February 23, 2022

No


Gord's message: Think spring!






as







This month - a little bit of bike advocacy.


I received a letter from the Uxbridge Cycling Club advocating for support of Ontario Provincial Bill 54. This bill, proposed by MPP Jessica Bell, aims to make our roads safer for pedestrians, cyclists, runners and those whose work places them on roads and highways.


The bill is a unique opportunity to press our case that the Highway Traffic Act needs to be amended to improve safety for everyone whose work, commute or leisure puts them at risk from unsafe driving habits.


Jessica Bell, MPP, is sponsoring the Vulnerable Road Users Bill to amend the Ontario Highway Traffic Act. It would to provide more consequence and education for drivers who cause injury to road users. After a great deal of hard work and good fortune, the bill has passed second reading and is heading over to the Justice Committee for further review.


You can have a direct influence on its success by showing your support by sending signed letters to the Minister of Transportation, Caroline Mulroney, Premier Doug Ford, the Justice committee, and your local MPP. Letters from members of a large group like TBN will catch the government's attention, especially with an election looming.


A template for a letter, contact information for the Justice Committee, Doug Ford, and Caroline Mulroney, as well as a copy of the proposed Bill 54 are provided here.


I want to thank Ann-Marie Thompson of the Uxbridge Cycling Club who raised the issue and provided much of the content you see here.


 

Gord Irish, President







Please complete our member survey


We need your input! On Feb. 19, TBN sent all members a link to a brief survey, designed to gather feedback on a number of issues and establish directions for the Board in planning for 2022. The survey will close on March 31, so be sure to visit the link and submit your responses as soon as possible.


https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/makeTBNbetter




Cyclon back for 2022!

“Get ready, TBN’s premier event, Cyclon, is back and heading to Western University in London, The Forest City! To better understand membership interests, we are asking members to complete this survey. One lucky person who completes the survey will win $50 off a Cyclon registration.

While COVID-19 has affected the club’s activities, the Cyclon committee is working to ensure the safety of all participants. This means Cyclon events will be modified to accommodate applicable COVID-19 protocols. We know participants will still have lots of fun. Registration opens in the spring.” Watch for updates.


Cyclon survey - final reminder


TBN's Cyclon survey ends Feb. 28. If you haven’t already completed the survey this is your last chance to make your voice heard about what you want to see at Cyclon 2022. Your responses will help us plan for this year’s event and possible new approaches to planning Cyclon in the future. If you already took time to complete the survey, thank you. We value the information you have provided. To complete the survey follow this link:


https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WNL2K9P










aaaTBN's event registration system was developed in 2020 to comply with provincial COVID regulations. While the province has announced that it will soon remove restrictions on public gatherings, TBN has decided to retain the registration system.

For ongoing safety reasons there are still some events where event leaders need to limit group size. And if only some events have registrations, we feel certain that such differences will prove to be inconsistent and confusing. To avoid that, we have decided to retain registrations on all events.

Knowing the size of an event ahead of time helps us to manage it better. For example, particularly large rides often need additional sweeps. Registrations also help TBN understand what events are most popular and help us design or modify programs going forward.

Event limits are set by the event leaders and some events have limits set so high that they effectively allow for unlimited participation. Even so, registration is still required - every time.



Event registration process to continue


TBN's event registration system was developed in 2020 to comply with provincial COVID regulations. While the province has announced that it will soon remove restrictions on public gatherings, TBN has decided to retain the registration system.


For ongoing safety reasons there are still some events where event leaders need to limit group size. And if only some events have registrations, we feel certain that such differences will prove to be inconsistent and confusing. To avoid that, we have decided to retain registrations on all events. 


Knowing the size of an event ahead of time helps us to manage it better. For example, particularly large rides often need additional sweeps. Registrations also help TBN understand what events are most popular and help us design or modify programs going forward.


Event limits are set by the event leaders and some events have limits set so high that they effectively allow for unlimited participation. Even so, registration is still required - every time.



Ride Leaders Workshop set for March 27



TBN's annual Ride Leaders Workshop is virtual in 2022, and will be held on March 27.

The event will be conducted in two sections. The first section is an Open Forum running from 6-6:45 PM. In this forum, we are looking for ride leaders that can talk about their experience leading rides last year, under COVID restrictions. We want to know what you think went right and what went wrong, and would love to hear about new ideas you might have to make things better.

The second section, running 7-8:30 pm, is the workshop itself. It is limited to 20 participants. The workshop will cover all aspects of leading all types of rides, including city rides, country rides and overnight trips. It will will include discussions about planning a ride, hosting the start of the ride, and filing your post-ride report.

Visit the calendar for complete details and links to register for either or both parts of the workshop.

TBN's annual Ride Leaders Workshop is virtual in 2022, and will be held on March 27.


The event will be conducted in two sections. The first section is an Open Forum running from 6-6:45 PM. In this forum, we are looking for ride leaders that can talk about their experience leading rides last year, under COVID restrictions. We want to know what you think went right and what went wrong, and would love to hear about new ideas you might have to make things better.


The second section, running 7-8:30 pm, is the workshop itself. It is limited to 20 participants. The workshop will cover all aspects of leading all types of rides, including city rides, country rides and overnight trips. It will will include discussions about planning a ride, hosting the start of the ride, and filing your post-ride report.


Visit the calendar for complete details and links to register for either or both parts of the workshop.




Niagara Bike & Hike returns for 2022




After a two-year absence, this is a chance to get the 2022 cycling season off to a great start by joining one of TBN’s most popular rides along the quiet roads and off-road paved trails of the Niagara Region. This year we have 40 spots for the Niagara Bike & Hike weekend, running May 20-23. Note that this trip sold out quickly in previous years. 


Throughout the four days, we will be observing safety protocols set by the TBN Board based on provincial health guidelines. Please note that all participants will be asked to show proof of being fully vaccinated. As well, in the event that there is a resurgence of COVID cases, there is a possibility that the number of participants could be reduced or the event could be cancelled.





TBN iPhone app discontinued



The iOS version of our TBN App has been removed from the Apple App Store because we have not updated it in six years, and we are no longer able to update it. If you already have the TBN App installed on your iPhone or iPad, you may continue to use it. If you do not have it, you are no longer able to get it from the App Store.


One easy alternative, relies on using your browser to show the Next 20, or All Events. To do that:


1. Using your Safari browser on your iPhone or iPad, go to http://www.tbnapplications.com/mobile/events.php

2. Then click the Share button 



3. In the row of icons that starts with Add Bookmark, find the one that reads "Add to Home Screen".




4. Change the title from "Toronto Bicycling Network Events" to "TBN Events".


5. Click Add in the upper right corner of the screen.


6. The page that is displayed shows the next 20 events, and contains a link titled "click here" to show all the upcoming events.


Using the Wild Apricot App instead


Another alternative is to install the Wild Apricot for Members app from the App Store (an equivalent Android app is available from the Play Store).


When you start the Wild Apricot for Members app, you will need to login using your tbn.ca user ID and password.


In addition to seeing upcoming events (which was all that the TBN App allows you to do), you are also able to:

 - search for events

 - register for events

 - see what events you have already registered for - upcoming and already past

 - view and edit your TBN profile

 - display a copy of your current TBN membership card




Update your User Profile


Did you know that you can control how frequently you get notifications about TBN Forum posts? The default frequency is "Daily", but you can choose "Weekly", or "Immediately".


If you are trying to set up a Car-pool connection for an event, or you are hoping to be the first to respond to a Buy-or-Sell offer, then the "Daily" notification option may not be frequent enough for you. 


To change your settings:

1. Log into the TBN website,

2. Click on your name, and choose Edit Profile.

3. Select Email subscriptions.

4. At the bottom of the page are your Forum subscriptions. Choose the frequency that you want for the forum.



And remember to press Save.


That's all there is to it!



Reminders

Zwift your way to winter fitness


TBN is continuing its winter program of virtual rides this year, using the Zwift computer platform to provide indoor cycling as the weather turns cold, wet or snowy. This winter, TBN plans to host at least 69 Zwift Meetup rides.


Virtual rides will wind down once outdoor cycling becomes practical. We hope that will be somewhere around the end of March/early April.


Zwift allows us to offer curated rides in two fantasy worlds: Watopia and a Japanese-themed Makuri Islands, as well as virtual routes in London, France, Innsbruck, Yorkshire, Richmond and a futuristic New York City. There are more than 100 different routes, from gentle to extremely strenuous.


Response from members has been growing, and we are currently averaging about 10-15  people on our Zwift rides. 


If you are interested in Zwift rides, either as a participant or as a virtual ride leader, please email virtualrides@tbn.ca with your preferences (day, time, distance and duration), and whether you are willing to host an event.


Details about upcoming Zwift meetups will be posted on the TBN website. For more information about the meetups and about how to get started, see https://tbn.ca/zwiftmeetups.





TBN Retail Partners


Check the TBN website for for an updated list of cycling shops in the GTA that offer discounts to TBN members on merchandise, generous offers that ease the pain of buying new cycling gear. You might be asked to show your membership card to qualify for that discount. To access your card, log into the tbn.ca website and click on your name in the upper right corner of the page to view your profile. You can download the card to your smartphone or print it as a PDF.



Remember to visit the TBN calendar of events to find out more about what's coming up. The little TTC logo below will help alert you to any subway closures.

© 2022 Toronto Bicycle Network
All rights reserved.

Contents Copyright © The Toronto Bicycling Network Inc.

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software