Toronto Fixer rides a bicycle

Jack Lakey is “The Fixer,” a Toronto newspaper columnist who uses his bully pulpit to get things done. After he lectured Toronto cyclists to follow the rules of the road last summer, “cyclists unleashed a firestorm of fury in emails and comments posted to our online columns” writes Lakey.

When bike activist James Schwartz invited the Toronoto Star columnist to ride with him, Lakey accepted and, to his surprise and delight, enjoyed the ride.

An unintended consequence of our journey was soon apparent: Cycling is an immensely enjoyable way to get around, especially on a fall day when moderate exertion results in minimal sweat.

It promotes a sense of well-being and gets the blood flowing without leaving one gasping for breath, and allows riders to quickly manoeuvre through heavy traffic without adding to the queue of gridlocked vehicles.

Aside from the exercise, it creates a connection between the rider and the surrounding community in a way that drivers, who are sealed off by glass and steel, could never feel for themselves.

While stopped at an intersection, you can hear the conversations of people waiting for the green light. You can smell onions sizzling at a hot dog cart, read the signs pasted to a utility pole and observe things that cannot be seen from behind the wheel.

More at the Toronto Star: The Fixer: Cycling a better way to get around than it looks. See also Schwartz’s discussion on his ride with Lakey.

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