An Effort is An Effort Nonetheless.

An article in the Toronto Star last week highlighted efforts being made by the city to implement rental bike-docking stations in the downtown core. This concept has proven to be quite efficient worldwide, especially in several parts of Western Europe.

While in Pars, I purchased a Metro Pass card for 5 euros that allowed me to place a deposit of 150 euros (roughly the value of the bike) from my credit card onto the card in order to use a bike from one of a hundred docking centres throughout Paris' 20 Arrondisements.

Once I mastered the system, it became a most effective means of travelling throughout the city, as the bike i had borrowed in Montparnasse could be docked adjacent to the Louvre at a station on Rue Rivoli. A bike I had picked-up near the Champs D'Elysees in the city's West End could be dropped-off at the absolute other end of the city while I stopped for a cafe elongee next to Parc Bercy. I would cover the city by pedal pusher, and without taking into account the deposit (which was returned to my credit card within 24 hours of leaving the city and contacting the VeloB Head Office) it was free. The system has a loop-hole of sorts. Renting a bike and having had it returned to a docking station of your choice within a 30 minute window was free. Anything in addition to this half hour would work-out to be around a euro an hour. With the option to dock the bike wherever you please in the city, head north from Montparnasse and stop for a beignet du chocolat, before heading north to Rue des Rennes for a little D&G. Total time spent on bike - 25 minutes with a cost of zero euros.

Besides the lack of processed foods in France and neighbouring countries, no wonder the French as far less morbidly obese than the average North American. They walk, they bike, and they eat fresh foods.

While at first glance I was inspired by Toronto's efforts to institute a similar program, the concept called for a few docking stations within a grid of Bloor St to Front St, between Spadina and Jarvis Streets, which is simply put, too small of an area. Yes, many people work within this parameter, and riding to and fro work would be a great means of some physical activity and a reduced carbon footprint, however very few people work and live within this area. In order for this system to work, the area must cover a much larger scale to be effective and purposeful.