yeah Canadian are addicted to their cars and like any other addiction you do 'everything' just to get your next dose. bringing up any kind of stupid excuse to justify their addiction looks reasonable to them. Canada never tried to solve this addiction, and here is the result: a country that has poor public transport, almost no train, subway in disrepair and crazy drivers who kill for speed PS: btw, you can go to costco by bike, and shop whatever you need weekly, what stops you to do it by bike? I do it, I see many others doing it in Ontario, there's no need for stupid excuses
London (Canada) "is" trying but it'll be hard to make the right changes for sure. It's gotta all be done at a local level! Thanks so much, by the way! ♥️
Car owners are being played for Chumps by the Auto Manufacturers, Auto Insurance Companies, Dealerships, and at the gas pumps, Oil Companies and Governments. The Automobile is now occupying the space in society that Steam Locomotives enjoyed in 1945. Coal burning steam locomotives weren't done away with for environmental reasons. They became economically unviable compared to diesel electric. So much so that perfectly good steam locomotives were sent for scrap long before their service life was even half over. The car, as we know it, is a dead technology walking.
I have a Costco within a 20 minute bike ride. I go about once a week on my bike like I would any other supermarket. And it's not even a cargo bike. I just go with a couple of panniers and it's fine. It's not like I buy a 80" TV every time I go to Costco.
One thing I've found where I am is store managers do not want you walking a bike through their store. The only grocery store with bike parking is freshco, which is fine because it's the closest to me haha
@@WasephWastar That sounds like something poor people would say, since riding pedal-bikes in little tight shorts is certainly not for everybody, and most Canadians do in fact need their cars.
I've been wanting to make explainer videos like this, but I'm glad some people have done this with better fluency, clarity, and video quality. Ironically I look/speed like a professional cyclist because of all the road safety arms race I have to do against the apathetic/uneducated car drivers who don't know what to do with themselves when they see a cyclist on the road. I want to spend less time on the road, so I go faster. I want to be safe on the road, so I buy all the safety gear (safety effectiveness of obeying the law and using safety gear is debatable at best). I'm a commuter by heart. I don't see the point of cycling just for the heck of it. Sure, reserve longer/bulkier trips for a car, but it really doesn't make sense to me to drive 500meters away to the grocery store to get 2 loaves of bread. Back when I was solely doing Costco runs I only grocery shop once every 2 to 3 months. Now I bike to the grocery store every week or two, and what a difference does that make in my health! I get fresher foods (from more frequent trips), and these commutes can double as workout sessions. Snow (or inclement weather): It really puts the common-sense into perspective--don't go out in inclement weather if you can help it! But if I really have to trek into the bad weather, I don't get stuck while walking/cycling like I do with driving. A car usually gives a false sense of security.
So I've got almost 10 cars here in Canada (I rent a shop to store/work on them because my house doesn't have the storage) and I have a RUclips Channel based around cars, but I got to work today on my E-Bike, it's just passed 3,000km on it. As an absolute die-hard car fan to the detriment of my savings, I am totally for walkable cities, bike lanes, public transit, road diets and car-free streets because when I do drive it's for pleasure, road trips or actually large loads. I love my cars, but you won't often see them at my grocery store, bars, sitting in traffic, work or friends houses, you'll see me enjoying them on a Saturday afternoon cruising down a backroad with a big smile on my face and commuting on my e-bike. Car fans and active transit don't have to be opposing opinions. (oh and I loved the Netherlands, both driving and their active transit)
I read the "I am also a cyclist but..." as "I ride a few times during the couple of months in summer in a park for short recreational trips, therefore I have no knowledge about utility cycling or actually, cycling in general but here is my opinion about it anyway". Also, yes, Netherlands seems like very relaxed place and there is a very good reason - the "busy" streets, filled with cars inching forwards, honking, tires and breaks screeching (and sometimes alternator belts), engines reving, etc. sound like there is much going on. That is because we perceive stress as "a lot going on". In the Netherlands, there is just as much going on but there is much less stress (because there are less cars) so peoples' perception is skewed. And also, since people don't have to spend a lot of time stuck in a traffic, they have more time to sit and chat at a coffee shop.
This is what most vehicle owners fail to grasp...the inevitable change in attitude and priorities that comes with allowing yourself to slow down a bit. Also, the compound benefits of a healthier lifestyle choice are immeasurable.
I love everything on wheels, including cars but the argument that we shouldn't have human sized cities is insane. If you love cars, you'll know that being stuck in traffic is probably the least enjoyable thing you can do. I have access to some cool toys but always chose to bike to work. It is 10KM and way less stressful.
100% agree. I love a good drive and I have done many road trips. But the moment I have to drive somewhere through a city I try to find any and all alternatives. Why would anyone who likes to drive a car want to be driving through a city, especially for a utility trip? And on daily basis? I say that anyone who does that does not love cars but is instead just addicted to using them.
Lol, when I gave up my Expired Drivers License, for a Photo ID, the Lady at Service Ontario was like "Are you sure you want to give this up? You won't be able to drive" I was like "yeah, I don't, and can't drive with that anyways. I need something that isn't expired". Maybe they just haft to ask that question for official reasons, but it was kind of surprising to hear. The bus works just fine for me.
urban sprawl is inefficient. cost of roads, infrastructures, commute time are parasitic drain on your tax dollars and your life. it is approximately $1 mil usd to repave a mile of road re. AASHTO and all roads needs repaving atleast once in ten years. anyone love sitting in traffic watching never ending road constructions while your life and tax dollars ticks away? beautiful road, more tax dollars please!
Ben, I really enjoy your videos and I try to watch all of all of them. However, I'll give you something you never asked for; my opinion. You must drop the word cyclist. I've grown tired of everyone calling every single person with a bicycle a cyclist. They aren't, they're just a person riding a bike. The ist suffix comes from enthusiast and it's true that many folks do enjoy riding their bicycle and are enthusiastic about it, many are just riding to save walking or using public transport or driving. I'm confident that most if not all train and bus passengers don't enjoy it, and we don't call these people trainists or bussists. A cyclist is someone who actively likes doing it, or races, or earns an income from it, or a combination of these. I ride my bike each day to work and to the shops as required, but I don't like it. I do it because I'm not into walking and I loathe driving, and I'm not starting up my motorcycle for any mundane journey, let alone getting into my leather clothes. So, I ride a bicycle, because I'm forced to. But, I don't like it all.
I SO wish it was easier in Calgary. It's May, and currently 3 degrees, strong winds and raining/snowing. Last week, it snowed 3 days in a row and again heavy winds. We would have a beautiful pathway to get to work for the most part of a 30-45 minute ride, but there are lots of hills and some sections were muddy, icy, or flooded as the snow was melting through April. Wouldn't mind the hills at all but part of the route would be on busy streets which are impossible to ride on when it's too windy/rainy/snowy. The freeze/thaw cycles, and temperatures at or below freezing every morning for most part of the year make it really hard to make a habit out of biking to work. There are a few people that do bike to work almost daily but it's not something anyone can do.
I couldn't believe how much I looked forward to my morning communte to the office when I decided to bike and walk, as opposed to driving, when I made the lifestyle change. No doubt, I definetly had to plan more time to commute while using me-power, time that I had previously used to be in front of a screen before I went out the frontdoor, but I can't help but feel that that time on a bike or walking became an investment in me, as in my ability to perhaps extend my youth via a more productive use of my time. Until you do it, you don't really understand. In terms of something that everyone understands, as in the dollar and cents reality of life, walking away from my car after the lease came up left me with $450 to $500 more in my bank account every single month. It was like putting in OT or finding a lucrative side-hustle. Unless career necessities ever pushes me back into a car, away from biking or walking to and from the ole 9-to-5, I don't think I'll ever own another car. I may rent from time to time, but the biking/walking commute is just so damn enjoyable.
This was SUCH a refreshing and amazing story to read! Glad you're able to have such an amazing time biking! ♥ You're right though: "Until you do it, you don't really understand."
As a German I take "strict schedules don't go with cycling" personally - however on Tuesday I was two minutes late on a 40 km bike ride… :) OK, joke aside: If you don't have time beside driving, than maybe because driving takes up so much time?
Cycling =/= Biking. Cycling is the sport, biking is for everyone. I'm looking at an e-trike (balance compromised adult, thanks vertigo) and my options are either two/three individual e-trikes at $1K USD each, or one that can be converted to have a passenger seat for adult passengers for the same price. Regardless, I would rather have the trike than a car again. It's much more cost-effective. Right now I'm reliant on the local bus system, while it's great price-wise, they stop service at 4pm on weekdays, and 5pm on Saturdays, and do not run on Sundays. Any travel after 4, that's an Uber or a 4-hour wait for the local cab company.
I hope you figure out your bike commute! Don't over think the bike commute, biking will be great. But as someone who is still in the process of phasing out using a car in favour of a bike for 99% of my transportation, take your time learning to bike to get around where you live, don't feel too bad when it doesn't work out and you need to use alternative methods of transportation at first. It does take time to figure out routes, gear, comfort, safety, ect.. Also 1000$ seen really low for an E trike, make sure you're getting something of quality that's reliable, otherwise that can also affect your ability to do it sustainably. Good luck and happy riding!
London is one of the most perfect sized cities for biking. I totally got rid of my car 2 years ago and use my ebike for everything above 5 degrees. I rarely ever need a vehicle and can grab a cab if i have to.
Ben, new subscriber here. I'm from the Six so I'm loving the geographic relevance to your material. Loving this video. Thank you so much for actually activating your brain cells (vs the typical Ford F150/BMW/Toyotal etc etc etc moron) Cheers.
@@BenDurham Fighting for Active transportation is not just a lack of infrastructure.....it's a culture. Address Europe vs North America and our addiction to the automobile mentality. I take my cargo e-bike to do grocery shopping and it's a joke how easy and fast it is....but my neighbours just don't even think of doing it.....cause "we" use our car. We need to open a different way to see our world. To be honest Ben, just looking through your back catalogue, you are so on the right track, I'm not sure I could suggest anything else that you haven't already addressed or will address ....."in another video" :). Cheers bro.
Ben, we often disagree on 'implementation' and other 'little details', but I very much agree with and support your cycling advocacy. I was a four season bicycle commuter in London in my twenties for several years (Gore-Tex is a wonderful thing), out of financial necessity and convenience, but life got in the way of that. I've been riding gas scooters for several years now (we've probably passed each other many times), as they are so much more convenient than driving my truck (even Costco trips...underseat storage is awesome), and likely do 80%-90% of my travels by scoot (#401 to K-W frequently). I tried taking up cycling again a few years back, but simply found it too stressful with all of the aggressive and oblivious drivers on our roads, however between you and 'Not Just Bikes' videos, I think I'm ready to take the plunge once more. I've been researching e-bikes and I'm certain that I will have one before year end ...hopefully it doesn't get stolen...that is a horrible feeling that I've experienced too many times. Obviously YT is a great source of information on e-bike options, but can you recommend some good local, hands on places to get more information on choosing the right $$$ e-bike? Thanks for what you do and BE SAFE out there.
I don't think this comment acknowledges just how dystopian the concept of Canadians being simply too busy with work to ever go anywhere without their car, or without the utmost efficiency at all times, truly is. Like dude if we really can't bike anywhere ever because were too busy with work and need to do everything all at once as fast as humanly possible, how is that something we'd want to hold on to??
Ben, I really appreciate the message you are pushing to get more people on bikes. That's fantastic and a noble effort. I really don't like your tone though. I wish you wouldn't demonize opposing views but would rather address them with compassion.
Depends on the roads you ride. Where I live the highways rarely have a shoulder safe to ride on. And traffic is moving 90kmh for most of the trip. In the major centres with bike lanes and paths sure but your forgetting about five million Canadians.
Until the homeless issues are solved, I don't want to be walking anywhere. It's way too sketchy. If you walk, get harassed by paranoid crackheads. Or try biking, but probably have it stolen. That's the west coast experience at least
It's everywhere. Homeless 'encampments' may not be as bad in London as places like L.A. and Vancouver, but it's pretty gross here as well. Drug fueled Zombies everywhere. If you enable it, they will come.
Hi ben i live in london too, do you ever go down wonderland rd going to southdale? Im thinking of getting a bike and i see the traffic is bad there and there is no proper bike lane (yet ig) almost everyday i need to go down that road, is it worth the risk biking on that busy road for a day to day work commute or should i just take the bus?
👋 I'm not often over on Wonderland and Southdale because they're on the opposite side of the city. However, I WAS just filming a video for Roundabouts for the City of London over on Southdale and Colonel Talbot Rd which is nearby. Look up which Ward you're in, here in London and then write your councillor! They should know that you'd like a bike lane and a grid so you can't get around outside of a car safely. I'd say if you're going to take that road, use the sidewalk because it's too high-speed of a road. I'm tempted to put a video out of me riding all the way down Wonderland and narrating it. But I'd only have time in about a month or two from now (sorry, busy!!) Let me know if you have questions here, though :)
As ridiculous as it is, the leg on Wonderland without a separate bike lane is only 2kms...it stops at Commissioners and picks up again beyond Southdale. I thought you were mistaken as I couldn't believe that this stretch does not have a bike lane in 2024...CRAZY.
I live car-free in Toronto. I chose a residence near a subway station and a bike lane. Yeah, it's expensive, but affordable since we don't have car payments, insurance, gas, repairs, etc. My 17km bike commute is my exercise. It's a beautiful way to live.
Well, my commute to work is about 30km, and while I am probably physically fit enough to do 60km a day, it leaves issues like smell (we don't have a shower at work) and danger of winter fall (and I can't afford downtime because of the injuries). Deep snow biking would be mostly walking, meaning my one way commute would be 3-4 hrs. I hate to run or bike in the rain - unavoidable when commuting. I won't be able to do grocery shopping or any shopping at all as it most likely won't be on a route. I don't drive an expensive car. My commute driving takes about 10 minutes longer in the "rush hour". The most expensive community in our town is practically outside of city limits. I literally don't understand what are you talking about. Oh, and before you will start fixing those intolerable mistakes in my comment, demonstrate your own ability to speak and write fluently couple more languages.
You say cars can’t find parking, but in cities like Amsterdam you have the same issue finding a parking spot for your bike. There are multi floor parking garages for bikes. And since they fill up, you would need to keep riding around looking for a space to lock it up.
Consider how much easier it is to build parking for bikes compared to cars though. If your job was to build parking for 500 bikes or 500 cars in a super dense downtown core which do you think would be easier to fit and cheaper to build?
That is true, but that's a good "problem" to have that we're decades away from having. Just think about that statement. Amsterdam has built such great bicycle infrastructure, established neighborhoods of reasonable density and surrounded them with desirable things to do to an extent that they have the problem of too many people can take a cheap, healthy option to transport themselves to those places. That would be an amazing problem to have and Amsterdam has been building more and more bicycle parking garages. You have to remember that the Netherlands used to be a car-culture city too, so it's still transitioning to bikes, public transportation and walking. They're way ahead of us, but things still take time and adjustments are going to constantly be made. We're several decades away from having that problem. In fact, the main problem we have with bike parking here is that it often doesn't exist. I go to the grocery store that's 3 blocks away multiple times a week to grab a few items. There's no bike rack or bike parking at all. I have to lock my bike to a bench in the front of the store. And our problem with car parking still isn't the same as their problem with bike parking. Here people have to park several blocks away to find parking for their cars in large cities and then walk for 10 to 15 minutes to get to their actual destination. Finding a bike parking spot in the Netherlands isn't so difficult that it inconveniences you to that degree, let alone the fact that here we're paying for the privilege of parking our car.
There's some dude in London who yells at cyclists, "Your calves are jacked, man!" Happened to me five years ago and then again just today. I love that guy. If anyone knows who that guy is, I owe that guy a beer for all the confidence that dude gave me over the years.
I’ve seen that guy too. He’s a mentally ill man who thinks that everybody just had their young cattle rustled; he’s not giving odd compliments or pickup lines to peddlers.
That’s a pretty weak take, even aside from the dramatic shrieking and hyperbole, childish voice mockery, arm-waving and silly grammar pedantry. For the minority of Canadians who live and work in cities, or are unemployed and just need to ride to the food bank, pedal-bikes are totally feasible for most transportation needs. For everyone else who live in suburbs and work far away; or those of us who live in widely-spaced rural areas, carry large work tools, pedal-bikes are 100% not practical or even possible for commuting, or many other activities. It’s not that Canadians don’t “like to have extremely compact cities like (some) European” areas, it’s that most of Canada DOESN’T have extremely compact cities. I realize that people in Toronto think they’re at the centre of the world, but as one of the largest countries on earth - most of which isn’t well-developed or urban - the vast majority of Canada is extremely rural regardless of what people might prefer or wish to believe. Aside from having to push pedals continuously to keep moving, there are some very off-putting aspects of pedal-bike culture: the smug, entitled, incorrect “I’m single-handedly saving the planet” attitude; the inability of many peddlers to follow road rules or have basic road use courtesy; and the insufferable spandex onesies adorned with fake sponsor logos and overall fake Tour De France aesthetic and unnecessary clip-on shoes, while they’re struggling to not tip over on the way to Starbucks. I realize you’re a committed pedal-bike advocate, and that’s totally cool. But you have to realize that a large number of people do not share that perspective and there’s no need to get salty when they have a different world view. I’m in my 50’s and have a labour-intensive job in the trades, so have no need for more exercise, have never gone to a gym and have less than zero interest in actual pedal-bikes, or e-bikes (which are similar to actual pedal-bikes, but not really because you barely have to pedal.) So I will stick with my extremely practical gasoline truck and motorcycle, thank you very much.
82% of Canadians live in urban areas. If you don’t like the “culture,” that’s ok, you just don’t need to participate. I just use my cargo bike to do stuff and don’t worry about other people.
@@getaroundmke That's not true. Over 80% of Canadians live and work in big cities *and surrounding areas*, so urban and suburban regions, with ⅔ of the population living in the "auto" suburbs and working somewhere else, usually necessarily commuting on freeways. 82% - 66% = 16% who live in actual cities, with a smaller portion of that also working within the city, allowing a practical pedal-bike commute. Of course some suburbanites work close enough for practical pedal-bike commuting, so the overall number of people who could ride pedal-bikes to work - if they had any desire whatsoever to do so - is somewhat larger than less-than-16%. I'm definitely not interested in participating in bike culture, or activities because it's the 21 century and we have way better options; also pedal-bikes are Victorian torture devices
yeah millions of docile consumers each so lazy and selfish that the destruction of our planet and ruining the quality of life of everyone not in their insane cult is worth it ... just to sit on your asses going vroom vroom turning a little wheel . you're dishonest or ill-informed , 80% of north americans live in cities (where by definition and simple density maths ... most jobs are ) or are their detrimental parasite via suburbs/exurbs . if at least you had the decency of keeping your insane behaviour to yourselves , but no you have to impose it in every city you refuse to live in and smugly pretend it's an acceptable and normal way to do things :) no matter your mental gymnastics , you're part of the biggest problems we face , you're detrimental to society and mankind by your life of inaction and upholding an unsustainable status quo
@@blattimusthose surrounding regions are not definitively inaccessible for bike commuting. I commute 40km (one way) to such a suburb where the nearest bus stop to my workplace is 1km away and yet I bike by taking the GO Train, then biking 5km to work. Door to Door time is identical to driving during rush hour. Except on the train I can take a nap, read a book, watch some videos. Not a single person in my workplace thought it was even possible to do what I do and how incredibly easy it is. I do this year round (yes, including winter), with an effort level low enough that I don't need to take spare clothes or shower when I get to work.
yeah Canadian are addicted to their cars and like any other addiction you do 'everything' just to get your next dose. bringing up any kind of stupid excuse to justify their addiction looks reasonable to them. Canada never tried to solve this addiction, and here is the result: a country that has poor public transport, almost no train, subway in disrepair and crazy drivers who kill for speed
PS:
btw, you can go to costco by bike, and shop whatever you need weekly, what stops you to do it by bike? I do it, I see many others doing it in Ontario, there's no need for stupid excuses
London (Canada) "is" trying but it'll be hard to make the right changes for sure. It's gotta all be done at a local level!
Thanks so much, by the way! ♥️
Car owners are being played for Chumps by the Auto Manufacturers, Auto Insurance Companies, Dealerships, and at the gas pumps, Oil Companies and Governments. The Automobile is now occupying the space in society that Steam Locomotives enjoyed in 1945. Coal burning steam locomotives weren't done away with for environmental reasons. They became economically unviable compared to diesel electric. So much so that perfectly good steam locomotives were sent for scrap long before their service life was even half over. The car, as we know it, is a dead technology walking.
I have a Costco within a 20 minute bike ride. I go about once a week on my bike like I would any other supermarket. And it's not even a cargo bike. I just go with a couple of panniers and it's fine. It's not like I buy a 80" TV every time I go to Costco.
One thing I've found where I am is store managers do not want you walking a bike through their store. The only grocery store with bike parking is freshco, which is fine because it's the closest to me haha
I ask them "so where do you want me to lock my bike? There aren't any bike racks..."
Imagine being poor
imagine wanting to pay 70k for something you don't even need
@@WasephWastar That sounds like something poor people would say, since riding pedal-bikes in little tight shorts is certainly not for everybody, and most Canadians do in fact need their cars.
@@WasephWastar mine was 80k
Again, who cares? I'd rather retire early and live a stress free life.
@@BenDurham Have you ever tried cooled seats Ben
I've been wanting to make explainer videos like this, but I'm glad some people have done this with better fluency, clarity, and video quality.
Ironically I look/speed like a professional cyclist because of all the road safety arms race I have to do against the apathetic/uneducated car drivers who don't know what to do with themselves when they see a cyclist on the road. I want to spend less time on the road, so I go faster. I want to be safe on the road, so I buy all the safety gear (safety effectiveness of obeying the law and using safety gear is debatable at best).
I'm a commuter by heart. I don't see the point of cycling just for the heck of it. Sure, reserve longer/bulkier trips for a car, but it really doesn't make sense to me to drive 500meters away to the grocery store to get 2 loaves of bread.
Back when I was solely doing Costco runs I only grocery shop once every 2 to 3 months. Now I bike to the grocery store every week or two, and what a difference does that make in my health! I get fresher foods (from more frequent trips), and these commutes can double as workout sessions.
Snow (or inclement weather): It really puts the common-sense into perspective--don't go out in inclement weather if you can help it! But if I really have to trek into the bad weather, I don't get stuck while walking/cycling like I do with driving. A car usually gives a false sense of security.
Arg yesssss to all of this! Sounds like we're pretty alike with our bicycling and trips!
So I've got almost 10 cars here in Canada (I rent a shop to store/work on them because my house doesn't have the storage) and I have a RUclips Channel based around cars, but I got to work today on my E-Bike, it's just passed 3,000km on it. As an absolute die-hard car fan to the detriment of my savings, I am totally for walkable cities, bike lanes, public transit, road diets and car-free streets because when I do drive it's for pleasure, road trips or actually large loads. I love my cars, but you won't often see them at my grocery store, bars, sitting in traffic, work or friends houses, you'll see me enjoying them on a Saturday afternoon cruising down a backroad with a big smile on my face and commuting on my e-bike.
Car fans and active transit don't have to be opposing opinions.
(oh and I loved the Netherlands, both driving and their active transit)
Hey ben, maybe you should debunk jearmy clarksons video about why cycling is bad for the enviroment
I read the "I am also a cyclist but..." as "I ride a few times during the couple of months in summer in a park for short recreational trips, therefore I have no knowledge about utility cycling or actually, cycling in general but here is my opinion about it anyway".
Also, yes, Netherlands seems like very relaxed place and there is a very good reason - the "busy" streets, filled with cars inching forwards, honking, tires and breaks screeching (and sometimes alternator belts), engines reving, etc. sound like there is much going on. That is because we perceive stress as "a lot going on". In the Netherlands, there is just as much going on but there is much less stress (because there are less cars) so peoples' perception is skewed.
And also, since people don't have to spend a lot of time stuck in a traffic, they have more time to sit and chat at a coffee shop.
This is what most vehicle owners fail to grasp...the inevitable change in attitude and priorities that comes with allowing yourself to slow down a bit. Also, the compound benefits of a healthier lifestyle choice are immeasurable.
I love everything on wheels, including cars but the argument that we shouldn't have human sized cities is insane.
If you love cars, you'll know that being stuck in traffic is probably the least enjoyable thing you can do. I have access to some cool toys but always chose to bike to work. It is 10KM and way less stressful.
I like this take!
100% agree. I love a good drive and I have done many road trips. But the moment I have to drive somewhere through a city I try to find any and all alternatives. Why would anyone who likes to drive a car want to be driving through a city, especially for a utility trip? And on daily basis?
I say that anyone who does that does not love cars but is instead just addicted to using them.
Lol, when I gave up my Expired Drivers License, for a Photo ID, the Lady at Service Ontario was like "Are you sure you want to give this up? You won't be able to drive" I was like "yeah, I don't, and can't drive with that anyways. I need something that isn't expired". Maybe they just haft to ask that question for official reasons, but it was kind of surprising to hear. The bus works just fine for me.
urban sprawl is inefficient. cost of roads, infrastructures, commute time are parasitic drain on your tax dollars and your life. it is approximately $1 mil usd to repave a mile of road re. AASHTO and all roads needs repaving atleast once in ten years. anyone love sitting in traffic watching never ending road constructions while your life and tax dollars ticks away? beautiful road, more tax dollars please!
Ben, I really enjoy your videos and I try to watch all of all of them.
However, I'll give you something you never asked for; my opinion.
You must drop the word cyclist.
I've grown tired of everyone calling every single person with a bicycle a cyclist. They aren't, they're just a person riding a bike.
The ist suffix comes from enthusiast and it's true that many folks do enjoy riding their bicycle and are enthusiastic about it, many are just riding to save walking or using public transport or driving. I'm confident that most if not all train and bus passengers don't enjoy it, and we don't call these people trainists or bussists.
A cyclist is someone who actively likes doing it, or races, or earns an income from it, or a combination of these.
I ride my bike each day to work and to the shops as required, but I don't like it. I do it because I'm not into walking and I loathe driving, and I'm not starting up my motorcycle for any mundane journey, let alone getting into my leather clothes. So, I ride a bicycle, because I'm forced to.
But, I don't like it all.
I SO wish it was easier in Calgary. It's May, and currently 3 degrees, strong winds and raining/snowing. Last week, it snowed 3 days in a row and again heavy winds. We would have a beautiful pathway to get to work for the most part of a 30-45 minute ride, but there are lots of hills and some sections were muddy, icy, or flooded as the snow was melting through April. Wouldn't mind the hills at all but part of the route would be on busy streets which are impossible to ride on when it's too windy/rainy/snowy. The freeze/thaw cycles, and temperatures at or below freezing every morning for most part of the year make it really hard to make a habit out of biking to work. There are a few people that do bike to work almost daily but it's not something anyone can do.
I wish everyone could experience the joy and freedom of commuting to work by bike.
I couldn't believe how much I looked forward to my morning communte to the office when I decided to bike and walk, as opposed to driving, when I made the lifestyle change. No doubt, I definetly had to plan more time to commute while using me-power, time that I had previously used to be in front of a screen before I went out the frontdoor, but I can't help but feel that that time on a bike or walking became an investment in me, as in my ability to perhaps extend my youth via a more productive use of my time. Until you do it, you don't really understand. In terms of something that everyone understands, as in the dollar and cents reality of life, walking away from my car after the lease came up left me with $450 to $500 more in my bank account every single month. It was like putting in OT or finding a lucrative side-hustle. Unless career necessities ever pushes me back into a car, away from biking or walking to and from the ole 9-to-5, I don't think I'll ever own another car. I may rent from time to time, but the biking/walking commute is just so damn enjoyable.
This was SUCH a refreshing and amazing story to read! Glad you're able to have such an amazing time biking! ♥
You're right though: "Until you do it, you don't really understand."
As a German I take "strict schedules don't go with cycling" personally - however on Tuesday I was two minutes late on a 40 km bike ride… :)
OK, joke aside: If you don't have time beside driving, than maybe because driving takes up so much time?
Cycling =/= Biking. Cycling is the sport, biking is for everyone. I'm looking at an e-trike (balance compromised adult, thanks vertigo) and my options are either two/three individual e-trikes at $1K USD each, or one that can be converted to have a passenger seat for adult passengers for the same price. Regardless, I would rather have the trike than a car again. It's much more cost-effective. Right now I'm reliant on the local bus system, while it's great price-wise, they stop service at 4pm on weekdays, and 5pm on Saturdays, and do not run on Sundays. Any travel after 4, that's an Uber or a 4-hour wait for the local cab company.
Can you reply with brands? I would like a trike that can carry a a passenger but the options seem ... very limited?
I hope you figure out your bike commute! Don't over think the bike commute, biking will be great. But as someone who is still in the process of phasing out using a car in favour of a bike for 99% of my transportation, take your time learning to bike to get around where you live, don't feel too bad when it doesn't work out and you need to use alternative methods of transportation at first. It does take time to figure out routes, gear, comfort, safety, ect.. Also 1000$ seen really low for an E trike, make sure you're getting something of quality that's reliable, otherwise that can also affect your ability to do it sustainably. Good luck and happy riding!
Why does bus service stop that early, and why earlier on weekdays than Saturdays?
Correct.
London is one of the most perfect sized cities for biking. I totally got rid of my car 2 years ago and use my ebike for everything above 5 degrees. I rarely ever need a vehicle and can grab a cab if i have to.
RIGHT! It's only 16km x 20km or so in reality
Great video and a side note.. the color on your wall in the background is amazing.
Glad you like it! I think I'll start putting some other stuff on the wall too
Ben, new subscriber here. I'm from the Six so I'm loving the geographic relevance to your material. Loving this video. Thank you so much for actually activating your brain cells (vs the typical Ford F150/BMW/Toyotal etc etc etc moron) Cheers.
Welcome aboard! Attempting to keep regular weekly videos going out!
As a new sub, what would you like to see? 1-on-1 survey! 😜
@@BenDurham Fighting for Active transportation is not just a lack of infrastructure.....it's a culture. Address Europe vs North America and our addiction to the automobile mentality. I take my cargo e-bike to do grocery shopping and it's a joke how easy and fast it is....but my neighbours just don't even think of doing it.....cause "we" use our car. We need to open a different way to see our world. To be honest Ben, just looking through your back catalogue, you are so on the right track, I'm not sure I could suggest anything else that you haven't already addressed or will address ....."in another video" :). Cheers bro.
Ben, we often disagree on 'implementation' and other 'little details', but I very much agree with and support your cycling advocacy. I was a four season bicycle commuter in London in my twenties for several years (Gore-Tex is a wonderful thing), out of financial necessity and convenience, but life got in the way of that. I've been riding gas scooters for several years now (we've probably passed each other many times), as they are so much more convenient than driving my truck (even Costco trips...underseat storage is awesome), and likely do 80%-90% of my travels by scoot (#401 to K-W frequently). I tried taking up cycling again a few years back, but simply found it too stressful with all of the aggressive and oblivious drivers on our roads, however between you and 'Not Just Bikes' videos, I think I'm ready to take the plunge once more. I've been researching e-bikes and I'm certain that I will have one before year end ...hopefully it doesn't get stolen...that is a horrible feeling that I've experienced too many times. Obviously YT is a great source of information on e-bike options, but can you recommend some good local, hands on places to get more information on choosing the right $$$ e-bike? Thanks for what you do and BE SAFE out there.
I don't think this comment acknowledges just how dystopian the concept of Canadians being simply too busy with work to ever go anywhere without their car, or without the utmost efficiency at all times, truly is. Like dude if we really can't bike anywhere ever because were too busy with work and need to do everything all at once as fast as humanly possible, how is that something we'd want to hold on to??
Ben, I really appreciate the message you are pushing to get more people on bikes. That's fantastic and a noble effort. I really don't like your tone though. I wish you wouldn't demonize opposing views but would rather address them with compassion.
Depends on the roads you ride. Where I live the highways rarely have a shoulder safe to ride on. And traffic is moving 90kmh for most of the trip. In the major centres with bike lanes and paths sure but your forgetting about five million Canadians.
Until the homeless issues are solved, I don't want to be walking anywhere. It's way too sketchy. If you walk, get harassed by paranoid crackheads. Or try biking, but probably have it stolen. That's the west coast experience at least
It's everywhere. Homeless 'encampments' may not be as bad in London as places like L.A. and Vancouver, but it's pretty gross here as well. Drug fueled Zombies everywhere.
If you enable it, they will come.
Bike to Costco! I believe in you.
Hi ben i live in london too, do you ever go down wonderland rd going to southdale? Im thinking of getting a bike and i see the traffic is bad there and there is no proper bike lane (yet ig) almost everyday i need to go down that road, is it worth the risk biking on that busy road for a day to day work commute or should i just take the bus?
👋 I'm not often over on Wonderland and Southdale because they're on the opposite side of the city. However, I WAS just filming a video for Roundabouts for the City of London over on Southdale and Colonel Talbot Rd which is nearby.
Look up which Ward you're in, here in London and then write your councillor! They should know that you'd like a bike lane and a grid so you can't get around outside of a car safely.
I'd say if you're going to take that road, use the sidewalk because it's too high-speed of a road.
I'm tempted to put a video out of me riding all the way down Wonderland and narrating it. But I'd only have time in about a month or two from now (sorry, busy!!)
Let me know if you have questions here, though :)
As ridiculous as it is, the leg on Wonderland without a separate bike lane is only 2kms...it stops at Commissioners and picks up again beyond Southdale. I thought you were mistaken as I couldn't believe that this stretch does not have a bike lane in 2024...CRAZY.
I live car-free in Toronto. I chose a residence near a subway station and a bike lane. Yeah, it's expensive, but affordable since we don't have car payments, insurance, gas, repairs, etc. My 17km bike commute is my exercise. It's a beautiful way to live.
Well, my commute to work is about 30km, and while I am probably physically fit enough to do 60km a day, it leaves issues like smell (we don't have a shower at work) and danger of winter fall (and I can't afford downtime because of the injuries). Deep snow biking would be mostly walking, meaning my one way commute would be 3-4 hrs. I hate to run or bike in the rain - unavoidable when commuting. I won't be able to do grocery shopping or any shopping at all as it most likely won't be on a route. I don't drive an expensive car. My commute driving takes about 10 minutes longer in the "rush hour". The most expensive community in our town is practically outside of city limits.
I literally don't understand what are you talking about.
Oh, and before you will start fixing those intolerable mistakes in my comment, demonstrate your own ability to speak and write fluently couple more languages.
You say cars can’t find parking, but in cities like Amsterdam you have the same issue finding a parking spot for your bike. There are multi floor parking garages for bikes. And since they fill up, you would need to keep riding around looking for a space to lock it up.
Consider how much easier it is to build parking for bikes compared to cars though.
If your job was to build parking for 500 bikes or 500 cars in a super dense downtown core which do you think would be easier to fit and cheaper to build?
That is true, but that's a good "problem" to have that we're decades away from having. Just think about that statement. Amsterdam has built such great bicycle infrastructure, established neighborhoods of reasonable density and surrounded them with desirable things to do to an extent that they have the problem of too many people can take a cheap, healthy option to transport themselves to those places. That would be an amazing problem to have and Amsterdam has been building more and more bicycle parking garages. You have to remember that the Netherlands used to be a car-culture city too, so it's still transitioning to bikes, public transportation and walking. They're way ahead of us, but things still take time and adjustments are going to constantly be made.
We're several decades away from having that problem. In fact, the main problem we have with bike parking here is that it often doesn't exist. I go to the grocery store that's 3 blocks away multiple times a week to grab a few items. There's no bike rack or bike parking at all. I have to lock my bike to a bench in the front of the store.
And our problem with car parking still isn't the same as their problem with bike parking. Here people have to park several blocks away to find parking for their cars in large cities and then walk for 10 to 15 minutes to get to their actual destination. Finding a bike parking spot in the Netherlands isn't so difficult that it inconveniences you to that degree, let alone the fact that here we're paying for the privilege of parking our car.
There's some dude in London who yells at cyclists, "Your calves are jacked, man!" Happened to me five years ago and then again just today. I love that guy. If anyone knows who that guy is, I owe that guy a beer for all the confidence that dude gave me over the years.
I’ve seen that guy too. He’s a mentally ill man who thinks that everybody just had their young cattle rustled; he’s not giving odd compliments or pickup lines to peddlers.
I love Amsterdam and Eindhoven and central Paris
Also, since you aren't the first person to be named "Ben" you wouldn't mind being called "fake Ben" all the time, would you?
I'm not calling it Fake London, this comment is.
I've reduced the amount of times I call London "Fake London"
@@BenDurham Ah, you are correct. I knew that and by the end, forgot that. My apologies. I'm on a medication, short term, that's making me prickly.
He's the real Ben, and if you ask nicely, he'll stand up.
Hello I bike daily and dont have a working car
That’s a pretty weak take, even aside from the dramatic shrieking and hyperbole, childish voice mockery, arm-waving and silly grammar pedantry. For the minority of Canadians who live and work in cities, or are unemployed and just need to ride to the food bank, pedal-bikes are totally feasible for most transportation needs. For everyone else who live in suburbs and work far away; or those of us who live in widely-spaced rural areas, carry large work tools, pedal-bikes are 100% not practical or even possible for commuting, or many other activities.
It’s not that Canadians don’t “like to have extremely compact cities like (some) European” areas, it’s that most of Canada DOESN’T have extremely compact cities. I realize that people in Toronto think they’re at the centre of the world, but as one of the largest countries on earth - most of which isn’t well-developed or urban - the vast majority of Canada is extremely rural regardless of what people might prefer or wish to believe.
Aside from having to push pedals continuously to keep moving, there are some very off-putting aspects of pedal-bike culture: the smug, entitled, incorrect “I’m single-handedly saving the planet” attitude; the inability of many peddlers to follow road rules or have basic road use courtesy; and the insufferable spandex onesies adorned with fake sponsor logos and overall fake Tour De France aesthetic and unnecessary clip-on shoes, while they’re struggling to not tip over on the way to Starbucks.
I realize you’re a committed pedal-bike advocate, and that’s totally cool. But you have to realize that a large number of people do not share that perspective and there’s no need to get salty when they have a different world view. I’m in my 50’s and have a labour-intensive job in the trades, so have no need for more exercise, have never gone to a gym and have less than zero interest in actual pedal-bikes, or e-bikes (which are similar to actual pedal-bikes, but not really because you barely have to pedal.) So I will stick with my extremely practical gasoline truck and motorcycle, thank you very much.
82% of Canadians live in urban areas. If you don’t like the “culture,” that’s ok, you just don’t need to participate. I just use my cargo bike to do stuff and don’t worry about other people.
@@getaroundmke That's not true. Over 80% of Canadians live and work in big cities *and surrounding areas*, so urban and suburban regions, with ⅔ of the population living in the "auto" suburbs and working somewhere else, usually necessarily commuting on freeways.
82% - 66% = 16% who live in actual cities, with a smaller portion of that also working within the city, allowing a practical pedal-bike commute. Of course some suburbanites work close enough for practical pedal-bike commuting, so the overall number of people who could ride pedal-bikes to work - if they had any desire whatsoever to do so - is somewhat larger than less-than-16%.
I'm definitely not interested in participating in bike culture, or activities because it's the 21 century and we have way better options; also pedal-bikes are Victorian torture devices
yeah millions of docile consumers each so lazy and selfish that the destruction of our planet and ruining the quality of life of everyone not in their insane cult is worth it ... just to sit on your asses going vroom vroom turning a little wheel . you're dishonest or ill-informed , 80% of north americans live in cities (where by definition and simple density maths ... most jobs are ) or are their detrimental parasite via suburbs/exurbs . if at least you had the decency of keeping your insane behaviour to yourselves , but no you have to impose it in every city you refuse to live in and smugly pretend it's an acceptable and normal way to do things :) no matter your mental gymnastics , you're part of the biggest problems we face , you're detrimental to society and mankind by your life of inaction and upholding an unsustainable status quo
Crikey; tell us you're an uneducated buffoon without telling us you're an uneducated buffoon!
@@blattimusthose surrounding regions are not definitively inaccessible for bike commuting. I commute 40km (one way) to such a suburb where the nearest bus stop to my workplace is 1km away and yet I bike by taking the GO Train, then biking 5km to work.
Door to Door time is identical to driving during rush hour. Except on the train I can take a nap, read a book, watch some videos.
Not a single person in my workplace thought it was even possible to do what I do and how incredibly easy it is.
I do this year round (yes, including winter), with an effort level low enough that I don't need to take spare clothes or shower when I get to work.