The Toronto Cycling Handbook has all the basics you need to know to get riding in 14 different languages. It covers everything from safety tips and equipment to the law to how to lock your bike up to prevent it from being stolen.
The Family Edition of the Toronto Cycling Handbook covers everything you need to know about riding with your family from pregnancy until your toddlers become teens.
For a one-way street with a contraflow lane traveling in the opposite direction of motor traffic, the “bicycles excepted” sign is utilized. This identifies to motor vehicles that they cannot legally travel in the specified direction while allowing cyclists to use the designated contraflow facility.
Chevron pavement markings indicate the route cyclists should take through the intersection. This increases drivers awareness of cyclists and makes cyclists travel more predictable at intersections.
Bike boxes are used at intersections to designate a space for cyclists to wait in front of cars at the red light. Cyclists may then proceed first when the light turns green. At red lights, the drivers must stop at the stop line, behind the bike box. A bike box means right hand turns on red lights are not permitted.
As a cyclist, you should position yourself at the right, left, or center of the bike box, depending on the direction you want to travel.
“Dooring” or a “door prize” commonly refers to someone who opens a parked motor vehicle door into the path of a cyclist or other traffic.
Higher set fine of $365 (includes victim fine surcharge and court fees) + three (3) demerit points; drivers who choose to contest the charge could be subject to a fine up to $1,000 + three demerit points, upon conviction.
To Avoid “Dooring” drivers and passengers should utilize what is called a dutch reach. This involves opening the door with the arm further from the door. This action gives the user a better view of the lane behind them. Cyclists should give 1 meter clearance from parked cars where feasible and be aware of the “dooring zone”.
Where a person in charge of a bicycle on a cycle track approaches a Toronto Transit Commission bus which is stationary for the purpose of taking on or discharging passengers, the person on a bicycle shall not pass the bus or approach nearer than 2 meters measured back from the rear or front entrance or exit, as the case may be, of the Toronto Transit Commission bus on the side on which passengers are getting on or off until the passengers have crossed the cycle track.
What to teach young cyclists about cycling on the sidewalk:
To teach skills and give riders confidence in riding on the road, the City offers CAN-BIKE cycling courses for children and adults.
Green markings are used at intersections and driveways where vehicles interact with the cycling infrastructure. They serve to increase the visibility of the cycling infrastructure making drivers aware of cyclists.
When approaching a slower cyclists in a bike lane it is important to:
If passing at a particular section is not safe (cycle track section is too narrow or busy live traffic lane) wait behind the cyclists until it is clear to overtake.
Bicycle detector symbols indicate where people cycling should position themselves at an intersection to be detected by the traffic signal.
There are two types of bicycle detector symbols in Toronto: those with a line through the symbol (induction loop) and those without (non-intrusive). If you see a line on the pavement, lean forward on your bike with the crank and wheels positioned on top of it inside the rectangle. The induction loop will then sense the presence of something metal, which will trigger the traffic signal to change.
A non-intrusive detector consists of a radar, infrared, video or microwave sensor located on a traffic signal pole that is aimed down. Ensure that you are positioned either within the bike lane or behind the stop bar to be detected by the traffic signal.