Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Anonymous Gifts Say "Thank You For Cycling!" : TreeHugger

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Images credit TorontoCranks

Toronto is not particularly a cyclists' paradise these days, what with an anti-bike mayor and snow in the Fedex/UPS truck lanes (you can't even call them bike lanes sometimes).

But some people are trying to make a difference, and to make cyclists feel wanted. In the University of Toronto area, an anonymous woman is handing out "Thank you for cycling" envelopes with a surprise inside.

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"Tom Polarbear" writes in TorontoCranks:

I was riding along the College Street bike lane heading east and was coming up to the red light at University Ave. and an older woman stepped out to the edge of the sidewalk and handed me an envelope saying "Thank You for cycling today"! I thought it might be a flyer or something so I stuck it into my pocket and started through the now green light. On the other side of the intersection another cyclist passed me and turned to say " how much do you think is inside" as he waved his envelope, I said I don't know maybe its a coffee coupon.

A bit further ahead I thought I'd make a U-turn and go back and see who she worked for, but she was gone.

When I got home I looked at the envelope. It's hand lettered "Thank You ($ gift inside)."

I opened it and inside was a letter and a new $5.00 bill. Wow!

James Schwartz of Urban Country says several people have received the letter with the fiver in it, but nobody knows who the kind lady is. I am often on that stretch of road and will keep my eyes wide open!

More on cycling in Toronto:
Anti-Bike, Anti-Transit, Anti-Green Rob Ford Elected Mayor Of Toronto : TreeHugger
The War on The Bike and the Bus In Toronto: Activists Regroup, Respond : TreeHugger
Quote Of The Day: "I'm Wearing Pink For All The Pinkos Out There Riding Bicycles" (UPDATED) : TreeHugger