Comments on: Silly cycling restrictions: How slow can you go? http://valdodge.com/2008/06/15/silly-cycling-restrictions-how-slow-can-you-go/ Random wanderings and wonderings Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:03:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Val Dodge http://valdodge.com/2008/06/15/silly-cycling-restrictions-how-slow-can-you-go/comment-page-1/#comment-1496 Val Dodge Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:23:52 +0000 http://valdodge.com/2008/06/15/silly-cycling-restrictions-how-slow-can-you-go/#comment-1496 I've always thought that Mount Pleasant is the most interesting of Toronto's garden cemeteries. I walk or bike through pretty much every day now that I work nearby and something always catches my eye. I don't think there's anything disrespectful about cycling, picnicking, or jogging, and I don't understand why any site—cemetery or otherwise—would ban bikes but not cars. I’ve always thought that Mount Pleasant is the most interesting of Toronto’s garden cemeteries. I walk or bike through pretty much every day now that I work nearby and something always catches my eye. I don’t think there’s anything disrespectful about cycling, picnicking, or jogging, and I don’t understand why any site—cemetery or otherwise—would ban bikes but not cars.

]]> By: Natalie http://valdodge.com/2008/06/15/silly-cycling-restrictions-how-slow-can-you-go/comment-page-1/#comment-1495 Natalie Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:28:34 +0000 http://valdodge.com/2008/06/15/silly-cycling-restrictions-how-slow-can-you-go/#comment-1495 Most of the large, garden-style cemeteries I've ever hung out in, including Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, MA, upon which all large garden-style cemeteries in North America are based (wow that is a run-on sentence), do not allow bicycles at all out of respect for the dead. Other things that are not allowed at Mt. Auburn: skating (any kind), jogging, picnicking, and pets. Things that are allowed: walking, painting, photography, meditating, birdwatching. I'm frankly surprised that Mt. Pleasant allows bikes. I have yet to visit. Is it nice? Most of the large, garden-style cemeteries I’ve ever hung out in, including Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, MA, upon which all large garden-style cemeteries in North America are based (wow that is a run-on sentence), do not allow bicycles at all out of respect for the dead. Other things that are not allowed at Mt. Auburn: skating (any kind), jogging, picnicking, and pets. Things that are allowed: walking, painting, photography, meditating, birdwatching.

I’m frankly surprised that Mt. Pleasant allows bikes. I have yet to visit. Is it nice?

]]> By: Val Dodge http://valdodge.com/2008/06/15/silly-cycling-restrictions-how-slow-can-you-go/comment-page-1/#comment-1489 Val Dodge Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:20:14 +0000 http://valdodge.com/2008/06/15/silly-cycling-restrictions-how-slow-can-you-go/#comment-1489 I think that's a pretty good reason to have a restriction on using the cemetery as a training circuit, but I think it's a pretty bad reason to have an unenforced (and unenforceable) 10 km/h speed limit that snares many more people than the inconsiderate boobs it's aimed at. The last thing we need is more overly-broad rules that are specifically intended to be enforced for only a tiny minority of the people breaking them. It's the kind of thing that gets people into the habit of ignoring rules, which is precisely what causes a lot of problems in the first place. I think that’s a pretty good reason to have a restriction on using the cemetery as a training circuit, but I think it’s a pretty bad reason to have an unenforced (and unenforceable) 10 km/h speed limit that snares many more people than the inconsiderate boobs it’s aimed at.

The last thing we need is more overly-broad rules that are specifically intended to be enforced for only a tiny minority of the people breaking them. It’s the kind of thing that gets people into the habit of ignoring rules, which is precisely what causes a lot of problems in the first place.

]]> By: Don Watcher http://valdodge.com/2008/06/15/silly-cycling-restrictions-how-slow-can-you-go/comment-page-1/#comment-1482 Don Watcher Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:44:33 +0000 http://valdodge.com/2008/06/15/silly-cycling-restrictions-how-slow-can-you-go/#comment-1482 While the rule may seem silly now, it was a response to groups of cyclists who were using the cemetery for training. They'd choose a loop and motor around the cemetery at quite a good clip. This activity WAS a safety hazard and the 10 km/h rule was the result. I don't think they ever enforce the rule for casual cyclists but the message was that the cemetery was no place for training activities. While the rule may seem silly now, it was a response to groups of cyclists who were using the cemetery for training. They’d choose a loop and motor around the cemetery at quite a good clip. This activity WAS a safety hazard and the 10 km/h rule was the result. I don’t think they ever enforce the rule for casual cyclists but the message was that the cemetery was no place for training activities.

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