I am always fond of people who take initiative to improve their communities, and also what has led to this (usually) much-needed improvement. Take this BlogTO story, a man in Toronto’s Beaches community took to adding pool noodles onto a local one-way street to protect bike lanes and “people driving in the wrong direction.”

I can believe people are driving on the sidewalk and the wrong way on this one-way street. I know the sharrow bike lanes can sometimes be difficult to navigate for both drivers and cyclists, depending on how much room there is on the street and the speed limits. So, good on this father for taking the initiative to highlight the dangerous situation with a simple, inelegant solution.

It also raises questions like should there be a dedicated bike lane on this street and the surrounding area to connect to other bike lanes? Or, is driving more dangerous now than ever before? I don’t know the answer to that one but everyone is always in a rush these days.

As always, do-it-yourself safety and planning can be the start of a larger conversation. It is a good thing when people take initiative and interest in their community, even if it is for personal reasons. This is definitely part of a larger conversation but sometimes the best laid plans are upended by simple things, and that’s ok. It is what makes neighbourhoods more liveable and enjoyable.

The featured photo is courtesy of BlogTO.com