It's hard to believe that…

It's hard to believe that anyone, let alone responsible government officials in Ontario, would consider introducing, let along implementing, such a policy when all evidence from multiple jurisdictions around the world points in the totally opposite direction.

Namely, bike lanes increase safety for everyone: pedestrians, cyclists, and even motorists. This has been demonstrated over and over again. Yet this piece of legislation proposes to REMOVE bike lanes, or make them harder to implement. This can only lead to a decrease in safety for everyone. In other words, more injuries and more deaths because of more collisions. Is that really what this government wants?

Furthermore, bike lanes contribute to a reduction in traffic congestion. Before I leave my house, whether to go to work, to a medical appointment, to go shopping, or to visit a friend, I consider what is the best way to get there and back. I drive, but increasingly I use my bicycle because it's convenient, good for my health, cheaper, often faster, good for the climate, and ... it reduces the total number of cars on the road, thereby reducing congestion. It is incomprehensible that anyone would want to force me to replace all of my current bike trips with car trips.

Finally, this proposal is not based on credible data or evidence. It is based only on the complaints of a minority of people (contributors to election campaigns) who have the ear of the Premier. It is impossible to believe that any serious person or other professional in the Ministry of Transportation would ever come up with such a proposal as an effective, sustainable way to reduce traffic congestion. They must be hanging their heads in shame at having to defend this whole piece of legislation.

I urge you to retract this proposal and replace it with data-driven, evidence-based policy that ensures safety for ALL road users and actually accomplishes something to reduce motor vehicle congestion on the streets and roads of Ontario.