Lower, targeted tariffs on Chinese imports would ease financial pressures for Canadian consumers and mitigate Canada’s excessive reliance on the United States.
Right, a bike. That’s going to help me bring all those groceries home, it’ll be an okay form of transport when it’s raining or -30°C, when I need to go across the city on an errand or appointment, when I need to give someone a lift, when I’m visiting a relative who lives the next city over, and so forth and so on.
This comment went much longer than I expected, and in general I don’t think it useful to beat anyone over the head about riding a bike. Doubly so on a post than ostensibly has nothing to do with bike riding.
Enjoy the read.
It’s always a fun read to see groceries as the prime excuse for taking the car. Is the trolley used for the initial collection of the foods closer in size to a car than it is a bicycle? Perhaps a Smart ForTwo.
Oulu, in Finland, has the same population density as London, Ontario. Three quarters of the population in Oulu rides a bike on a regular basis, with a quarter of all trips being by bicycle. About 40% ride through the winter, even though Oulu is consistently colder than Toronto through the entire winter. Just about every child rides their bike to school all year round. If an elementary student in Finland can do it, a grown adult in Canada certainly can.
Despite worse conditions in winter, Oulu citizens (Oluans?) cycle circles around Canadians. The reason is pretty straight forward. Oulu has more dedicated cycling pathway than Ontario has Highway 401, at nearly 1,000 kilometres. More importantly, Oulu has its most frequented cycle pathways plowed inside 3 hours of a 2cm snowfall with a guarantee that snow won’t accumulate more than 4cm. In comparison, Toronto doesn’t even start plowing their roads until 5cm of snowfall.
When the infrastructure is in place, and the snow is properly managed, people can go about their day just as they would otherwise. Oulu does snow management so well, people there don’t even use studded bicycle tires.
“When your only exposure to winter is the walk across the parking lot to your car, you never get used to the weather, and you get an exaggerated sense of how cold it gets.” - some guy
And glossing over the weather with “wear a raincoat” or “wear warm clothing”, too. People are aware this is the canada@lemmy.ca community, yes? A lot of Canadian cities get weather where it’s downright deadly to be outside for extended periods.
If you enjoy biking and you can make it work for you in your personal circumstances, sure, by all means go ahead and bike. But don’t car-shame those who don’t.
I am not here to debate you or anyone else. If you wish to choose to use something for your convenience that damages the environment, costs more than its worth, and pretend like you are safe behind the wheel that is absolutely your choice.
Just know you are being judged because you are a huge part of the problem, and seemingly joyfully so.
If I were to debate you it would go something like this:
Internal combustion engines are the largest contributors to man made climate change, and ceasing there use entirely would immediately drop the output of pollution to more sustainable and manageable levels.
Evidence of this was seen during COVID lock down.
“During the current COVID-19 pandemic (CP), human activities, which are considered as major sources of various pollutants, were stopped partially to completely almost globally, resulting in reduced pollution levels (Zambrano-Monserrate et al. 2020; Muhammad et al. 2020; Saadat et al. 2020; Gautam 2020b). Community mobility reports (https://www.google.com/covid19/mobility/) depict that human mobility decreased by 90% between 23 February 2020 to 05 April 2020, specifically in European countries (Muhammad et al. 2020). During the same time, a sharp decline in air pollution was noticed worldwide. Climatologists predicted that greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (NO) emissions declined to levels not observed since World War II (Global Carbon Project 2020; Zambrano-Monserrate et al. 2020). Some recent studies have shown that atmospheric emission of multiple pollutants such as NO2, CO2, CO, SO2, PM10, and PM2.5 significantly decreased (ESA 2020; Saadat et al. 2020; Dantas et al. 2020; Mahato et al. 2020; Quéré et al. 2020; Ju et al. 2021; Mostafa et al. 2021). Scientists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) revealed the reduction in NO2 pollution near Wuhan and the trend continued across China (NASA 2020; Dutheil et al. 2020).”
Individuals can make this happen again by simply taking extra time and effort to not use internal combustion engines. If every person with a non commercial vehicle gave it up where possible (Like living in major cities) we could see a turning point in Climate change.
Unfortunately due to a feeling of privilege, intense propaganda, and in many cases sheer laziness people generally do not want to put in any effort to make a difference regarding their personal carbon footprint.
Giving up the internal combustion engine would also allow for a complete redesign of urban environments. Another big factor in the warming planet: Concrete and Asphalt. Removing roads in cities, parking lots, and replacing them with walking paths and more trees, would immediately help cool the planet as there is less heat stored on the surface.
Another wonderful option is storing that heat as energy for use later, like Iceland does with their roads.
In conclusion, the use of personal vehicles and the required infrastructure is incredibly damaging to the environment and removing both variables would see an immediate net positive in regards to climate change. Those who choose not to do their part are a major problem, and saying that is not “insulting those who hold” such an irresponsible, unscientific, and damaging opinion.
Panniers, baskets, racks, cargo bikes if you have very large grocery runs
when it’s raining
Wear a rain coat, put fenders on the bike
or -30°C
Wear warm clothes
when I need to give someone a lift
Go for a bike ride with your friend, or call them a cab if they are not capable of it
when I’m visiting a relative who lives the next city over
Rent a car, take a bus or train, or if you are feeling frisky, do an extra long bike ride there and stay overnight
and so forth and so on
All your concerns are very easily addressed, but still glosses over the fact that nobody has said that you should sell your car and do everything by bike. Replace the trips you can with bike rides and you will have more joy in your life while also helping the environment.
That only works in the most urban locations. There is no way I am getting anywhere with a bike where I live. Even my horse would be a better choice but also that is impossible.
If you truly live in an area too remote to access any shops or services by bicycle or e-bike, then my post is not meant for you. Most people in Canada live in urban areas and are capable of replacing some car trips with bicycle trips.
Ages ago I used to live downtown. I was biking even less. It’s not safe most of the time. Let alone when hauling stuff. Very few people would actually be able to (mostly) replace a car with a bike. There are also many issues (time, physical abilities etc.) with actual meaningful use of bikes. I am not talking the odd bike ride to get a new book or so. Our country, climate, society and city design isn’t made for lots of biking. Should you bike as much as you can? Sure but it’s not a viable sub for cars.
Our country, climate, society and city design isn’t made for lots of biking
I do agree we need more bicycle infrastructure but commuting and shopping by bike are very doable for many different kinds of people. I know this because I do it and I see others do it every day.
Most car trips are under 5 km. That is a distance that could be easily covered by bike in about 15 to 20 minutes. I think a lot of people could replace a lot of car trips with bike trips without much issue at all.
Its cheaper to drive than ride a bike? I highly doubt that. Perhaps you should try an e-buke though. You may find that far easier, faster, and more comfortable than a regular bicycle and depending on where you live, it may be faster than a car too.
Regardless, the point isn’t necessarily to be doing the thing that is always the most convenient and most comfortable, the point is making choices that are good for the environment and good for both mental and physical health.
but still glosses over the fact that nobody has said that you should sell your car and do everything by bike.
In this scenario I have both a car and a bike on hand. The car’s been paid for. The insurance is being paid for regardless of whether I’m using it at any given moment. So the only expense is gas.
“That’s still more expensive than driving a bike!” You might respond. To which I counter: is your personal time and effort worthless? How much is an extra hour of your time spent pedalling a bike worth to you? It’s worth a lot more to me than the cost of the gas I’d spend making the trip an hour quicker.
the point is making choices that are good for the environment and good for both mental and physical health.
The point is people making choices for me.
You go ahead and ride a bike around if you want to. Don’t make the choice for me. You don’t know me, you don’t know my circumstances and priorities and preferences.
Nobody is making choices for you. You make your own choices to drive, I am just saying that you can make another choice that would be better for the environment, better for your health, and far cheaper than buying an EV.
is your personal time and effort worthless? How much is an extra hour of your time spent pedalling a bike worth to you?
I find the time and effort spent riding a bike to get places pretty enjoyable and I think a lot of other people too do. Plus it means less time needed at the gym. I dont know where you live, but most people live within 5 km of grocery stores, shops, etc. Which is maybe a 15 to 20 minute bike ride, not an hour. I somehow doubt an extra ten or fifteen minutes to go somewhere is going to ruin your day.
Of course I can. I could choose to walk everywhere barefoot. I’m not going to, though, for the reasons I’ve explained.
Plus it means less time needed at the gym.
I don’t spend time in a gym anyway. I am fit enough and I have better uses of my time and money. Most people don’t go to a gym.
I dont know where you live, but most people live within 5 km of grocery stores, shops, etc. Which is maybe a 15 to 20 minute bike ride, not an hour.
In other comments in this thread I’ve mentioned there’s a grocery store very close to where I live, it’s about 5 minutes to bike there. But I don’t, because even when the weather is nice I still need to haul groceries.
In other comments in this thread I’ve mentioned there’s a grocery store very close to where I live, it’s about 5 minutes to bike there. But I don’t, because even when the weather is nice I still need to haul groceries.
So its not a time issue for you? You just dont want to carry groceries on your bike?
Right, a bike. That’s going to help me bring all those groceries home, it’ll be an okay form of transport when it’s raining or -30°C, when I need to go across the city on an errand or appointment, when I need to give someone a lift, when I’m visiting a relative who lives the next city over, and so forth and so on.
This comment went much longer than I expected, and in general I don’t think it useful to beat anyone over the head about riding a bike. Doubly so on a post than ostensibly has nothing to do with bike riding.
Enjoy the read.
It’s always a fun read to see groceries as the prime excuse for taking the car. Is the trolley used for the initial collection of the foods closer in size to a car than it is a bicycle? Perhaps a Smart ForTwo.
Oulu, in Finland, has the same population density as London, Ontario. Three quarters of the population in Oulu rides a bike on a regular basis, with a quarter of all trips being by bicycle. About 40% ride through the winter, even though Oulu is consistently colder than Toronto through the entire winter. Just about every child rides their bike to school all year round. If an elementary student in Finland can do it, a grown adult in Canada certainly can.
Despite worse conditions in winter, Oulu citizens (Oluans?) cycle circles around Canadians. The reason is pretty straight forward. Oulu has more dedicated cycling pathway than Ontario has Highway 401, at nearly 1,000 kilometres. More importantly, Oulu has its most frequented cycle pathways plowed inside 3 hours of a 2cm snowfall with a guarantee that snow won’t accumulate more than 4cm. In comparison, Toronto doesn’t even start plowing their roads until 5cm of snowfall.
When the infrastructure is in place, and the snow is properly managed, people can go about their day just as they would otherwise. Oulu does snow management so well, people there don’t even use studded bicycle tires.
“When your only exposure to winter is the walk across the parking lot to your car, you never get used to the weather, and you get an exaggerated sense of how cold it gets.” - some guy
I have 4 kids. Comments telling me to put their groceries and hockey gear in a basket are hilarious.
What? D: You don’t have $7,000 to spend on a bakfiets that couldn’t even fit all your stuff anyway?
And glossing over the weather with “wear a raincoat” or “wear warm clothing”, too. People are aware this is the canada@lemmy.ca community, yes? A lot of Canadian cities get weather where it’s downright deadly to be outside for extended periods.
If you enjoy biking and you can make it work for you in your personal circumstances, sure, by all means go ahead and bike. But don’t car-shame those who don’t.
I lived in Northern Canada for most of my life. -40 to -50 without a wind chill was normal. We put on warm clothes to go outside for extended periods.
I will car shame anyone in a major city with a vehicle. Mass transit exists.
Well bully for you. My time, safety, and comfort are worth a couple of dollars’ of gasoline to me.
Your refusal to understand or accept that other people have different priorities and circumstances than you do doesn’t help you win any debates.
I am not here to debate you or anyone else. If you wish to choose to use something for your convenience that damages the environment, costs more than its worth, and pretend like you are safe behind the wheel that is absolutely your choice.
Just know you are being judged because you are a huge part of the problem, and seemingly joyfully so.
Take care.
<Proceeds to make a comment full of criticisms of positions you disagree with and insulting those who hold them>
Yeah, good job at not-debating.
He did not say he was not here to judge
He did, however, say that he was not here to debate.
If I were to debate you it would go something like this:
Internal combustion engines are the largest contributors to man made climate change, and ceasing there use entirely would immediately drop the output of pollution to more sustainable and manageable levels.
Evidence of this was seen during COVID lock down.
“During the current COVID-19 pandemic (CP), human activities, which are considered as major sources of various pollutants, were stopped partially to completely almost globally, resulting in reduced pollution levels (Zambrano-Monserrate et al. 2020; Muhammad et al. 2020; Saadat et al. 2020; Gautam 2020b). Community mobility reports (https://www.google.com/covid19/mobility/) depict that human mobility decreased by 90% between 23 February 2020 to 05 April 2020, specifically in European countries (Muhammad et al. 2020). During the same time, a sharp decline in air pollution was noticed worldwide. Climatologists predicted that greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (NO) emissions declined to levels not observed since World War II (Global Carbon Project 2020; Zambrano-Monserrate et al. 2020). Some recent studies have shown that atmospheric emission of multiple pollutants such as NO2, CO2, CO, SO2, PM10, and PM2.5 significantly decreased (ESA 2020; Saadat et al. 2020; Dantas et al. 2020; Mahato et al. 2020; Quéré et al. 2020; Ju et al. 2021; Mostafa et al. 2021). Scientists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) revealed the reduction in NO2 pollution near Wuhan and the trend continued across China (NASA 2020; Dutheil et al. 2020).”
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8819204/
Individuals can make this happen again by simply taking extra time and effort to not use internal combustion engines. If every person with a non commercial vehicle gave it up where possible (Like living in major cities) we could see a turning point in Climate change.
Unfortunately due to a feeling of privilege, intense propaganda, and in many cases sheer laziness people generally do not want to put in any effort to make a difference regarding their personal carbon footprint.
Giving up the internal combustion engine would also allow for a complete redesign of urban environments. Another big factor in the warming planet: Concrete and Asphalt. Removing roads in cities, parking lots, and replacing them with walking paths and more trees, would immediately help cool the planet as there is less heat stored on the surface.
Another wonderful option is storing that heat as energy for use later, like Iceland does with their roads.
In conclusion, the use of personal vehicles and the required infrastructure is incredibly damaging to the environment and removing both variables would see an immediate net positive in regards to climate change. Those who choose not to do their part are a major problem, and saying that is not “insulting those who hold” such an irresponsible, unscientific, and damaging opinion.
Enjoy your toys while you have them.
Take care.
<Proceeds to write seven paragraphs of debate>
Easy solutions to all of these complaints:
Panniers, baskets, racks, cargo bikes if you have very large grocery runs
Wear a rain coat, put fenders on the bike
Wear warm clothes
Go for a bike ride with your friend, or call them a cab if they are not capable of it
Rent a car, take a bus or train, or if you are feeling frisky, do an extra long bike ride there and stay overnight
All your concerns are very easily addressed, but still glosses over the fact that nobody has said that you should sell your car and do everything by bike. Replace the trips you can with bike rides and you will have more joy in your life while also helping the environment.
That only works in the most urban locations. There is no way I am getting anywhere with a bike where I live. Even my horse would be a better choice but also that is impossible.
If you truly live in an area too remote to access any shops or services by bicycle or e-bike, then my post is not meant for you. Most people in Canada live in urban areas and are capable of replacing some car trips with bicycle trips.
Ages ago I used to live downtown. I was biking even less. It’s not safe most of the time. Let alone when hauling stuff. Very few people would actually be able to (mostly) replace a car with a bike. There are also many issues (time, physical abilities etc.) with actual meaningful use of bikes. I am not talking the odd bike ride to get a new book or so. Our country, climate, society and city design isn’t made for lots of biking. Should you bike as much as you can? Sure but it’s not a viable sub for cars.
I do agree we need more bicycle infrastructure but commuting and shopping by bike are very doable for many different kinds of people. I know this because I do it and I see others do it every day.
Most car trips are under 5 km. That is a distance that could be easily covered by bike in about 15 to 20 minutes. I think a lot of people could replace a lot of car trips with bike trips without much issue at all.
You clearly have not ever ridden a bike in winter.
I ride my bike every winter, it’s really not a big deal if you wear warm clothes. The biggest issues arise when cities dont plow bike paths
I do have a both a bike and a car. Basically everything I do is better done with the car. Cheaper, easier, faster, more comfortable.
Its cheaper to drive than ride a bike? I highly doubt that. Perhaps you should try an e-buke though. You may find that far easier, faster, and more comfortable than a regular bicycle and depending on where you live, it may be faster than a car too.
Regardless, the point isn’t necessarily to be doing the thing that is always the most convenient and most comfortable, the point is making choices that are good for the environment and good for both mental and physical health.
The comment I’m responding to said:
In this scenario I have both a car and a bike on hand. The car’s been paid for. The insurance is being paid for regardless of whether I’m using it at any given moment. So the only expense is gas.
“That’s still more expensive than driving a bike!” You might respond. To which I counter: is your personal time and effort worthless? How much is an extra hour of your time spent pedalling a bike worth to you? It’s worth a lot more to me than the cost of the gas I’d spend making the trip an hour quicker.
The point is people making choices for me.
You go ahead and ride a bike around if you want to. Don’t make the choice for me. You don’t know me, you don’t know my circumstances and priorities and preferences.
Nobody is making choices for you. You make your own choices to drive, I am just saying that you can make another choice that would be better for the environment, better for your health, and far cheaper than buying an EV.
I find the time and effort spent riding a bike to get places pretty enjoyable and I think a lot of other people too do. Plus it means less time needed at the gym. I dont know where you live, but most people live within 5 km of grocery stores, shops, etc. Which is maybe a 15 to 20 minute bike ride, not an hour. I somehow doubt an extra ten or fifteen minutes to go somewhere is going to ruin your day.
The story is literally about tariffs on cars.
Of course I can. I could choose to walk everywhere barefoot. I’m not going to, though, for the reasons I’ve explained.
I don’t spend time in a gym anyway. I am fit enough and I have better uses of my time and money. Most people don’t go to a gym.
In other comments in this thread I’ve mentioned there’s a grocery store very close to where I live, it’s about 5 minutes to bike there. But I don’t, because even when the weather is nice I still need to haul groceries.
So its not a time issue for you? You just dont want to carry groceries on your bike?
I physically can’t carry the groceries on my bike. You’re making a lot of assumptions about people here.
And worse for your health.
You don’t know me. I spend an hour each day walking my dog, I get plenty of exercise.