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This video shows why good parking is essential for safe cycling

Everyone needs to remember that city space is shared

Photo by: Parisa @Parissanin
May 25, 2022
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Being able to parallel park properly isn’t just a skill that you need to master for your driving test. It’s something that can greatly affect others if done incorrectly.

In cities across Canada, everyone is out again, by foot, by bike, and by foot. After two years of uncertainty, the roads, trails and sidewalks are chock full of people enjoying the summer.

But that also means that in many cities, things are getting crowded. Many drivers who haven’t been out as much may not have noticed that many cities in Canada increased their cycling infrastructure. Across Canada, bike paths, cycle tracks and trails were increased as more people took to their bikes. Just like the rest of the world, there was an uptick in bike users in Canada. When the gyms closed, or people were cautious of using public transit for fear of COVID-19 exposure, cycling exploded.

These Toronto residents are purposefully blocking bike lanes

Now that things are getting back “to normal” that means more than ever, motorists and cyclists need to find a way to co-exist. That isn’t just limited to drivers paying more attention to vulnerable users–which will always be most important to those on bikes, but other aspects.

Guess how many drivers were ticketed for parking in Toronto bike lanes

Since many cyclists are also drivers themselves, it’s a good idea to remind everyone that good parking affects everyone.

In many cities, with the addition of bike paths, parking spots were re-adjusted to either side of the path or track. That means a car hugging a curb is extremely important to the safety factor for bikes. As you can see below, the cars not parked properly creates a precarious situation for cyclists.