Cyclists in one Toronto neighbourhood are speaking out against a restaurant that crudely came out against bike lanes.
The Old Sod, located at 2936 Bloor St. W. in Etobicoke, is a neighbourhood bar known for its classic pub fare and live music.
Last week, a local resident claimed to have received a flyer from the pub advertising its “f*ck bike lanes” t-shirt, which, according to the handout, comes free with every catering order.
“Apart from finding the language crass and offensive, I wonder why the owner of a pub is so concerned about bike lanes? Alcohol and driving (or riding a bike) does not seem like a good mix,” the resident wrote on a cycling Facebook page.
The flyer advertises the pub’s “f*ck bike lanes” t-shirts. Photo via Facebook.
“As a marketing strategy this has not worked on me. There is zero chance of me ever giving the Old Sod any business.”
The comments section under the post was quickly filled with mixed reactions, with some expressing doubt about the legitimacy of the flyer considering its bold message.
“It’s a Kingsway area establishment. Since there is broad support for the bike lanes, they are targeting a niche market, and might piss off others with such a crude message,” another person wrote under the post.
In a response to blogTO, the pub acknowledged the controversial merchandise as “our f- bike lanes t-shirts,” but did not elaborate on why they were distributing the shirts to their catering clients.
