Doug Baer
@douglasbaer.bsky.social
PhD Sociologist + BES env. studies, urbanist, cyclist, statistics expertise, retired but teaches @ stats pgms Calgary-CCRAM & @ICPSRSummer (& previously GSERM(Switz)).
Reposted by Doug Baer
Thank you so much Amber Wright for articulating what many of us think: the Save Our Saanich bozo brigade is largely a bunch of self-interested narrow-minded entitled a-holes who are incapable of listening to rational argumentation. 1/2
I'm happy to see that the Times Colonist published this letter. I was at this meeting and the behaviour there was appalling. The level of racism, conspiracy promotion, fear-mongering, and selfishness was disheartening to witness. www.timescolonist.com/opinion/comm...
Comment: Save Our Saanich encourages mob behaviour that silences voices
Change is coming. Will we face it with courage and compassion — or let the loudest voices decide our future for us?
www.timescolonist.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Thank you so much Amber Wright for articulating what many of us think: the Save Our Saanich bozo brigade is largely a bunch of self-interested narrow-minded entitled a-holes who are incapable of listening to rational argumentation. 1/2
Don't forget that the BC NDP has killed the not-really-that-large-or-significant Active Transportation Grant program which provided municipalities with much of the $ used to build bike and safe pedestrian infrastructure.
The Ontario conservatives and the BC NDP are often closer on issues than the partisans would like to suggest such as pandering to drivers
The BC government seems poised to do the same. They promised red light cameras in the election - crickets so far 🦗🦗🦗
November 14, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Don't forget that the BC NDP has killed the not-really-that-large-or-significant Active Transportation Grant program which provided municipalities with much of the $ used to build bike and safe pedestrian infrastructure.
Yesterday, the Lochside Trail was blocked at a new development near Royal Oak. Flag person told me, "it'll be a few minutes". After waiting a minute, I asked, "why the wait?" Him: "I'm just doing my job". Roller + dump truck in pic sat there not moving. I gave up and re-routed via Douglas.
November 13, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Yesterday, the Lochside Trail was blocked at a new development near Royal Oak. Flag person told me, "it'll be a few minutes". After waiting a minute, I asked, "why the wait?" Him: "I'm just doing my job". Roller + dump truck in pic sat there not moving. I gave up and re-routed via Douglas.
Reposted by Doug Baer
After publishing all sorts of "news" articles articulating the Save Our Saanich anti-development anti-bike cut-taxes & screw the idea of better public services view and then SOS opinion pieces we finally see an anti-SOS opinion piece in Saanich News Today. BUT they invited SOS to publish a "reply".
November 11, 2025 at 7:34 PM
After publishing all sorts of "news" articles articulating the Save Our Saanich anti-development anti-bike cut-taxes & screw the idea of better public services view and then SOS opinion pieces we finally see an anti-SOS opinion piece in Saanich News Today. BUT they invited SOS to publish a "reply".
Restoring the Bc carbon tax alone would restore $2 billion to the bc budget and at least be mildly redistribution (rich pay more + rebate to lowest income group).
November 1, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Restoring the Bc carbon tax alone would restore $2 billion to the bc budget and at least be mildly redistribution (rich pay more + rebate to lowest income group).
No excuse for not getting started. Esp since low cost option available with E&N corridor (bonus: can extend now or in future tp provide Malahat alternative). Hello BC MOTT, BC Trans, BC NDP... anyone home?
Kitchener-Waterloo extending their LRT to Cambridge, population 140k.
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Calgary opened its LRT in 1981 when its population was ~550k.
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Victoria should open its LRT in 2028 with population ~450k (And way more density than Calgary in ‘81, or ever)
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Calgary opened its LRT in 1981 when its population was ~550k.
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Victoria should open its LRT in 2028 with population ~450k (And way more density than Calgary in ‘81, or ever)
Region of Waterloo staff are recommending that council pursue a full ION light rail extension to downtown Cambridge!
Full report and committee agenda for November 4 here: pub-regionofwaterloo.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx...
Full report and committee agenda for November 4 here: pub-regionofwaterloo.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx...
October 29, 2025 at 11:04 PM
No excuse for not getting started. Esp since low cost option available with E&N corridor (bonus: can extend now or in future tp provide Malahat alternative). Hello BC MOTT, BC Trans, BC NDP... anyone home?
Reposted by Doug Baer
"Sometimes, a shop owner claims his business was ruined because the city removed 4 parking spaces. With surveys, our mayor can say: ‘6,000 more people pass your shop a day thanks to a new bike lane. Are you sure you’re a good businessman?’”
— Jan Gehl of #Copenhagen, quoted in #Straphanger.
— Jan Gehl of #Copenhagen, quoted in #Straphanger.
October 29, 2025 at 5:41 PM
"Sometimes, a shop owner claims his business was ruined because the city removed 4 parking spaces. With surveys, our mayor can say: ‘6,000 more people pass your shop a day thanks to a new bike lane. Are you sure you’re a good businessman?’”
— Jan Gehl of #Copenhagen, quoted in #Straphanger.
— Jan Gehl of #Copenhagen, quoted in #Straphanger.
I suppose I should be strongly supportive of Comey in his fight to fight off the Nazi-like Trump prosecution. But Comey is the dude who arguably handed Trump an electoral victory over Clinton, so my sympathy is limited. Still, I hope the jury acquits & one or more jurors publicly express outrage.
October 28, 2025 at 5:43 PM
I suppose I should be strongly supportive of Comey in his fight to fight off the Nazi-like Trump prosecution. But Comey is the dude who arguably handed Trump an electoral victory over Clinton, so my sympathy is limited. Still, I hope the jury acquits & one or more jurors publicly express outrage.
Car industry: or do we plug our noses and say FU to Trump by dropping tariffs on Chinese EVs (human rights violations notwithstanding) + tariff US made cars heavily, killing most US vehicle sales in Canada.
October 27, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Car industry: or do we plug our noses and say FU to Trump by dropping tariffs on Chinese EVs (human rights violations notwithstanding) + tariff US made cars heavily, killing most US vehicle sales in Canada.
Trump has or will come close to totally destroying the massively subsidized Cdn. car industry, unless some of it can retool to serve only the Cdn. market (iffy; assumes mfg's will want to do this in a world where we tariff US mfg cars heavily and heavily subsidize a few Cdn, perhaps emphasizing EVs.
October 27, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Trump has or will come close to totally destroying the massively subsidized Cdn. car industry, unless some of it can retool to serve only the Cdn. market (iffy; assumes mfg's will want to do this in a world where we tariff US mfg cars heavily and heavily subsidize a few Cdn, perhaps emphasizing EVs.
Another tantrum from the toddler-in-chief. Time to consider an massive export tax on potash & a total ban on rare earth minerals to the USA.
The president got his feelings hurt, so we're doing 10% more tariffs on Canada. Joke of an administration.
October 26, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Another tantrum from the toddler-in-chief. Time to consider an massive export tax on potash & a total ban on rare earth minerals to the USA.
Geez. This takes the awfulness meter and the stupidity meter both off their respective scales
Well, this is the most "did a car write this" pile of crap I've ever read.
Know about induced demand? You're one up on the chief economist of the UK's innovation agency.
October 23, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Geez. This takes the awfulness meter and the stupidity meter both off their respective scales
Would be helpful if someone posted BC Consumer Price Index inflation rates for, say, 2018 to the present, along with the contract wage % in the BCGEU settlements 2018-25, and the "ask vs. offer" (last I heard, BC gov was offering 1.5+1.5 & BCGEU was asking 4+4?). I assume inflation '25~2% '26=2.5%.
I'm really surprised at how little media attention or overall concern there is over the BCGEU strike. I think it's under appreciated how much of a financial impact this is having.
October 23, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Would be helpful if someone posted BC Consumer Price Index inflation rates for, say, 2018 to the present, along with the contract wage % in the BCGEU settlements 2018-25, and the "ask vs. offer" (last I heard, BC gov was offering 1.5+1.5 & BCGEU was asking 4+4?). I assume inflation '25~2% '26=2.5%.
Even worse when drivers veer into the painted lane.
Dear car & truck drivers: please note that the 1 metre rule (you must give cyclists 1 metre when you pass) applies equally to cyclists in painted-line-only bike lanes. Please at least have the courtesy of slowing down to pass if you break this law.
October 22, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Even worse when drivers veer into the painted lane.
Yet another reason not to buy a Tesla.
October 22, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Yet another reason not to buy a Tesla.
Not entirely thrilled with this. Free transit programs tend to pull much-needed funds away from system improvements. More usage is good, but it means more pass-ups. I think it was Reese Martin (RMTransit) who pointed out free transit pgms. most prevalent in weak transit systems not good ones.
@davethompsonvic.bsky.social @jeremycaradonnayyj.bsky.social thanks for bringing this motion forward! cheknews.ca/crd-director...
CRD directors pursuing free transit for youth under 18 across the region
Two Capital Regional District (CRD) directors and Victoria city councillors are looking to expand Victoria's free youth bus pass program to include all youth under the age of 18 across the region.
cheknews.ca
October 21, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Not entirely thrilled with this. Free transit programs tend to pull much-needed funds away from system improvements. More usage is good, but it means more pass-ups. I think it was Reese Martin (RMTransit) who pointed out free transit pgms. most prevalent in weak transit systems not good ones.
West coast cycling taught me there's no such thing as waterproof! Water pressure x time: each gear had its own number. Mercifully, my before-retirement commute during a "Pineapple Express" rain involved gear numbers very slightly < WP x T (spare gear [clothing] kept in office for the return)
Cyclists in the Pacific Northwest (Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, Victoria) are so much better prepared for the rain.
Pants, boots, coats, etc. Feels like I barely own any rain gear at all, in comparison!
(Winter clothing, on the other hand, I have a ton of.)
Pants, boots, coats, etc. Feels like I barely own any rain gear at all, in comparison!
(Winter clothing, on the other hand, I have a ton of.)
October 21, 2025 at 2:17 AM
West coast cycling taught me there's no such thing as waterproof! Water pressure x time: each gear had its own number. Mercifully, my before-retirement commute during a "Pineapple Express" rain involved gear numbers very slightly < WP x T (spare gear [clothing] kept in office for the return)
Boomer wealth accumulation. I'm a beneficiary. There is a huge amount of generational inequality, promulgated by various awful government policies. Tax cutting regimes don't help.
I have colleagues that fly themselves, their spouses, and their kids to far-flung destinations every year - by my estimates they are blowing ten grand on flights and hotels every year.
Where is this money coming from?
Where is this money coming from?
October 20, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Boomer wealth accumulation. I'm a beneficiary. There is a huge amount of generational inequality, promulgated by various awful government policies. Tax cutting regimes don't help.
I'm old school, when 10%=standard 15%=good service. The huge inflation of restaurant prices caused tip levels to rise with inflation -- why the need to add a "tip % inflation multiplier"? So if a restaurant includes 15% as an option, I'll usually tip >=18% but if it starts at 18% I'll tip <=15%
Can we talk about restaurant tip % options. Places that give you 22/20/18 what are you doing. I crave variance
October 18, 2025 at 4:50 AM
I'm old school, when 10%=standard 15%=good service. The huge inflation of restaurant prices caused tip levels to rise with inflation -- why the need to add a "tip % inflation multiplier"? So if a restaurant includes 15% as an option, I'll usually tip >=18% but if it starts at 18% I'll tip <=15%
When teaching in St. Gallen, I went to a dinner/reception at a farmhouse overlooking the Bodensee (Lake Constance). To get there, you had to take the PostBus. Hourly service, with a stop at the end of each farm lane. In BC, you can't even reliably get from Duncan to Victoria.
Trains + incline railways can take you almost everywhere in #Switzerland.
Where they don't go, the PostBus will take you.
Evolved from a mail-carrying service to remote villages. 882 buses carry 152 million passengers a year.
Famous for yellow livery, and 3-tone klaxon...
🇨🇭🧵
Where they don't go, the PostBus will take you.
Evolved from a mail-carrying service to remote villages. 882 buses carry 152 million passengers a year.
Famous for yellow livery, and 3-tone klaxon...
🇨🇭🧵
October 16, 2025 at 4:35 PM
When teaching in St. Gallen, I went to a dinner/reception at a farmhouse overlooking the Bodensee (Lake Constance). To get there, you had to take the PostBus. Hourly service, with a stop at the end of each farm lane. In BC, you can't even reliably get from Duncan to Victoria.
Too bad the MAWA (Make America Weak Again, the proper acronym for Trump supporters) types won't see this video.
October 16, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Too bad the MAWA (Make America Weak Again, the proper acronym for Trump supporters) types won't see this video.
This was my story before I retired. 1km walk to the bus stop, bus always 10 min. behind sched. unless I show up late (!), bus travels along more congested route (bike = shortcut through residential streets). Bike = 25-30 min. bus = 40-50. Ebike in "turbo" @ 32.5kph 20-25 min + no waits.
My morning commute is 25 minutes by car or 97 minutes by bus.
It is only 58 minutes by bike.
The bus goes half as fast as a BIKE.
It is only 58 minutes by bike.
The bus goes half as fast as a BIKE.
One thing I wish we would do far, far more in our ped/bike/transit writing and advocacy is acknowledge the time tax those modes of transport often incur, and what it means for people to absorb that tax. When we don't, I think it makes us a bit dishonest and weakens our advocacy!
October 16, 2025 at 4:31 PM
This was my story before I retired. 1km walk to the bus stop, bus always 10 min. behind sched. unless I show up late (!), bus travels along more congested route (bike = shortcut through residential streets). Bike = 25-30 min. bus = 40-50. Ebike in "turbo" @ 32.5kph 20-25 min + no waits.
Something similar here: worked in Windsor for 8 years and was in downtown DTW celebrating at a bar when the Tigers won the World Series in the 1980s. But now the San Juans (Washington state) are visible from my living room.
I'm torn. My first ever ball game was in Detroit (grew up halfway between Toronto and Detroit...), and now live a short ferry ride from Seattle.
My heart is cheering for the Tigers, I think... and maybe my brain sees only facing Skubal in game 3 and 7 (if necessary, eek) as a plus.
My heart is cheering for the Tigers, I think... and maybe my brain sees only facing Skubal in game 3 and 7 (if necessary, eek) as a plus.
Okay so are Jays fans cheering for Detroit or Seattle in this context?
October 11, 2025 at 3:02 AM
Something similar here: worked in Windsor for 8 years and was in downtown DTW celebrating at a bar when the Tigers won the World Series in the 1980s. But now the San Juans (Washington state) are visible from my living room.
BC NDP: "there's no money for Active Transportation Grants because we killed the carbon tax." Me: "And yet the NDP continues to bombard me with emails asking me for $$ support? Explain to me why I shouldn't kill my financial support as a reaction to bad policy choices"
Eby repealed a carbon tax that had been working in BC for almost 2 decades in order to make gas a bit cheaper, and handed out $410 million to drivers for basically no reason. And now there's no money for active transport grants. 300 people a year are killed in BC in motor vehicle crashes.
October 8, 2025 at 5:25 PM
BC NDP: "there's no money for Active Transportation Grants because we killed the carbon tax." Me: "And yet the NDP continues to bombard me with emails asking me for $$ support? Explain to me why I shouldn't kill my financial support as a reaction to bad policy choices"
Hitler maxed out at 39% of the popular vote. Trump got 50%. So: USA = more Fascist?
The United States is a Fascist country. And I don't mean that on an ideological-only, lots-of-talk level. The only thing separating this from the SS in Nazi Germany is summary execution - but don't worry, the US is doing that to people on boats in the Gulf.
Another stands trembling in pajamas, hands clasped around a stuffed toy. Agents handcuff adults in line, moving them toward waiting vans a U-Haul, a black transport van, lights flashing.
Outside, helicopters hover overhead, spotlights slicing through the night.
Outside, helicopters hover overhead, spotlights slicing through the night.
October 6, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Hitler maxed out at 39% of the popular vote. Trump got 50%. So: USA = more Fascist?