Trevor Linden delivers a shock on jock radio:
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Vancouver Canucks President Trevor Linden joined Matt Sekeres live in studio on Tuesday continuing with President’s week on the TEAM1040 Midday Show.
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Skip to the 12:00 mark.
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SEKERES: Noted cyclist Trevor Linden, where do you stand on bike lanes?
LINDEN: Bike lanes? Is David Pratt listening?
I have to say I think it’s great. I think our city is amazing. I was driving to work today over the Burrard Street Bridge and I couldn’t believe how many bikes were across the bridge.
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LINDEN: I think it’s interesting, you know, I love Europe, I love how they do things in Europe, their cycling is such a culture, and it’s one of those things: you have to build it before they will come. You can’t expect people to adopt the bike and think that’s going to happen when there’s no place for them to be. Certainly how it’s brought in may ruffle feathers but I think overall it makes our city interesting and unique. It puts us in a different place, and I think it’s fun.
I can only tell you Point Grey Road now, as you know Matt, is an absolute freeway of walkers, dog walkers, bikers, parents with their six-year-old kids riding from Jericho to Kits and it’s pretty special, it’s pretty cool.
I think our congestion, our traffic issues aren’t about bike lanes. Lions Gate Bridge, Massey Tunnel, Ironworkers Memorial, has nothing to do with bike lanes …
When they took a lane and dedicated it to bikes I was not in favour, it was ridiculous. But the thing you realize is that it’s not the lanes on the bridge that congest, it’s the lights on either end.
And to tell you the truth, now I can’t imagine riding my bike on the sidewalk again with people, it’s just not safe, it’s not safe for walkers, and there’s so many people now going across that bridge.
[Discussion about recent construction.]
LINDEN: It was kind of a double whammy, they had the stuff going on at the south end and then they had the bridge redecking, but it looks great now.
SEKERES: I’m with you on bike lanes with regard to the green elements and getting people healthy and on their bikes and different modes of transportation. I just … please tell your cyclist friends: the rules of the road apply to them as well. A stop means stop, it doesn’t mean yield, pedal backwards for a few seconds, shoulder check. It means wear a helmet, it means I have the right-of-way sometimes …
LINDEN: Do you ride a bike, Matt?
SEKERES: I do sometimes but not …
LINDEN: Cruiser bike? One of my favourite things to is to ride my bike to dinner and that sort of thing, it’s fun. Walking after dinner, riding my bike, they say you can eat more if you bike.
LINDEN: Cruiser bike? One of my favourite things to is to ride my bike to dinner and that sort of thing, it’s fun. Walking after dinner, riding my bike, they say you can eat more if you bike.
ZING!
“please tell your cyclist friends”
This is just bizarre.*
“Oh, you sometimes walk home from dinner? Well, please tell your pedestrian friends to wait for me to turn right before they start crossing….”
*Yes, I know Sekeres is a ludicrous caricature for ratings purposes.
Beside the obvious broad support for human streets, things I particularly like in this are:
– Framing in the context of building a great, fun city for all. Not about bike lanes per se but about good public space.
– Linden grokking that the signals are the delay-causer. Next up: roundabouts, square-abouts, plazas or shared space?
– Further recognising and distinguishing the Burrard redecking from the intersection work.
– Cruiser after dinner reference
– Six year olds reference
– Build and they’ll come. Would be nice if he used (Toderian’s?) swimmers-before-bridges quip.
Sekeres is currently lashing out on Twitter, pulling out same old lazy, inaccurate arguments to defend himself: https://twitter.com/mattsekeres. He obviously thought he was among like-minded company, and it blew up (rather embarrassingly) in his face. It’s all quite comedic.
More seriously, Sekeres embodies the driver vs. cyclist paradigm at its very worst. It’s US-style, two-party politics: “My team is right, and yours is wrong.” This type of tribal thinking will get us nowhere. How do we move the conversation forward past the same tired rhetoric?
I find these things noteworthy.
1. Mr. Linden is extremely experienced at conducting interviews, since he’s probably been in the media spotlight since he was a teenager. Note, above, where Mr. Sekeres tries to pull Mr. Linden into an anti-bicycle hate-fest about the usual nonsense. Mr. Linden simply refuses to answer, and instead introduces the topics of fun and health. It’s a lesson for everyone who accepts such a trip into the den of fake outrage and phony issues.
2. Mr. Linden knows that Mr. Sekeris needs him, or else his show and credibility will tank. Mr. Linden is not adverse to administering a spanking if it is necessary.
3. Mr. Linden is not afraid of his opinions, even though they may be at odds with convention. Another example — Mr. Linden does not think that fights in hockey serve to protect the game’s stars. Mr. Linden shows the same strength of character in the arena of intellect and opinion that he showed as a hockey player.
4. This is one of the first of Vancouver’s A-list public figures that I recall “coming out” in favour of bike lanes and people riding bicycles. Hopefully this will encourage others to take the same public stance.
Of course Trevor Linden would support this bike lane and the sun and money enclave that it protects. He lives on Pt. Grey Road and benefits directly. Funny how that didn’t make the interview! He also parties regulrily with Chp Wilson, another beneficiary of the street closure. Disengenuous of Trev, to say the least. Gosh, he sounds more and more like a politician every day. He’s certainly learning from the Mayor’s friends, the Aquilini’s, isn’t he?
I heard a suggestion that Chip Wilson and Peter Ladner—also homeowners in the pt Grey bike area— were floating the isea of renaming that section of Pt. Grey Road ‘Trevor Linden Way’ in order to maintain the closure. Presumably, canaucks fans in Burnaby and Surrey and upcountry would riot if anyone dared to open the street again.
You’re right little birdie! It’s so unfair that only the rich can benefit from quiet, car-last streets. EVERY street in Vancouver should be quiet, car-last, dominated by pedestrians and cyclists. I fully support you in this and welcome you to join me getting out the paint and planters tomorrow morning.
I can’t believe those elitists in Vision insist on wastefully dedicating so much space to noisy, polluting private vehicles. Most parking spaces in the city are just given away free! Public land, given away free to the rich!
It’s a disgrace!
I think that the New Point Grey Road is about the thousands of people on two feet, two wheels, three wheels and four wheels who use it every day. Mr. Linden is perceptive enough to see this.
I wonder if the people east of Main Street who don’t have anything like this infrastructure or ‘traffic calming’ in their own backyards, and who are not gaining directly from it in quite the same way as Mr. Linden— as cyclists OR as ‘1%’er area protected homeowners—are as ‘evolved’ as he is, in their opinions as to its benefits of PGR for the whole of the City?
As to your claim about ‘1000’s’ of cyclists who ‘use it every day’, i look forward to your count from Nov-April or May..
Yes! East of Main, west of Main! All over the city!
I’ll vote for you, little birdie! Let’s get tame the automobile menace and let our children dance free!
I live east of Main and am now using PGR nearly every time I cycle out that way, and it’s a fave walk for me, my daughter, and my girlfriend. Not only that, it’s existence makes it easier to get politicians to commit to similar efforts on the other side of Main St IMO. It’s not a great reflection on an individual or party when they take easy, positive changes such as this and politicize them. Personally, it feels like a big middle finger extended to me and my family, who love the idea of being able to ride our bikes to the beach, regardless of the time of year. I expect it will turn out to be a bad choice strategically for the NPA et al. Most of the politically un-aligned non-cyclists I know are tired of being misled by anti-cycling zealots regarding the impact of bike lanes, traffic calmed streets etc.
I live in Strathcona which is literally east of Main and this area is very traffic-calmed! If I want to drive to the Wilder Snail Cafe I have to circuit around the whole neighbourhood because the direct route involves at least 3 closed off/diverted streets.
And here, the Adanac bikeway that goes through the neighbourhood is a veritable cycling freeway! During the morning and afternoon rush–or the fireworks rush ;)–there is a sea of bicycle wheels of all shapes and sizes.
I think that Strathcona and the West End, who were traffic calmed decades ago, need to review and discuss just what they want for a neighbourhood. The very same traffic calming that makes their neighbourhoods nice and walkable, also means that driving is indirect and that residents will start cycling.
If someone can figure out some design or technology that allows fast direct motor access for locals yet prevents it becoming a grid of short cuts for non-locals that would be great but what would that be?
Another thing is that most of the little parks, while fine 20 years ago, are not well designed in regards to cycling and walking coexisting.
I think the Adanac route cannot take much more cycle traffic. There needs to be alternatives. Because of the train tracks and the water a huge area between Burrard Inlet and Terminal Drive has no other east-west cycle corridor other than a single street. There needs to be more east-west connections.
Funny. When the Seaside Greenway was being worked on people were pointing to North Grandview Highway (between Victoria and Nanaimo) as an example of what it might be like. It’s been there for over a decade.
But yeah, now that we have seen what it can be like and we can see that it’s good, let’s keep going. I’m not bothered that it happens to be in front of some rich people’s places.
They’re citizens too.
The Seaside Greenway is at that location because of the water. The houses there are expensive for the same reason. There was an attempt to make a traditional seawall but it wasn’t possible so a traffic calmed regular street is what we have.
Check out the New Powell St. between Hawks and Clark.
http://cypressdigital.zenfolio.com/p799143822
Check out Hawks from Union north.
Check out Union St east of Main
Check out Ontario St. from Seawall to Marine Drive
Check out the West End since the 1970’s
Check this series of photos, and the count, from March 23, 2014
http://cypressdigital.zenfolio.com/p488378926
Hey look! Another rich, hobby cyclist advocating for bike lanes so other rich, hobby cyclists can get by.
Hey look! Another hater!
I rode a bike to school in the 1980s, but didn’t even own a working bike from 1991 to 2014. So I’m definitely not a “cyclist”. I use a bicycle to get to and from work most days because it forces me to get some exercise. My usual route involves a mix of separated bike lanes, designated side streets, ordinary side streets, a white line and bike logo next to fast moving traffic, mixed bike/pedestrian spaces and occasionally a short dash along Cornwall Avenue.
The closing of Point Grey Road was the straw that finally broke down my reluctance to try cycling to work, but I don’t really like riding there because the roadway is so rough and there’s limited shade.
Point Grey Road was not closed – it was upgraded to give priority to active transportation. It even accommodates local motor vehicle traffic. This is a remarkable transformation and completes one of the last missing links in our magnificent seawall greenway. I encourage everyone who has not yet seen this upgrade to go there and walk or cycle to see how remarkable this street is;
PGR is wide open for people on 2 feet, 2 wheels, 3 wheels and 4 wheels. It is traffic-calmed, meaning few if any commuter motorists speed through on it now. But it’s wide open for everyone else, no matter what form of transportation they choose.
the others seem to have missed the point of your comment, so I’ll just say kudos for giving it a try, but too bad you don’t enjoy the new route. As for others, I’ll say your experience points to what people would expect: that if we build cycling improvements, people will come. =)
“I don’t really like riding there because the roadway is so rough”
Agree that the roadway is rough. Utility work is scheduled for next year on PGR, and this section of road will be under construction then. Following that work, we can hope that smooth new pavement will resolve the issue you raise. Widening the sidewalks at the same time will also be positive.
@Neil21
I like your egalitarian spirit, my friend.
What colour shall we paint this town? 🙂
@Chris Keam
If only you could tame the micreants that:
1) blow through stop signs at 20km+
2) speed past pedestrians on walking paths
3) think that this current government owes them. oh, wait…it does!
I’m a cyclist who sees this attitude amongst non-aligned cyclists hardening against the idiots. My votes this fall will go to anyone who can come up with better solutions for those who continually thumb their noses at public safety. If it’s good enough to ticket and fine idio drivers, it’s good enough to go after negligent cyclists.
As for Mr. Linden, again, his ommission of where he lives and how he benefits from Pt. Grey Road’s closure is not worthy of his public personna.
Those riding bikes in Vancouver receive more tickets on a proportional basis than those who drive.
@Little Birdie:
Your comments have nothing to do with anything I wrote. I’m not sure what point of view you are ascribing to me with your jumbled remarks, but I have zero interest in foolishness and hyperbole, so unless you can make a point that’s relevant, I’ll leave you to it.
cheers,
CK
Chris,
In fact my remarks do have something to do with what you wrote and in fct address much of what you writeon blogs all over town. Bikes, cyclists: saints—according to you. And yet, not a word or acknowledgement of the dangers posed by too many rogue cyclists in this town. And I just know you’re going to reference cars…but let’s say I gree with you that drivers are dangerous.
You just cannot bring yourself to rightly critisize he cycling brotherhood, when they deserve it. I was hoping for some maturity in your response to myfact-based post, but alas, in true Vision/HUB style you’d rather use the dismissive, angry, ‘how dare you ask for responsibilties from cyclists!’ tone that the citizens here have grown all too weary of…
“Bikes, cyclists: saints—according to you.”
This is totally untrue and a clear sign you would prefer to argue against position I haven’t taken, and worse, make it personal instead of about the topic. I am completely in favour of curbing reckless cycling behaviour in proportion to its impact on other road users. Again, please make a relevant point or else let it go.
I propose that we discuss this at the next secret meeting of the cycling brotherhood.
My last post for the day: lest we forget what’s REALLY important to people in Vancouver…enjoy the weekend, all.
http://www.justasonmi.com/?p=4029
I do think that for bikes a stop means yield. But it actually means yield. Not, “not yield.” After getting pulled over for not coming to a full stop at a stop sign in Shawnessy, I managed to come to a full stop at the next three, empty intersections…but it couldn’t stick. Too ridiculous on a bike. I would never do that in a car. As a driver and a cyclist I understand how different your awareness is in either. On a bike I can sense everything around me for a great distance, in a car I can feel my awareness is limited. At the same time when I’m cycling I need to understand that driver’s can’t “feel” me whipping up along side so I need to take that easy.
OMG, he used the “You tell your cyclist friends…” line. Hilarious. I’ve had that said to me a few times after them failing in accusing me of stuff I’ve never done. Meanwhile they had just told me that they were “an avid cyclist but…”.
Don’t these bigots ever think of producing some original material?
It appears that some people think that “cyclist” is an identity or something. Isn’t it just another choice that we all can make?
Yes, Janda, cycling is “just another choice.” Now that Point Grey Road has motorist diverters, commuter motorists are choosing to use the major arterials, which has made the road accessible and safe for cyclists and pedestrians of all ages and abilities, and allows local residents, including local motorists, finally, to safely access their homes. These individuals are now choosing to use the road in the same way commuter motorists chose to use it in high volumes and high speeds before it was traffic-calmed. As long as choices are maintained for various methods of transportation, and accessibility and safety remain priorities in transportation planning, we are providing for and accommodating everyone.
Property values or celebrities’ living arrangements and opinions are red herrings.
The only problem with these comments by Trevor Linden is that they contradict his own actions; despite being a resident of Point Grey Road, he blows through the diverters on a regular basis. In other words, he likes the changes to the road as long as he does not abide by them.