E122 Ian Brisbin Advocating for City Cycling
Let’s Be Well Together Podcast - Episode 122
Date: May 28, 2024
Participants: Elise Seifert, Julie Wilson, John Webster, Cameron Earnshaw. Sheila Webster and Stephen Seifert
Guest: Ian Brisbin
Start Times and Segments:
[0:00:35] What’s On Your Mind: Elise had a chance to spend her first year of university studying at a castle in England, as part of program run by a Canadian school - Queen’s University. She tells us about her rewarding experience.
[0:07:46] Expanding Minds Interview: [Social Wellness] We interview Ian Brisbin. Last week Ian talked about bike safety. Today we chat about advocating for biking in cities, as a form of active transportation. When planning biking infrastructure, planners ask whether the “indicator species” would be comfortable using it, for example a young mother with a young child. It must feel safe for everyone. Well protected and physically separated bike infrastructure is the gold standard. It’s great to have stretches of infrastructure, but they need to be connected, which is sometimes overlooked. In Ian’s experience, the average driver is much more courteous and careful, and relates much better to people engaging in active transportation than ever before. It’s a sign that we are changing. Cycling and walking and other forms of active transportation are being incorporated into our web of how we get around our cities.
[0:27:08] Adventures of the Starving Artist: The meme-friendly “Trololol” song is actually called “I am very glad as I am finally returning back home”. It’s a challenged to sing. Cameron is looking forward to a performance by a student who wants to learn it.
[0:31:50] Move That Body: Scientists submit that highly processed foods such as soda, chips and candies are not food, but rather drugs designed to deliver addictive substances. Whether or not that’s right, it sure feels good to eat whole and natural foods.
[0:37:47] Running Popup: When John helps others, he often wonders whether it helped him more than the others?
[0:38:40] Flipside of the Coin: Elise and Stephen have amazing news, which has them thinking. What will it be like to be first-time parents?
Quotes and Take-Aways:
Ian – In the context of social wellness, there are many equity considerations associated with cycling and active transportation. Marginalized groups are overrepresented in deaths as cyclists and pedestrians.
Ian – A friend and Councillor from Hamilton taught me the idea of the indicator species. The comfort level of someone like me – a large athletic white man – is meaningless. The question is would a young mother with a child be comfortable using that same infrastructure? If the young mother is not comfortable using it, then it’s no good.
Ian – It’s not often thought of, but if you are cycling on a sidewalk then every single driveway becomes an intersection. It becomes an opportunity for conflict. Drivers aren’t typically looking for cyclists on a sidewalk. It’s a lot more dangerous.
Ian – We need appropriate transportation infrastructure. People will make decisions based on what they believe to be the safest options. They are not being offered proper guidance. It’s a human factors problem. You want to reduce the number of decisions people need to make. It should be obvious and there should be no choice in the way they are supposed to go and the way they are supposed to behave. At this time, well protected and physically separated bike infrastructure is the gold standard.
Ian – We’re all entitled to be safe.
Ian – An expression I often use, which is well travelled, “Don’t tell me your priorities. Tell me your budget.” That’s fixing the roof when the sun is shining, when it doesn’t feel like a priority. That makes the development of active transportation a long-term incremental growth rather than doing something quickly in the wake of a tragedy.
Ian – It’s all well and good to have stretches of infrastructure, but they need to be connected. That’s something that is often overlooked. You need to be able get from one stretch to the next. We wouldn’t put up with missing sections with a sidewalk or a road. Public and city planning needs to be done in a principled way, rather than spontaneously.
Ian – People say there are many terrible stories of things happening to cyclists and pedestrians. That’s not my experience. I find that these things happen, and when they do, they are terrible, but the average driver is much more courteous and careful, and relates much better to people engaging in active transportation than it’s ever been the case in my lifetime. I believe this demonstrates that we are changing. Cycling and walking and other forms of active transportation are being incorporated into our web of how we get around our cities.
Bulletin Board Quote brought to you by Cameron: Let’s think this through. Russia. Early 60s. A song about an American cowboy?
Guest Information: Ian Brisbin is recognized by his peers since 2020 as one of Canada’s “Best Lawyers” practicing personal law. For over 20 years, he’s served the Hamilton and Halton area, and clients across Ontario. He's represented people from all walks of life on claims arising from motor vehicle collisions or dangerous properties, including passengers, injured cyclists and pedestrians. He also helps people who were denied long-term disability insurance benefits, and does much more. Ian is particularly passionate about Velolaw.ca. Velolaw is Ian’s rapidly expanding practice area through which he expresses his love of cycling, his determination to represent injured cyclists and his joy derived from advocating for active transportation in the public interest. He has a long record of service to his communities, particularly through chairing numerous non-for-profit boards of directors. Ian fancies himself a passionate cyclist for all seasons. He’s competed in many cycling races, an Ironman and six marathons (including two Bostons). He’s currently training for an upcoming Ironman 70.3. Ian lives in Hamilton with his family and Willow the Bernese Mountain Dog.
Ian Brisbin work bio: Ian Brisbin - Martin & Hillyer
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Thanks for joining us,
(-(-_(-_-)_-)-) Your wellness check-in team
John, Sammy, Cameron, Sheila, Elise, Isabelle, Noura and Julie