Majority Agree
Cyclists Should Be Licensed
Licensing seen as fair trade-off for comprehensive bike network
In a random sampling
of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 882 Toronto voters, the
majority agree that bicyclists should be licensed (56%), and this view is
especially common to the older citizens (55 to 64 - 68%), females (62%), the
wealthy ($80K to $100K - 63%), in the community of York (67% - caution: small
base size), among mothers of children under 18 (62%) and the least educated
(62%). Even among those who commute to work or school by bike, there is
substantial approval of licensing (43%). When we last asked this question, in
September, 2012, even more Torontonians were in favour of cyclist licensing
(62%).
Majority favour comprehensive, European-style bike network for
Toronto
As many as 6-in-10
Toronto voters agrees the city should invest in a comprehensive, European-style
bike network (60%), and this is especially common to the youngest (68%),
females (63%), the wealthiest ($100K to $250K - 71%), in the downtown (74%),
among mothers of children (64%), the most educated (68%), among those who
commute by bike, obviously (85%) and among Olivia Chow voters from the last
election (77%). When we last asked this question in September, 2012, agreement
with a comprehensive bike network was slightly lower (54%).
Plurality agree licensing is fair trade-off for a comprehensive
bike network
Close to one half of
Toronto voters see licensing bicyclist as a fair trade-off for investing in a
comprehensive bike network (46%), while close to 4-in-10 disagree (38%).
Agreement is common to the older mid-aged (55 to 64 - 53%), the wealthiest
($100K to $250K - 53%), in the city of York (55% - caution: small sample size)
and among Dug Ford voters (52%).
One tenth commute by bicycle
About one tenth of
Toronto voters commute to work or school on bicycles (13%), and this is most
common to the youngest (23%), males (16%), the less wealthy (under $40K - 20%),
in the downtown (20%) and among Olivia Chow voters (25%).
“It is apparent that
licensing cyclists is something citizens want to see tried, even among a
substantial minority of bike commuters. Moreover, Torontonians see licensing as
a part of building the comprehensive bike network of the future" said Forum
Research President, Dr. Lorne Bozinoff.
Lorne Bozinoff,
Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum Research. He can be reached at
lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416) 960-9603.
