Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD

University of Toronto postdoc (bikes + data), biophysics PhD, mom. I post about bikes and safe streets, local politics, and sometimes science. She/her.

#DataScience #BikeTooter #OttBike #BikeTO #ActiveTravel #Transportation #UrbanPlanning #CargoBike #eBike #biking #maps #science #Python #cats #fedi22

Location: Toronto
Website: https://madeleinebonsma.com/contact
Bluesky: mbonsma.bsky.social
Bluesky cross-posting account: Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD (npub1zx3…uzwa)">https://mastodon.social/Madeleine Bonsma-Fisher, PhD (npub1zx3…uzwa)

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npub1kkusu4mhmuvcr59sularnayf5gt3aptycwt5atvkmhwwxc6v4r3q24ysta

NIP-05 Address

mbonsma_at_mastodon.social@momostr.pink

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relay.momostr.pink

relay.snort.social

atlas.nostr.land

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Published at

2026-04-11T01:15:09Z

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Last Notes

2025-07-10 17:58:01 UTC

"The new bike has opened up the city to us in a new way! It's so great! I'm never late to work anymore, because it only takes me 15 minutes now! I seriously only regret we didn't get it earlier!" -my friend after one month of cargo bike life
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/830/225/087/416/166/original/c29471906cbdc3a2.jpg

2025-06-30 18:01:25 UTC

Hello! It's been a few months of mostly Bluesky but I'm planning to post more here in the future. I also set up a direct bridge from my Bluesky account here to prevent me from completely neglecting cross-posting: [@mbonsma.bsky.social](https://bsky.brid.gy/r/https://bsky.app/profile/mbonsma.bsky.social )

2024-11-27 01:45:01 UTC

I will be driving around with this every time I opt for a car instead of our bike - starting today, with my son's music lessons in Leaside. Both of us would rather bike!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/552/384/724/192/296/original/7d8943e924f0b211.jpg

2024-11-20 04:13:11 UTC

I have removed
the bike lanes
that were in
the road
and which
you were probably
using
to get to work
Forgive me
they were delicious
so crunchy
and so cold

2024-11-08 03:18:16 UTC

My bike ride to work takes exactly 30 minutes - rain or shine, morning or evening.
A few weeks ago I took the "car" to work, using the car lane instead of the bike lane. It took 45 minutes - 50% longer! - because traffic is just that bad. You're not stuck in traffic, you are traffic.
#CarsRuinCities
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/445/165/752/043/514/original/e8d911de90c9dc49.jpg

2024-10-31 16:27:11 UTC

Took the ol' train to a meeting this morning and got to do the funniest thing ever: blow the train whistle at a car stopped in the bike lane
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/402/967/171/466/336/original/47ea92de1a38da87.jpg

2024-10-25 13:43:03 UTC

This is fine! This is not nefarious at all! I am definitely not thinking that there is a very good chance a new monster highway in the Greenbelt would not pass an environmental assessment!
#ONpoli #Bill212
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/368/350/595/173/093/original/5ea3fdde0e2f4d87.jpg

2024-10-24 20:30:58 UTC

4-year-old woke up this morning asking to go to the Science Centre. We explained that we can't because it's closed.
"Why?"
"It needs to be fixed and the government doesn't want to fix it."
"What is the government?"
10 minutes later he's written a letter to Doug Ford.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/364/293/279/032/637/original/7d2de7688aa754bd.jpg

2024-10-17 21:45:38 UTC

- reply

3. The more people travel by bike, the less car congestion. Adding bike infrastructure need not increase congestion even in the short term!
https://civitas.eu/resources/walking-cycling-and-congestion-15-quick-facts-for-cities
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/324/941/688/491/637/original/0818f37d2b1fa0e7.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/324/945/589/947/255/original/63fc2aa88696de86.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/324/945/947/300/076/original/537625eb20c58954.jpeg

2024-10-17 21:41:40 UTC

- reply

2. Adding safe cycling infrastructure on arterial roads unlocks more destinations for more people, making practical cycling much more convenient and much more likely.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/pandemic-bike-lanes-canada-1.5951863
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/324/933/979/338/772/original/d7fb0e6a823829a4.jpeg

2024-10-17 21:40:14 UTC

- reply

1. The more destinations that are accessible to you on SAFE cycling routes, the more likely you are to commute by bike.
“Every time the number of accessible jobs... goes up by 100, the likelihood of someone choosing to cycle goes up by about 40%.”
https://news.engineering.utoronto.ca/why-dont-more-torontonians-cycle-to-work/
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/324/929/528/821/416/original/b11f3eb1046ff49a.jpeg

2024-10-17 21:38:45 UTC

As we all know, our leaders are very excellent at “informed decision making”. That’s great, because the research is very clear:
1. more destinations accessible by bike -> more biking
2. more safe infrastructure -> more accessible destinations
3. more bikes -> less congestion
4. removing car lanes -> less congestion
🧵

2024-10-17 21:37:09 UTC

Hypothetically if I were to ride this down the street in front of you instead of in the bike lane (matching traffic speed), would you be mad or amused
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/324/917/218/292/620/original/42fb97507688605b.jpg

2024-10-09 13:49:01 UTC

Biking is such a pleasant, human way to get around. On my way to work today I said good morning to a friend I passed, admired all the other baby seats on bikes, and had a short conversation with a woman wearing a cool embroidered jacket. It must be so lonely to drive everywhere.

2024-10-06 01:48:10 UTC

Be the envy of the school dropoff line
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/257/957/266/498/772/original/a9fdf925831150d2.jpg

2024-10-05 23:49:41 UTC

Today, out on the cargo bikes, waiting at a red light beside a minivan. Window rolls down. "Can I take a picture? What is that called? I have two kids too!" *motions to back seat*
The appetite for alternatives to driving is real, folks
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/257/484/561/029/946/original/f6020be687265880.jpg

2022-11-06 13:35:02 UTC

#Introduction time!
I'm Madeleine! I have a PhD in #biophysics from #UofT. I studied how bacteria with #CRISPR immune systems interact with viruses (blog post: https://uoftbiophysics.github.io/blog/2022/why-null-models/).
Now I study active transportation! In my postdoc I am researching how to measure the impact of #cycling infrastructure and plan better networks. I love #walking and #biking, live in Ottawa (hi #ottbike!), volunteer with [@bikeottawa](https://mastodon.social/@bikeottawa ), and made a train costume for our #CargoBike with my husband last weekend.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/109/297/089/533/783/329/original/a285c3d92a3642ec.jpeg