunset.” The story elicited outrage. But in a small way, every driver could relate. How we behave on roads is culturally determined, says James—a conﬂuence of technology, economics, sociology and psychology. A major factor is car design <http://www.macleans.ca/society/technology/these-cars-drive-themselves-excep…> itself, specifically “improvements,” even at the low end, that make cars feel like safe, screen-filled, multi-tasking way stations, a place to text, chat on the phone, eat, even be entertained; in late December, Ontario Provincial Police stopped a man driving over 160 km/h on Highway 401 near Brockville, Ont., watching a movie on a screen taped to his dashboard. He was charged with distracted driving and stunt driving. One telling casuality is the stick shift, a driving feature requiring hands-on focus. Only nine per cent of cars sold in Canada have manual transmissions, down from 35 per cent in 1980, according to IHS Automotive. Only 3.6 per cent of new car buyers in Canada request it. The new logic is laid out in a much-circulated 2013 video, an audition for a Canadian reality TV show, featuring a candid Dawn Muzzo: “I had a six-speed Porsche but I couldn’t wear my heels, have a cigarette, and drink my coffee whilst shifting,” she says. “So it had to be traded in for an automatic.” (Our ability to drive and multi-task is less than we think, according to a 2015 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety report that found a phone conversation via hands-free or Bluetooth, which is legal, is mentally demanding and associated with moderate to high levels of cognitive distraction.) No vehicle better symbolizes the altered road dynamics than the SUV; the behemoths’ popularity has given rise to an “if-you-can’t-beat-them-join-them” mentality. Even James, whose research in the early 2000s found female SUV drivers far more aggressive that male SUV drivers, drives one. His wife convinced him, he says. “Women drive them because they feel safer, protected,” he says. “They’re higher up.” But research also reveals that the aura of safety and impenetrability created by driving an SUV or light truck can foster what Reuben Aitchison of the Australian Automobile Manufacturing Industry calls an “illusion of superiority . . . that leads them to believe they should be getting somewhere faster than everybody else.” That can lead the SUV driver to take risks that the Smart car driver does not. The fact almost two-thirds of SUV drivers are women aged 25 to 49 and men aged 50 or older has reframed the stereotype of road menace: it’s not the male teenager in a souped-up muscle car that poses risk, but the middle-aged woman in a black SUV. Last October, four-year-old Arisa Ahmed was killed and her seven-year old sister seriously injured while crossing the street in front of their school in Markham, Ont., as their mother watched; they were struck by a black Mercedes SUV driven by a 39-year-old woman, who was later charged with dangerous operation <http://www.macleans.ca/society/traffic-signs-with-a-heart-ask-you-to-stop-i…> of a motor vehicle causing death and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing injury. Perceived time crunch has added to road stress. DiCicco routinely hears stories from people who have had licences pulled or were involved in serious crashes. “Women say, “I had to pick up the kids; daycare charges by the minute,’ ” he says. Men are more likely to be ferrying kids from school to practice with dinner at a drive-through in between. Soaring housing prices have also fed frustration, says DiCicco, by pushing many buyers outside of city cores, which increases commute times. DiCicco sees three distinct driver personalities: the “adult”’ who understands that everyone wants to get home and that one crash could mean hundreds of people are late; the “child” (unrelated to actual age), subject to peer pressure who engages in “my car is faster than your car” behaviour without thinking through consequences; and the “domineering parent” who wants to teach someone a lesson by tailgaiting, giving the finger or blocking a car trying to pass on a shoulder. “There are very few homicidal maniacs out to kill you. And very few people are suicidal in the car,” he says. “To be involved in a crash you have to not do a lot of things.” He wants drivers to learn what he calls “traffic emotions management” and to see “good driving” redefined: “It isn’t just vehicle dynamics—lane change, parking, motor skills. It’s mastering the psychology of driving, of realizing more drivers are taking up a finite amount of space and you need to look out for your neighbour and keep space for the other driver who makes a mistake; then you can graciously allow them the space in front of you or move up quickly so they don’t rear-end you.” James agrees. “Being a good driver isn’t just, ‘How many accidents did you cause?’ ” he says. “It should be: ‘How many people have you blown off? How many people have you insulted?’ That should be the measure.” Without a seismic change in driver attitudes, the situation will only worsen, says James: “Every generation is going to be more aggressive, more competitive and more selfish, taking risks and putting people at risk.” Rising awareness of distracted-driving risks has led to an increase in penalties, which vary wildly across Canada—from $115-$145 in Quebec to $300 to $1,000 in Ontario <http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/ontario-increases-penalties-for-drivers-…> . (Nunavut is the only region with no distracted driving penalty). This year, Alberta raised its fine to $250 plus three demerit points. Those enforcing the law say it’s not enough to act as a deterrent and that courts fail to recognize the severity of the crime. The woman charged with “road racing” 70 km over the speed limit to “see the sunset,” for example, received a reduced charge of “speeding”; she paid $812.50 and got six demerit points. “We’re fighting a losing battle,” says Little, who believes Canada doesn’t take driving offences seriously. “We understand ﬁrst-degree murder and gang violence. But driving infractions? We’re too warm and fuzzy. We can’t suspend a licence for life. People think driving is a right, but it’s a privilege.” The call to attach the same stigma now associated with impaired driving to distracted or entitled driving is gaining traction. Pioneering activists exist, including the family of Josh Field, a 17-year-old driver killed in London, Ont., in 2009 when he took his eyes off the road to answer his phone. The Field family recently teamed with #DriveToStayAlive, an initiative launched by 17-year-old professional racecar driver Parker Thompson to teach high school students about the life-changing consequences of texting or talking on a cellphone while driving. “It’s far easier to teach youth,” says Sgt. Wade Davidson, who works in traffic services for the Lethbridge police force. “The group hard to reach is adult drivers who have been doing things the same way for years; they set the example for their kids.” Frustrations are also evident on a rash of driver-shaming websites and YouTube “Bad Driver” channels, which has created a market for dashcams not only to record bad drivers but damage to a vehicle in a hit-and-run when it’s parked. Their presence has a self-monitoring effect, says Alex Jang, the Vancouver-based founder of dashcam company BlackboxMyCar. “Studies show drivers with dashcams drive more responsibly because they know they’re being filmed.” Reminders of roadside perils are now entrenched in urban landscapes, with poignant “ghost bike” memorials for cyclists as well as the “Slow Down, Kids at Play” signage organized in 2014 by residents of a Toronto neighbourhood after the death of seven-year-old Georgia Walsh, killed by a van rolling through a red light. Some 15,000 signs have been distributed from Victoria to Charlottetown, says organizer Meghan Sherwin: “Interest tends to be spurred by a recent child pedestrian death and/or frustration with the lack of traffic-calming measures.” In a telling detail, many of the streets boasting the signs already have traffic-calming bumps. Also telling is the sentencing in the case. The driver, who pleaded guilty to careless driving, received a two-year driving prohibition, a $2,000 fine and 200 hours of community service. The judge explained he didn’t give jail time after seeing the depth of the man’s remorse, his reported psychological trauma and the forgiveness of the victim’s family. “This was an avoidable accident but an accident nevertheless,” he said. “His inattention was momentary.” Yet in that momentary inattention, a young life was gone.

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Job posting: Living Green Living Well Project Coordinator
by Beth McKechnie 19 Jan '16

19 Jan '16

** Please share widely, thanks! ** Green Action Centre is seeking an independent, energetic and organized individual to fill the position of coordinator for our Living Green, Living Well project. The coordinator delivers messaging and community presentations on sustainable living for Manitobans. This includes engaging stakeholders from a variety of sectors and working closely with other staff members to provide communications support for other project areas. Find full details here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/job-posting-project-coordinator/>.

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FW: Breakfast on Ice Event on February 12th
by Dave Elmore 19 Jan '16

19 Jan '16

Please distribute widely. Thanks Dave o _ ( \ _ (X)\ /(X) From: Karen F. Mott [mailto:karen@uglyducklingproductions.com] Sent: Monday, January 18, 2016 11:20 PM To: Karen F. Mott <karen(a)uglyducklingproductions.com> Subject: Breakfast on Ice Event on February 12th As part of Rendez Vous on Ice, the annual Festival du Voyageur trading post at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, we are proud to present the first annual Breakfast on Ice. Similar to the Ice It To Work Day event we did a few years ago, this is an event to celebrate the folks who skate, run, walk, bike, snowshoe and/or ski to work. And of course, those also just out enjoying our Winnipeg winters. Breakfast on Ice takes place on Friday, February 12th from 7am to 10am and there will be free trail tail samples, free hot chocolate and various breakfast items available to purchase. There will also be entertainment, fire pits and lots of great prizes to enter to win. Please help us spread the word and we would also like to invite you to participate. If you are interested in setting up a display to provide information about your organization or event please let me know and I will provide you with more details. The donation of prizes is also welcome. Attached are some materials to share. Festival du Voyageur has also created a Facebook event under "dejeuner sur glace". Thank you and please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, concerns or suggestions. Take care, Karen Karen Mott Ugly Duckling Productions PO Box 1351, Station Main Winnipeg MB R3C 2Z1 204.779.6173 office 204.797.4834 cell 204.779.7048 fax www.uglyducklingproductions.com <http://www.uglyducklingproductions.com>

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WFP: Deane named director of public works (Jan.14'16)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Jan '16

18 Jan '16

Deane named director of public works http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/Deane-named-director-of-public-works… City hall chose one of its own to head up the public works department. Lester Deane takes over as director of public works, replacing Brad Sacher who unexpectedly resigned in September 2015 after holding the position since 2009. Deane has 30 years’ experience in engineering and joined the city’s public works department in 2003. He had been manager of engineering when he was tapped to assume the acting director position following Sacher’s departure. Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of the public works committee, made the announcement during Wednesday’s executive policy committee. "I’m very pleased to be working with (Deane)," Lukes (South Winnipeg-St. Norbert) said. "Going forward he’s going to be doing great things in the role as director." Before joining the city, Deane worked with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and later with Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation. Deane is the fourth senior personnel appointment to occur at city hall since Brian Bowman was elected mayor in October 2014. *March 2015*, Doug McNeil was hired away from the province, where he was the deputy minister of infrastructure and transportation. The CAO’s position had been held by senior staff on an interim basis since October 2013 when Phil Sheegl left the job amidst council concern over scandals involving several high-profile projects. COO Deepak Joshi was initially given the post of acting CAO but he was suspended by Bowman in January 2014 and retired the following month. COO Michael Jack was then acting CAO until McNeil’s arrival. *September 2015*, John Kiernan, promoted to director of planning, property and development. Kiernan has been with the city since 1990, starting in the parks department as a strategic planner and project manager. He had been the manager of urban design since 2010. Kiernan replaced Barry Thorgrimson, who retired in December 2014. *November 2015*, Felicia Wiltshire was hired to fill the newly created post of director of corporate communications. Prior to Wiltshire’s hiring, the head of corporate communications was a manager, Steve West, who in July 2015 was re-assigned to the newly created post of manager of strategic initiatives in the corporate support services department. Wiltshire has an extensive background in communications. Prior to joining the city, Wiltshire had been with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority as a senior communications and government relations specialist. aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca

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AT Webinar: Using Guidance Effectively, NEW DATE: Thurs, Jan 28th, 2-3pm
by Beth McKechnie 18 Jan '16

18 Jan '16

Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg invite you to join us for a local viewing of the following APBP webinar, *All About Guidance #2: Using Guidance Effectively* DATE CHANGE: Please note this webinar has been moved from Wed, Jan 20th, to *Thurs, Jan 28th*. Same place, same time, different day/date. The webinar viewing takes place in the EcoCentre boardroom (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) and will be followed by group discussion of local applications. RSVPs appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! cheers, Beth * * * * * *All About Guidance #2: Using Guidance EffectivelyThursday, January 28 | 2-3pm CST* Begin a new year in your professional life by taking a fresh look at the topic of guidance. Two consecutive webinars invite practitioners to think more broadly about the guidance documents they use and explore recent developments in how guidance is applied. On December 16, we asked which resources belong in the practitioner’s library and considered ways to navigate effectively among different sources of information. (See attached slides if you didn't attend on 12/16.) In part 2, on January 28, the discussion segues to the specific application of design flexibility: how agencies can select among treatments and designs for specific conditions. Case studies from Phoenix, Fort Lauderdale, and Boston provide examples and offer insight into the process. *Presenters*: - Christine Fanchi, PE, PTP, City Livability Planner, City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida - Jessica Mortell, Project Engineer, Toole Design Group

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Fwd: [canada-bikes-board:1653] Fwd: WEBINAR REMINDER: NEW: Find Canadian Active Transportation Policies more easily in the Prevention Policies Directory // Objet : Trouvez les politiques canadiennes sur le transport actif plus facilement dans le Répertoire des politiques de prévention
by Anders Swanson 16 Jan '16

16 Jan '16

This is a pretty neat searchable resource on existing active transportation policies in Canada. Interesting to see valuable resources coming from a field heretofore not normally directly responsible for transportation - primary prevention and population level health. Note the webinar on the 20th. *From: *Kendall Tisdale <Kendall.Tisdale(a)partnershipagainstcancer.ca> *Subject: **WEBINAR REMINDER: NEW: Find Canadian Active Transportation Policies more easily in the Prevention Policies Directory // Objet : Trouvez les politiques canadiennes sur le transport actif plus facilement dans le Répertoire des politiques de prévention* *Date: *January 11, 2016 at 6:45:26 AM PST *To: *Kendall Tisdale <Kendall.Tisdale(a)partnershipagainstcancer.ca> ***La version française de ce courriel suit la version anglaise.* Dear Colleagues, The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (CPAC) has launched a NEW and EASY way to find active transportation policies in Canada. Visit our*Prevention Policies Directory* <http://www.cancerview.ca/cv/portal/Home/PreventionAndScreening/PSProfession…> landing page and use the new “tag cloud” of active transportation policy terms to quickly access your specific area of interest. A *free*, *one-hour webinar* will be offered on *January 20, 2016 from 1:30pm-2:30pm EST *to provide an overview of how to use the tags in the Directory as well as other CPAC resources to support your work on active transportation policy - *register today! <http://cpac.fluidsurveys.com/surveys/CPAC/active-transportation-policy-reso…>* *Please note: this webinar will be delivered in English only.* *FOR MORE INFORMATION* Please contact Kendall Tisdale, Prevention Analyst at kendall.tisdale(a)partnershipagainstcancer.ca or 416-915-9222 ext 5781. Warm regards, Kendall Tisdale Prevention Analyst Canadian Partnership Against Cancer 1 University Avenue, Suite 300 Toronto, ON M5J 2P1 Ph: 416-915-9222 ext. 5781 kendall.tisdale(a)partnershipagainstcancer.ca *www.cancerview.ca/preventionpolicies* *@PrevPolicies <https://twitter.com/prevpolicies>* ------------------------------ This e-mail message (and any attachments) may contain confidential and/or privileged information and is for the sole use of the intended recipient. If you have received this e-mail in error, kindly contact the sender promptly and delete all copies of this e-mail and its contents. The disclosure, distribution or copying of this message by anyone other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. Opinions, conclusions or other information contained in this e-mail may not represent views of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. Le présent courriel (et toutes pièces jointes) pourrait contenir des renseignements confidentiels et/ou privilégiés et est conçu pour l’usage exclusif du destinataire. Si vous avez reçu ce courriel par erreur, je vous remercie de communiquer avec l’expéditeur immédiatement et de supprimer toutes les copies de ce courriel, ainsi que son contenu. La divulgation, la distribution ou toute reproduction de ce message par une personne autre que le destinataire est strictement interdite. Les opinions, conclusions ou autres renseignements contenus dans ce courriel pourraient ne pas représenter les opinions du Partenariat canadien contre le cancer. *_____________________________________________________________________________________* Collègues, Le Partenariat canadien contre le cancer lance une NOUVELLE méthode FACILE pour trouver les politiques canadiennes sur le transport actif. Visitez notre page d’accueil du *Répertoire des politiques de prévention <http://www.cancerview.ca/cv/portal/Home/PreventionAndScreening/PSProfession…> *et servez-vous du « nuage de mots-clés » sur tous les termes de politiques du transport actif pour accéder rapidement à votre champ d’intérêt. Un *webinaire gratuit d’une heure *sera offert le *20 janvier 2016 de **13h30 – 14h30 HNE *pour vous montrer comment utiliser les mots-clés dans le Répertoire ainsi que d’autres ressources du PCCC pour vous aider dans votre travail sur les politiques de transport actif. *Inscrivez-vous dès maintenant <http://cpac.fluidsurveys.com/surveys/CPAC/active-transportation-policy-reso…>* *!* *Remarque : ce webinaire est présenté en anglais seulement. * *POUR PLUS D’INFORMATION* Veuillez communiquer avec Kendall Tisdale, analyste en prévention à kendal.tisdale(a)partnershipagainstcancer.ca <kendall.tisdale(a)partnershipagainstcancer.ca> ou au 416-915-9222, poste 5781. Mes cordiales salutations, Kendall Tisdale Analyste de programme prévention 1, avenue University, Bureau 300 Toronto ON M5J 2P1 M: 416-915-9222 ext. 5781 kendall.tisdale(a)partnershipagainstcancer.ca *www.vuesurlecancer.ca/politiquesdeprevention <http://www.vuesurlecancer.ca/politiquesdeprevention>* *@PrevPolicies <https://twitter.com/prevpolicies>* -- Help make BC great for cycling. Please sign the Cycling for Everyone - A Billion for Bikes petition: *http://bccc.bc.ca/everyone* <http://bccc.bc.ca/everyone> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Canada Bikes Board" group. To post to this group, send email to canada-bikes-board(a)googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/canada-bikes-board.

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Webinar – January 21, 2016: Through Road/Main Street Interventions: Towards a More Balanced Coexistence Between Road Traffic and Life in Small Municipalities
by Marianne.Jacques＠inspq.qc.ca 13 Jan '16

13 Jan '16

Dear colleagues, The National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy (NCCHPP) would like to invite you to join us for a webinar entitled: “Through Road/Main Street Interventions: Towards a More Balanced Coexistence Between Road Traffic and Life in Small Municipalities”. This webinar will take place on January 21, 2016, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (EDT). For more details and to register, please click on the link below: http://www.ncchpp.ca/176/Presentations.ccnpps?id_article=1497 If you feel that this activity is of interest to your networks and partners, don’t hesitate to share this announcement! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Marianne Jacques at: marianne.jacques(a)inspq.qc.ca Regards, Marianne Jacques Agente de développement des réseaux Centre de collaboration nationale sur les politiques publiques et la santé (CCNPPS) Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) 190 Crémazie Est, Montréal, Québec H2P 1E2 Téléphone: 514-864-1600, poste 3613 Télécopieur: 514-864-5180 Web: www.ccnpps.ca

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Bike Winnipeg 2015 Bicycle Counts Report
by Mark Cohoe 07 Jan '16

07 Jan '16

Bike Winnipeg's 2015 Bicycle Count Report is now available here <http://bikewinnipeg.ca/2016/01/07/2015-winnipeg-bicycle-counts-report/>on our website. There is strong evidence that even the limited construction of new cycling infrastructure that has occurred since 2009 has had a positive impact on the numbers of cyclists in Winnipeg. This year’s bike counts and analysis suggest that there has been substantial growth in cycling but that this growth has stalled. In 2015 the City adopted a new pedestrian and cycling strategy with more ambitious goals. If this results in a more substantial investment in cycling infrastructure we can expect to see increased cycling levels in the future. A big thanks to Bike Winnipeg director Jeremy Hull who organizes the yearly counts and produces this detailed report for us. Thanks as well to the many volunteers who donate their time to undertake the actual counts. This year we had 86 counts at 25 different locations. Cheers, Mark Cohoe Bike Winnipeg

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Mark your calendar! 2016 APBP webinars
by Beth McKechnie 06 Jan '16

06 Jan '16

Hi everyone, Here is the 2016 webinar schedule from the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP). Note that the webinars take place on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, except December, from 2-3pm local time. Once again, Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg will be hosting group viewings of these webinars in the EcoCentre boardroom. We welcome you to join us to watch the webinars together and discuss local applications of what we've learned. Jan 20 All About Guidance # 2 - Using Guidance Effectively Feb 17 Planning for Facility Maintenance and Management Costs Mar 16 Understanding the Funding Process Apr 20 Shared and Separated Off-street Paths May 18 Aspects of Equity Jun 15 Economic Impacts of Street Design Decisions Jul 20 Performance Measures to Evaluate new and Established Practices Aug 17 Street Design and Planning in Suburban Contexts Sep 21 Pedestrians and Bicyclists in a Suburban Context Oct 19 Intersections that Work for Pedestrians and Cyclists Nov 16 Transitions Between Bikeway Facilities Dec 14 Tips to Demystify Traffic Analysis Details on the January 20th webinar will be circulated next week. cheers, Beth -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://canadahelps.org/>

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WFP: One-metre rule for bikes (Jan.3&6'16)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Jan '16

06 Jan '16

[Here is today's editorial followed by the initial article.] One-metre rule for bikes: it’s a start http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/One-metre-rule-for-bike… Good on Premier Greg Selinger for getting behind a backbencher’s bill to impose a rule that vehicles leave one metre for cyclists on the road But it is just a start for the provincial government — and it should get the support of all parties — that has been relatively uninterested in promoting cycling for commuters. At present, the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) requires motorists to be prudent, but doesn’t set out a distance they must keep from cyclists. That leaves too much discretion for some drivers. Some don’t realize how vulnerable cyclists feel on the road; others don’t care. A rule that requires motorists to leave three feet of grace for cyclists would compel drivers to be more watchful. The HTA requires cyclists to keep as close to the right curb as practicable (which recognizes they are slower and don’t have to impede traffic). But the rule is meaningless when the road, curbside, is so pocked and cracked it is dangerous to ride on. Riding in the centre of the lane disrupts motorists. It’s irritating if it goes on for more than a minute, because urban speed limits are geared for vehicles and to expedite traffic. Cyclists, too, forget or ignore their duties under the HTA, stoking resentment and outright hostility between commuters. And this is going to increase as more Manitobans, particularly Winnipeggers, commute by bike. That puts a lot of pressure on municipalities, which shoulder the burden of designing streets and infrastructure to make way for cyclists and pedestrians. But cities alone cannot afford the cost of shifting infrastructure, in a reasonable timeline, to accommodate cyclists safely. The one-metre rule, if it passes, will show just how much work needs to be done. It will reveal how ill-suited the streets are now to melding bicycles and cars, especially in winter. Narrowed (by snow or potholes), single lanes of opposing traffic will see cyclists holding up traffic on busy roads. Separated bike lanes are the safest and are shown to encourage commuters to leave the car at home. While they don’t have to be expensive — cement planters can work in place of a fixed curb between the bike and the car — separated lanes do need changes to road design, especially at intersections and bus stops. They have to be continuous, and connected to routes into the suburbs. This requires planning, preferably on a regional basis. It requires commitment by governments that make moving people into alternative modes of transportation a priority. The Selinger government has been lazy on that point. Some of its infrastructure programs mention active transportation, but there is little dedicated funding for municipalities that face tearing up asphalt to lay down new track. And it’s doubly overwhelming for winter cities, where even pedestrians are discouraged because sidewalks aren’t plowed regularly. Other jurisdictions are spending the time, money and effort to push walking and cycling. New York is one example, reworking in a short time its busy streets into a can-do model for cyclists, but not without conflict and acrimony. Closer to home, Minneapolis has invested huge sums to start the shift from a car culture. Across the sea, more cities are taxing motorists more aggressively, some to provide financial incentives to cyclists. Meanwhile, Manitoba has the second-lowest fuel tax in Canada, and Alberta is about to close the gap. There’s no shortage of ideas and evidence of what works. Mr. Selinger’s green plan does not put enough muscle behind pushing the transportation sector — a big driver of greenhouse-gas emissions — to be greener. It can’t meet its goals on GHG cuts unless a lot of cars get off fossil fuels and more commuters get out of cars. There are proven ways to do that. Manitoba needs a provincial government to help adopt them. *Editorials are the consensus view of the Winnipeg Free Press’ editorial board composed of Catherine Mitchell, David O’Brien, Shannon Sampert, and Paul Samyn.* * * * * * Proposed one-metre rule for cars and cyclists 'a great idea:' Manitoba premier http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/proposed-one-metre-rule-for-c… WINNIPEG - Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger is throwing his support behind a proposed new rule of the road affecting motorists and cyclists. Selinger says a call to force drivers to move over at least one metre when passing a cyclist is "a great idea" that he would like to see become law. "Safety for active transportation makes sense. It's part of having a more livable city," Selinger said in a recent interview. "It's in the interests of both parties to have a respectful understanding of what the zones of safety are." Ontario recently passed a one-metre law and one of Selinger's backbenchers, Dave Gaudreau, wants Manitoba to follow suit. Gaudreau has put forward a private member's bill in the legislature and Selinger said he'd like to see it become law. However, the bill is one of many currently on the agenda and the legislature is scheduled to sit for only 12 days before the campaign begins for the April 19 election. Whether there is enough time to pass the bill will depend partly on the opposition, Selinger said. Manitoba's Highway Traffic Act currently requires motorists only to keep "a safe distance" when passing cyclists. Gaudreau has said specifying a one-metre rule will make things more clear and ensure cyclists are given ample room.

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