02.Jan.2012 Bike Lane Policy
The Harbord store has been open since late August of 2009. Located directly on one of the most championed and well used bicycle lanes in Toronto. I have always felt since moving to this city in 2005 that Harbord street had something special about it. I still cant pinpoint exactly what it is, but the bike lane is a huge part of it, I know for sure.
I am very proud to live in a city that at least has bike lanes, and people who use them, support them, and respect them.
As a business owner, who relies on cyclist traffic for my livelihood, as well as a person who relies on them for my safety, I feel it is necessary to make clear the store policy on parking in this lane when patronizing the store.
I do not mean for this to be a political stance, or to create a divide between people based on vehicle choice. We are all part of a greater society that needs to respect one another, and respect the safety of the road.
Please be aware of the policies below when you visit the coffee shop, so you’ll know what to expect, as well as how to find appropriate parking when you visit us.
The following is a post made in response to a customer complaint made public on a business review website:
Dear Sarah, I’m very sorry that you had a bum experience, and I understand that it might have been very upsetting for you, but you are presenting only one side of the story.And while I make a point to not bother with comments and battles on the internet, I feel it’s only fair that I defend my shops’ bike lane policy and clarify what happened in this specific example. The initial conflict was not directly related to me or my business, other than the fact that you chose to park in front of the store to come in for a coffee, and another customer let you have it. I never asked, endorsed, or commended my customer for approaching you like she did, period. After the incident, I asked her to not approach other customers regarding the parking in the bike lane, but to leave this responsibility to me and my staff. I remind you, as well as many of my customers, that there is a clearly visible By-Law sign on both nearby posts that prohibit parking in the bike lane, as well as a politely worded sign in front of my store (and my neighbour’s store) clearly asking that customers not park in the bike lane. Our store policy regarding the bike lane is that staff will ask our customers who fail to see and/or respect those signs to find an appropriate parking spot while we make your coffee, and to park in a designated, safe spot each time they visit the store. Anybody who refuses, will be respectfully refused service. I and my staff feel comfortable doing so, because we are protecting the safety of many of our customers and other members of the community who are cyclists. It’s not our intention to alienate customers and community members who drive, but feel the need to do what we can to avoid a preventable accident in front of our workplace. We will not tolerate customers who endanger the lives of others on the road for the purpose of conveniently coming in for a coffee. Nor will we tolerate individuals’ disrespectful behaviour towards customers and staff. I understand that it is not my duty to enforce the laws, or to try and educate people that bike lanes exist so that cyclists may use it for clear and free passage, that it is not a parking space, or a safe place to pull over except in an emergency. However, when it comes to matters of endangering my other customers who do use the bike lane, because you find it inconvenient to use the free parking, I do take it upon myself, and empower my staff to bring awareness to how unacceptable that kind of action is. Parking is available on side streets, on the north side of Harbord from Bathurst all the way west to Montrose, or in the vacant lot at Harbord and Frank Kovac Lane, all within a 1 minute walk. It requires a little more planning, especially with small children, but the rest of my customers manage to do so without issue. I won’t see a person be killed in front of my store, because I was too afraid of alienating somebody who might buy a $4 coffee. The money is not worth that to me, the same as the inconvenience of finding a parking spot and walking an extra minute should not be worth that risk to you. I know you did not see the harm in a quick stop for a coffee, and that is why I insist on bringing to my customers attention the reality of the danger of parking in the bike lane. Whether you don’t see a cyclist coming behind you, it takes only a second for an accident to happen. Driving a car is a responsibility that comes with certain conveniences and inconveniences. It’s inconsiderate to expect the same conveniences of being a cyclist or pedestrian while driving a car. When I ride my bike, I don’t stop and leave it in the middle of the bike lane to get a coffee, I park it at the nearest available ring and post. As an owner of a car, you take on the responsibility to not only drive safely, but to find safe parking. I hope this explanation makes my point, and that you can agree with at least some of it. I do hope you return again for a coffee, and that we can let this be in the past. If you or any customer takes issue with an aspect of my business, I’d prefer you take it up with me directly, rather than airing your grievances on the internet. Sam James
Thank you for reading, and we look forward to drama free coffee shop experiences with you all, motorist, cyclist, pedestrian…
