Rino Bortolin

Rino Bortolin
1419 Victoria Avenue
N8X 1P2
Phone: (519) 962-8607
Email: rino@rinoforwindsor.com
Website: http://www.rinoforwindsor.com

1) What are your views on cycling in Windsor?

There is a negative stigma with respect to cycling in Windsor. Cycling in Windsor is often seen as dangerous and basically not very welcome. Being auto centric has made more and more drivers unwilling to share the road. Although I see this changing I believe a promotional campaign would help in this regard. Trends that show cycling growing as a commuting choice can’t be ignored. As cycling becomes more prevalent we will start to see attitudes change but the leadership of the city has to help facilitate that perception and demonstrate that Windsor is bike friendly.

2) Do you own a bike? How often do you ride it?

Yes I own 2. I ride primarily for recreation. Because the nature of my job has me picking up product many times a week I cannot ride my bike to work. On days when I know I am not in need of my vehicle I gladly ride to work. It’s a very short trip for me. My wife and I have enjoyed using our child trailers over the past couple of years pulling our kids all over the city. It sometimes is hard to navigate certain areas of the city with those trailers so we were limited in area but still enjoyed it immensely.

3) Recent research shows that 65% of Windsorites have ridden a bike in the last year. What do you think can be done to get more windsorites cycling more often?

I don’t believe much can be done to encourage adults to ride more than they do especially as a commuter option aside from safety. Safety is the primary concern for any cyclist. When people feel as safe as they do when they get into their vehicle then we will begin to see a shift in ridership in this city. A starting point for that is creating pathways and commuter lanes that are not on the road. I am an advocate for designated pathways for cycling off the road system and separate from pedestrian traffic as well. I have posted on my website about repurposing old rail lands to create a system of bike paths across the city. We missed an opportunity years ago to purchase old rail land. In the coming years there are plans to consolidate some of the rail lines in this city thus leaving land free to be purchased. I hope to be part of the push that gets that land designated for cycling paths that criss-cross the entire city. A stellar example of this is the Dequindre Cut in Detroit. We can also look at using old alleys that are not serviced any longer and potentially use those as bike routes.
4) What do you think needs to be done to make Windsor more bicycle friendly?

The bike paths I mentioned above are one of the biggest steps we can take in making Windsor more bike friendly. Promotional campaigns are important as well. What I believe is paramount and something that most advocacy groups ignore is making cycling fun and inviting for kids again. If our youth are inspired to ride more and feel more confident riding on the road as well as using it as a viable commuter option we will slowly start to see old stagnant attitudes towards cyclists erode. Changing the perception and accessibility in our youth will transform the cultural stigma that Windsor has with cycling.

5) What are your views on enforcing cycling laws in Windsor?

I think the lack of enforcement endangers cyclists daily. For drivers to be shown and asked to respect cyclists and share the road, they need to see cyclists following the rules and not endangering themselves as well as causing problems for motorists. I think we also need to address the proliferation of ebikes and their status on the road. I often see those ebikes riding on the sidewalks. While regular bikes on the sidewalk are frustrating, these larger ebikes are incredibly obtrusive and dangerous. Cyclists riding the wrong way down streets, not stopping at appropriate corners, veering back and forth in and out of traffic are examples of infractions that I see on a daily basis. They need to be ticketed. When standards are upheld by all riders we can then expect our motorists to follow the law and respect cyclists as well.

6) Are you willing to make a commitment to bike to at least 4 city council meetings per year, to lead by example?

Yes, definitely. That would be a very short trip for me but I would definitely be willing to do so.