iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Generally, I'm opposed to amalgamation (swamps C of V with regressive politics) but here's one situation that screams for it. Will the 2 municipalities at least follow the suggestion of side-by-side placement? The cynic in me doubts it.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

...if only Saanich BC politician wannabes would share this view. Saanich's comprehensive bike lane network will at the present pace of construction be completed no sooner than 2070 but many want to slow this down or kill it altogether.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

So Victoria's Lime works out to $31/hour (less if you pay a monthly fee) and Saanich's Evolve works out to $14.25 including unlock fee (less if you pay a monthly fee). Too rich for my blood. In many cases, Uber will be cheaper (see the YouTube video by HUB). Encourage bike use? Nah.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

As far as I am concerned, using the phrase "ideological" to describe one's political opponents is roughly equivalent to using swear words. Policy ideas of opponents should be addressed with arguments, not swear words. I will not vote for candidates who use or don't disavow supporters using the term.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

2/2 on Greer, Carney and the dead deal: Canada's auto industry is dead no matter what. We must ask ourselves, "what's next?" rather than engaging in the impossible task of trying to save it. Greener solutions? Yes. Chinese EVs? probably. No more buying US-made cars? Definitely.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Even if Greer's claim is correct -- that the last-minute demands Carney said killed the deal weren't drawn in sand and did not represent a red line and Carney just walked away from a previously agree to deal -- Carney needed to walk away. 15% tariff kills Canada's auto industry in the long run 1/2

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Probability that I would buy a car (likely EV or at least plug-in hybrid, likely 2-3 years from now) assembled in the USA prior to Trump's war on Canada: 0.15-0.20. Probability that I will buy a car assembled in the USA from here on in (regardless of whether negotiations resume): 0.000000000.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

I rarely drive the family car (<5k km/year 2 of us) but at some point in 2-3 years the 16 yr old vehicle will need to be replaced. Regardless of any approved-by-Trump deal Carney reaches with the Americans, I will absolutely refuse to purchase any vehicle with final assembly occurring in the U.S.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

I was at the "University District" in Calgary a few weeks ago. Ditto there (to make it worse, the obvious location for a pedestrian-only street was occupied with car lanes + parking lanes).

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

It would be nice if this infrastructure connected into at least the semblance of a network instead of frequently subjecting cyclists to "Bicycle Lane ends here" signs (a few exceptions to this rule exist but the rule is a bad one).

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Well, I'm prepared to listen to individual SOS candidates who might (but likely will not even try to) persuade me that they aren't massively anti-bike & anti-transit. However, my "default" assumption is that they are both of the above and this means that the odds of getting my vote are .01 x E-10.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Sorry buddy, you already effectively have thousands of votes given that you have power and the rest of us don't and given that we are in a capitalist system (which, given your oligopoly power, I'd describe as "unfree enterprise"). www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

cbc.ca

Shopify CEO appears to endorse giving more votes to wealthy Canadians | CBC News

The billionaire CEO of one of Canada's largest companies has come under fire for seeming to endorse stripping voting rights from some and giving more votes to the ultra wealthy. Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke...

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Fantastic, incredible, but unbelievably true -- and not in a good way. Feel free to preface any of these words with a four letter copulatory adjective.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

On the Facegroup Saanich Election 2026 Discussion Group, there are people promoting hashtag #AnyoneButTealeOrZac. There are more a-holes in Saanich than I would ever have imagined, even given my low expectations. I am embarrassed to be living among these people.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

One thing about bidirectional lanes: you can pass slow bike riders and, especially, slow mobility device users. Unless they start building decently wide unidirectional bike lanes (dream on!), I prefer to be on a bidirectional lane. Turns at intersections can be complicated though.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Yesterday, I was almost side-swiped by a large cube van, license plate covered, running at about 60kph on Royal Oak deciding that painted bike lane markings are only guidelines not the law (let alone the required 1m distance).

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Christy Clark's Conservative cabinet (officially "Liberals" at the time) had a low opinion of post-secondary education. Not clear that the NDP cabinet is different.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

I've always found it telling that the feds would NEVER permit Nfld. to create an energy corridor across Quebec to export electricity over QC objections yet they don't blink twice at the idea of a fossil fuel energy corridor across BC.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Time for a taller/heavier vehicle surtax, payable on purchase AND annually, to be nicknamed the "a-hole tax". And a "traffic fine multiplier". Exemptions where justifying documentation provided for commercial use (applies to weight but not hood height).

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Traffic filters (modal filters) are MUCH better than speed bumps. I wish my local municipality would think in this direction.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

As I understand it, developers would be disposing of the units at *less than the cost of construction*. So they are still taking a bath (perhaps one that is not as big). And units sitting empty end up housing people.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

I am going to take a wild guess that a Texas teacher who obeys the requirement of bible readings but points out contradictions or really awful stuff in the bible or is otherwise critical would probably get fired.

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Reposted by Doug Baer

Fietser @americanfietser.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

The reason you don't see bicycles as practical transportation is because your infrastructure has been designed to only enable movement by car.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

2/2 E.g.: 6:25am #39 arrival but #38 leaves at 6:23 so must wait 39(!) minutes for next #38. More details see article on page 4 of community association newsletter here: drive.google.com/file/d/1ZfaD...

drive.google.com

Buglespring26m.pdf

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Yes, I was going to put something in parentheses to indicate WHY the split occurred BUT this still doesn't forgive the terrible connection scheduling problem, which is worse mornings where traffic disruptions @ origin pt. less an issue. 1/2

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

In my part of town, BC transit replaced through bus with 2 separate bus routes requiring transfer. With one of 2 routes on 30 min. peak/1 hour offpeak scheduling (destinations include VGH), buses at the connection pt. scheduled to leave 4 min. too early to connect you get to wait 30-35 min.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

I've never found this crowd to be willing to compromise or listen to or consider the interests of people who don't use cars as their only means of transportation. None of their candidates will receive a vote from me.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

The diaper catches the sh*t coming out of the lower orifice but there's nothing to trap the sh*t coming out of this man's mouth.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Sad. I'm guessing Saanich's Active Transportation Plan is going to be toast with this cast of characters. Oh, wait a minute: Saanich already scaled it back in '23-24, announced that because of $ costs it was going to take double the time in '25, then cut it back another 32% in '26.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

Interesting that Angus Reid asked a question about gas taxes. 4 choices: get rid of it entirely, pause until September, reduce by half until Sept., do nothing ("funding healthcare and social services is more important"). No *increase* option. (BTW >50% want cuts.. ugh).

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

So Pee Pee says he supports expansion of the Billy Bishop airport (to allow jets) in Toronto because it's "good for the environment". Claim: fewer cars driving to Pearson. How dumb-ass is this? Pearson has rapid transit and is getting more. BB Airport competes with Via Rail to Ottawa/Montrl.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Seems as if SOS is not happy even though they've basically won the battle against bike lanes (with big cuts to active transportation budgets) in Saanich. "Balance" seems to mean "OK to spend $$$ to build and maintain expensive car infrastructure but not OK to spend ¢ for cyclists."

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Even more irritating when it blocks sunlight from bus windows..makes the bus ride less pleasant and at night it makes it harder to see your stop.

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Reposted by Doug Baer

asaanichcyclist.bsky.social @asaanichcyclist.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

anti-urbanism (n.) 1. opposition to any housing approach with density higher than single-family homes 2. visceral negative reaction to anything cycling-related 3. excessive use of term "ideological" to refer to persons one disagrees with, while simultaneously claiming to be "non-ideological"

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

Another day, another set of bikelash postings in the Victoria Times Colonist letters section. "I am a bicyclist and a driver" almost always signifies the start of an anti-bike-lane rant. I wonder people who are real cyclists but also own cars can have their own ID like "I drive a car too".

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

My walk to the grocery store is 15ish minutes but I never take it. Reason: huge hill I have to climb to get home. Solution: e-bike + maybe 1 use of the car every 2 weeks for a 6-bag shopping spree (won't even need the car for that when I finally get a cargo bike).

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

Two sides of the "free fare" coin: more usage because it's free, less usage due to reduced budgets (=route contraction, reduced frequencies, more crowded buses leading patrons to buy cars) unless subsidies increased -- subsidies that would otherwise lead to better service.

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Reposted by Doug Baer

Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

BANANA (“build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything”) has been around for decades as a more nuclear version of NIMBY, but seems to be seeing a resurgence lately. Other old ones: NOPE - “not on planet earth” CAVE - “citizens against virtually everything” NIMTOO - “not in my term of office”

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Reposted by Doug Baer

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

A Nissan Sentra weighs a little more than 3,000 pounds (I picked a small, common car) An Aventon Level 3 E-bike weighs 67 pounds (plus rider weight) These things do not pose remotely the same risk when traveling at 28 mph. I am begging people to understand basic physics.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Thank you so much for your commitments! I wish Saanich Council would not take the opposite view on most of these commitments as witnessed by their drawback from an already weak Active Transportation plan. If I didn't already own housing in Saanich, I'd consider moving to C of V.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Interesting question. I wish I knew. I'm guessing Saanich Engineering didn't initiate the idea, but it may not have provided a lot of push-back when the idea was first floated.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Dear J.D. Vance (hereinafter referred to as "J.D.AHole"). Thank you (!) for campaigning on behalf of Orban in Hungary. Your efforts may have given his opposition the 2/3 majority it needs to undo the corrupt judiciary and state institutions this anti-Ukraine monster & autocrat put in place.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

An editorial rant against the BC NDP's EV policy in today's Globe & Mail. G&M thinks not counting conventional hybrids in the EV requirement is bad environ. policy. Sorry, conv. hybrids are not much different from gas vehicles. [disclaimer: I own a conv. hybrid.. I just use my e-bike more often]

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

In 2009, we were thinking of getting gas for stove & some heating, but the gas co. wanted $15k to pull a line so they could market to neighbours at our expense. Our 2-system 8 room heat pump + induction stove installs (today: 9 rooms) became a "F*** the gas company" project. No regrets!

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

WWII, Herman Goering told Germans, "if the British bombers ever make it to Berlin, you can call me 'shithead'". Through much of the war, in Berlin he was referred to as 'shithead'. I wonder when Trump will have his shithead moment? ("Gas prices will fall","no more wars","inflation will disappear")

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

The "1/4 billion Saanich ATP?" Even setting aside the fact that 40%-80% of the spending for ATP projects will actually be spent on roadway renewal not new bike/ped infrastructure, @ $1.5 million non-inflation-adjusted dollars to be spent in 2026, it would take 166 years to complete a 1/4B ATP. 2/2

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

On the Facebook 2026 Saanich Election discussion group, right wing anti-bike cut-spending-on-everything-to-cut-taxes probable Council candidate Sasha Izard gripes about the "Quarter Million Dollar" Active Transportation Plan and gets a lot of support from the assembled online masses. But.... 1/2

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

A security guarantee for Ukraine from Donald Trump? Let me think about how much this is worth. Do you have change for a US $1 bill (now deflated in value due to Trump's Iran war)?

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Reposted by Doug Baer

accidentalflyer 🇨🇦🇹🇼🇺🇸🇺🇦 @accidentalflyer.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Also why Russia wants Trump to attack Iran.

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Doug Baer @douglasbaer.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Here in Saanich (suburb of Victoria) we have an urban biking plan with a target date of 2050 [24 years] BUT with recent cutbacks and a very slow planned build-out to 2040, 2065-2070 would be more realistic. Sad to say, Mississauga actually looks good in comparison.

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