iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

I would love to @dieworkwear.bsky.social's analysis of this outfit. This is Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford, who enjoys saying whatever he thinks will get him elected.

Brad Bradford, a perennial Toronto mayoral candidate, wears a salmon-coloured suit with what looks like an American flag tie. He has on brown dress shoes and no socks. He is handing out candy to children on a city street.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

It's so exciting to have a progressive mayoral candidate in Oak Bay! Sam Holland shares my values and priorities of attracting family doctors to our community, adding housing, and addressing climate change. oakbaynews.com/2026/09/17/n...

A photo of Sam Holland, a young white man with curly light brown hair and glasses. He is smiling and sitting in a casual, forward position. He's wearing jeans and a corduroy button-down open over a white t-shirt, and the backdrop of the photo is a plywood wall.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Can we also get rid of the Nazi-coded LNG billboards on Hwy 17 while we're at it?

Vandalized billboard on Hwy 17, north of Victoria, BC. The text reads, "LNG Makes Canada Stronger - Secure Our Prosperity - LNGFacts.ca - Canada Action." A graffiti artist has scribbled over the word "Stronger" and written "BURN" underneath it in flame-coloured paint.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

Look at this graph of virus in the wastewater in Toronto if you don't believe me. See that pink spike? That's Flu A, which is killing people every day. The data go up to December 21. What do you think that graph is going to look like after kids go back to school and adults go back to work?

A line graph showing the virus signals in the wastewater of Toronto, Ontario, Canada over the past year. There are large COVID spikes in the first part of the year, then moderate results. Flu A jumps from near-zero to total domination of the results in the span of one month. COVID and RSV are also present.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

Just remember Uncle Ben's words to Peter Parker/Spiderman: "with great power comes great responsibility." In my examples, drivers have the responsibility to be able to see other road users. If they can't, they shouldn't get behind the wheel. That's what I was taught in Driver's Ed - weren't you?

The character Uncle Ben from the Spiderman movies looks earnestly at Peter Parker (not in frame) as he tells him, "Remember, with great power comes great responsibility."

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

Drivers: I couldn’t see you, it was raining Drivers: I couldn’t see you, there was frost on my windows Drivers: I couldn’t see you, it was dark Drivers: I couldn’t see you, the sun was in my eyes Also drivers: I never see anyone using that bike lane, let’s rip it out.

Two young kids ride their bikes in a curb-protected bike lane in Toronto. On one side is the traffic lane, on the other is a streetside cafe.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 25/10/2025

I’d much rather have my taxes go to Nathan Fillion!

Actor Nathan Fillion wears a costume which includes a Canada flag-emblazoned shield

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

After three successful years, I closed the business to free up time to be with my family and work on safe streets advocacy campaigns. And I still ride my cargo bike for almost all of my day-to-day travel. My only regret is that I didn't ditch the SUV sooner!

Selfie of me in winter, wearing a puffy coat, fleece scarf, wool cycling cap, and lighted helmet, and grinning despite the snowflakes on my face and clothes. In the background you can see the handlebars of my bike and a snowy streetscape. There's a bike lane under that snirt if you look closely!

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Towards that goal, I founded @happyfietsca.bsky.social to offer cargo bike rentals for curious individuals and families. I helped lots of people try out cycling for their work, shopping, and transportation, and had a ton of fun riding different styles of cargo bikes all over the city!

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

I’ve been wondering lately if we might have avoided the SUV trap if we had seen just one cargo/family bike back in 2009. It’s my fondest hope we might be that “one” for another family…

A man, woman, and three kids pose with their bicycles on a residential street. They are wearing cycling jerseys promoting the Ride for Farley, a fundraiser for the veterinary charity the Farley Foundation.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

We now do all of our in-city travel by bicycle. We have connected with other cyclists in Toronto through the Bike Brigade and @cycletoronto.bsky.social. We have explored areas of our city that we never might have seen otherwise! And we’re healthier, wealthier, and happier out of our car.

A man, woman, and three kids, wearing summery clothes and bike helmets, pose with their bikes by a downtown street. The bikes are loaded with boxes from FoodShare.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

We sold our SUV and replaced it with cargo bikes - a Larry vs Harry eBullitt for @thebikingvet.bsky.social and a Yuba eBodaBoda for me.

A woman and two kids, wearing warm clothes and bicycle helmets, stand with their bicycles in front of a grocery store. Two of the bikes are cargo bikes, loaded down with 10 large pumpkins.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

And then, one year - I decided not to stop riding for the winter. We got studded tires for all of our bikes, dressed for the weather, and just kept riding. When the going gets tough, we yell #VikingBiking at the top of our lungs - it’s an excellent motivator!

Photo of two kids' bikes with studded winter tires, in front of a low stone wall. Snow covers the ground and is embedded in the tread of the bikes' tires.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Meanwhile, I kept reading about climate change. I read about young activists like Greta Thunberg and the choices they were making to minimize their contribution to global warming. I felt so guilty any time I drove my car. I made more and more trips by bicycle.

A smiling woman, wearing a cocktail dress and a bright yellow bike helmet, holding her bike in a driveway between houses.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Every year, I would sadly put my bike away when the temperatures dropped below freezing and the snow arrived. I would resume driving around, getting crankier and lazier. Meanwhile, @thebikingvet.bsky.social kept riding all winter long. “That’s crazy,” I thought. “I’m never going to do that.”

A man's head in winter, with a balaclava covering his nose and mouth, eyeglasses and a bike helmet. Ice crystals have formed on his glasses and eyebrows. There is a snow-covered car in the background.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

We moved a few km closer to downtown. @thebikingvet.bsky.social started riding his bike to work every day, and I decided the kids and I would bike to school on nice days. I started to take my bike to run errands, buy groceries, and do all the other things I needed to do. On nice days.

A group of kids and adults on bicycles, waiting in a bike lane for the light to change so they can go. The kids are wearing backpacks. It is morning; they are on their way to school.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Then, one day, my husband @thebikingvet.bsky.social signed up for a charity bike ride for the Farley Foundation. He started riding his bike to work, one day a week, as part of his training plan. It was very noticeable how much happier he was on his bike days than on his car days.

A man wearing cycling clothes, riding a bicycle in a suburban parking lot.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

I wasted time, and I wasted money - so much money. Car repairs, parking, gas - plus of course insurance and registration fees. And my bike sat unused at the back of the garage, because I had kids who needed to be driven places!

A photo of my three kids wearing red sweatshirts in front of a birch tree. They are approximately 8, 11, and 14 years old.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

I spent hours behind the wheel of my SUV. I became stressed out, angry, and mean. Several times I almost hit pedestrians in crosswalks, because the SUV had huge blind spots created by its mighty construction. We were always late.

A photo of a silver Volvo XC90 SUV, showing its large hood and windshield with blind spots created by the pillars which hold up the roof.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Driving in Toronto is a miserable experience. There are too many cars on the roads. Delivery trucks park wherever they like, blocking entire lanes. Construction projects go on for years, rendering entire streets useless. And drivers are stressed out, angry, and mean.

A downtown intersection with bumper-to-bumper traffic in every lane in all directions

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

For years, we drove our kids around in that car. School, doctor’s appointments, playdates, sports, movies, birthday parties - all car trips. Work commutes, shopping, volunteering, visits with friends - by car.

A car odometer showing 177,777 kms driven

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Only no one ever wanted to carpool - everyone had their own huge SUV that they wanted to drive their own kids in. And we all fought for parking at the same sports fields, trampoline parks, and movie theatres.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Our society told us that families should carry their kids around in the biggest, most protected motor vehicle they could afford. Everyone we saw drove around in huge metal boxes. So that’s what we got: a 7-seater SUV, plenty of room for our kids and the carpools I imagined.

So close to getting it: a silver Volvo SUV with bikes on the roof and filling the cargo compartment.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

I'm sad and angry about what's happened over there, but I love the positive and pro-social vibe here at Bluesky. I think it is past time for me to introduce myself properly. *** In 2009, I told my husband that I was pregnant with our third child. “Wow,” he said. “We’re going to need a bigger car.”

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Telling my cyclist origin story helped me find a lot of like-minded people across Canada, in the U.S., and around the world. It also brought the trolls in a big way - let's just say I quickly filled my anti-cycling cliches bingo card!

Anti-Cycling Bingo card. From top left to bottom right, the squares read, "When I look they're always empty/They should wear helmets/I support bike lanes...where they make sense/Not the Tour de France/Bike lanes are dangerous/Cyclists need to follow the rules of the road/CONGESTION/We're not Europe/People with disabilities can't bike/Cyclists are running red lights/Too many hills/They should have licenses/FREE SPACE/Put them on side streets/Emergency Vehicles!?!/Cyclists don't pay for roads/We're too spread out/Cyclists think they own the road/Seniors can't ride bikes/Out of control/Six months of winter/I'm a cyclist, but.../Hurting small businesses/Powerful cycling lobby/War on cars." Image from https://www.reddit.com/r/torontobiking/comments/1ggkfa0/anticycling_bingo_card/

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

I agree! They are actually Flat-Coated Retrievers, not in the Setter family at all. But I had a Gordon as a child, and the resemblance is striking. I love them all.

Aberdeen the Flat-Coated Retriever in the bucket of my Bullitt e-cargo bike, looking up and back at the camera.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

I agree with @charlieangus104.bsky.social's concerns and sent an email to Elections Canada (info@cef-cce.ca), CC'ing MP Angus as well as my MP and MPP. Wording in alt text of image if you'd like to use my message as a template.

Dear Madame Simard,

I am writing to you as a deeply concerned citizen regarding the upcoming federal and Ontario elections. I am asking Elections Canada to protect our democracy from the hostile actions of Elon Musk and his associates by launching a proactive investigation into potential interference by Mr. Musk on the X platform. Will Elections Canada contact Germany for advice on the steps necessary to access the X algorithm?

One has only to look at recent events in the United States to see the consequences of allowing Musk's election interference to proceed unchecked.

Thank you for defending Canadian sovereignty and protecting our independent and fair elections.

Sincerely,

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Maybe they will care when I have two dogs? The little guy could pass for a chihuahua maybe?

Aberdeen the black retriever and our new puppy Newton (a baby black retriever) face the camera in the cargo area of my Bullitt e-cargo bike. Newton is small but looks nothing like a chihuahua.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Trying to reconcile this with the way drivers behave towards me when I'm carrying my dog in my cargo bike. Maybe it's because she's not a chihuahua?

Aberdeen, my black retriever, looks up and back at the camera from her seat in the front cargo area of my Bullitt e-cargo bike.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 02/01/2025

Setting my intention for the new year by hiking with my four favourite people in #BeautifulBritishColumbia.

My family sitting on a large driftwood log at Mystic Beach on Vancouver Island.

My daughter running to touch a boulder before the wave comes in.

A wave crashing over a boulder on a rocky beach on the SW coast of Vancouver Island.

My family poses for a group selfie on the suspension bridge on the way to Mystic Beach in British Columbia.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 15/12/2024

My favourite passenger got to visit Dad at work this week. #CargoBikeDogs

Cyclist’s-eye-view of Aberdeen the Flat-Coated Retriever riding in the front of my cargo bike.

Abby sitting in the cargo box of my Bullitt, smiling at the camera. She’s posed in front of The Animal Clinic in downtown Toronto.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

@ebikesinternatl.bsky.social, @welcometobluesky.bsky.social! A great follow for anyone interested in e-bikes, cycling advocacy, adventures by bike, and more.

A man wearing waterproof cycling clothes and a helmet with camera rides a Rocky Mountain full-suspension bike down wet rocks with water cascading alongside. Thick conifer forest fills the background. Photo by Elodie Lantelme.

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 30/11/2024

Yes, at Bloor. It was a good turnout despite the chill!

A Google Maps screenshot centred on the intersection of Bloor St W and Royal York Road

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Robin Richardson she/her @canadarobin.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

I know bsky is the nice place. Are we still allowed to make fun of Cybertrucks tho?

A Cybertruck is parked in front of a small park. It has custom wheels and a matte black wrap, which makes it even uglier than the stock model. The owner is dressed all in black too; he is at the right of the photo, walking back to his dumpster.

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