Blame it on the Bike: A Protest Art Project by Dave Pagurek in Response to Anti-Bike Lane Bill

Blame it on the bike? Protests over crappy decisions by backwards-thinking conservative governments are nothing new. Sometimes they are absolutely necessary, and often end up creating a strong community and are fodder for artists and clever types inspired by the movement. Take Dave Pagurek, not exactly a critical mass veteran. But the computer graphics programmer is seeing what is happening around him in Toronto. The way the conservative provincial government is running roughshod over local democracy, threatening to dig up bike lanes, curtail further expansion and just generally misrepresent the congestion situation in the city with no real basis in fact. So, Pagurek decided to do something about it.

Pagurek, a bit of a musical tinker, created a song dubbed appropriately enough “Blame it on the Bike” along with a quirky 2D video that is must-see TV.

Though Pagurek describes himself as someone who “wouldn’t have considered [himself] a Bike Person before,” his experience with cycling in Toronto has evolved over time. Originally from Ottawa, where he enjoyed a scenic bike commute along the canal, he found that cycling in Toronto could often be the most efficient way to get around, especially compared to other forms of transit. “I always arrive feeling more awake and alive than any other form of transit,” he says.

But when news broke about the Ontario government’s proposed bill targeting bike lanes, Pagurek couldn’t help but feel a sense of frustration. “It made less than no sense to me,” he explains. “It feels like an active step backwards for the city. There’s just no way to prioritize car commuters in a growing city like Toronto. It’s not politics, it’s geometry.”

This sense of disbelief and frustration prompted Pagurek to channel his feelings into something creative.

“I ended up making the video because my sister convinced me a video would pair well,” he says, reflecting on how quickly the project came together. In fact, Pagurek finished the video in just a week to have it ready for the bill’s final reading.

The song, with its lighthearted yet pointed lyrics, is a protest against the anti-bike lane narrative perpetuated by some of the misinformed critics of Toronto’s bike lane network.

The catchy refrain mocks those who blame bike lanes for congestion, while defending the role of bikes in the city’s transit ecosystem. As Pagurek explains, “Bikes are not the root of Toronto’s traffic problems! Bikes are not a symbol of the downtown liberal elite! They’re just a great way to get people around while staying connected to your community.” It’s a humorous yet earnest reminder that bike lanes are part of a solution, not the problem.

Despite the playful tone, the underlying message of “Blame it on the Bike” is serious. The bill ultimately passed, which left Pagurek feeling somewhat disillusioned, though he remains hopeful. “Well, the bill still passed, so I suppose the impact wasn’t too great!” he laughs, but adds, “Friends who have seen it online seem to have enjoyed it, and I’m glad it can offer people some humor throughout all of this.”

While Pagurek wasn’t deeply involved in activism prior to the bill, he acknowledges that the fight to protect bike lanes is far from over. “I wasn’t actively involved before, but it looks like I’ll have to be more active now!” he says. “People more experienced than I am with political involvement haven’t given up hope yet, so I’ll do what I can to help keep the bike lanes.”

‘Blame it on the Bike’ video screenshot

For Pagurek, this is about more than just bikes—it’s about maintaining a livable, walkable, and bikeable city for all. “In an ideal world, I’ll go back to my computer programming work, biking to co-working spaces and to visit friends, and making unrelated weird videos to amuse myself on the side,” he says. But for now, he plans to stay engaged in the fight for better transit infrastructure in Toronto, watching the news closely for opportunities to speak out.

Pagurek’s career as a computer graphics programmer, working on projects like Butter, a motion graphics editor, and maintaining the open-source library p5.js, reflects his deep interest in the intersection of art and technology. This same creativity spills over into his hobby of making music, which he started alongside his early interest in animation. Though he sometimes collaborates with friends to record “bad cover songs of pop music,” the creation of Blame it on the Bikemarks a more politically charged use of his artistic talents.

Looking forward, Pagurek’s focus is clear: “I’ll be watching the news very carefully in the meantime, and I’ll jump on whatever opportunities come up to help keep our fundamental transit infrastructure.” For now, he’ll continue to mix his passion for programming with his creative side projects, all while advocating for the bike lanes that have become such a vital part of Toronto’s urban fabric.

As more people like Pagurek use their voices—whether through humor, music, or activism—Toronto’s bike lanes may just find themselves with more defenders than ever before.