I'm sorry - I just do not…

I'm sorry - I just do not get how bike lanes reduce congestion. All I see is more and more cars, trucks etc sitting in traffic, barely moving, (increase of pollution just sitting there) while the bike lanes I drive by the most sit basically empty. This would be the Bloor West one for 1000% sure, Yonge Street around Rosedale, University Ave around the hospitals (no place for cars to drop off people going to the hospitals), and Bayview Extension which I understand is undergoing some changes.

Regardless, bike lanes are for the most part money not well spent - money that could be put to more important issues in Toronto currently such as homelessness, mental issues, housing etc. Or how about just general cleaning of the city? Look at the weeds and garbage etc everywhere - Toronto is becoming an embarrassment.

One of my biggest beefs with bike lanes as follows:

Media coverage of how wonderful bike lanes are NEVER comment on the fact of how badly behaved many many cyclists are. They act like they own the road - oh and the sidewalks, laneways, crosswalks etc. And they don't WALK across a crosswalk - they ride through them - often at high speed. I have had friends knocked over by cyclists going too fast and running stop signs - one having her shoulder dislocated as the cyclist rode on giving her the finger, nice.

So - how about some sort of licensing for cyclists where they need to pass a road test? And pay something towards all of these bike lanes they are demanding. Or get insurance so when they injure someone or damage a car,there is coverage.

It would just be nice if they were better behaved - some common courtesy about SHARING the streets with everybody on them these days - people, cars, scooters, etc.

On the film clip they kept showing on the news on Bloor Street, it shows a car in the right hand lane making a right hand turn. The car is already part way into it's turn when a cyclists comes along from behind and makes sure to drive to the right so that he can go around in front of the car as he is obviously the more important person here. First this is dangerous and it's totally unnecessary - why can't they just wait a few seconds to let the car finish it's turn or just go behind it?

On Queens Quay by the ferry docks which is an area full of tourists - there are traffic lights specifically for cyclists - do they abide by them? The very odd one does but most don't pay any attention.

And of course everyone loves to note about bike lanes and use in places like Amsterdam but all you have to do is google "Amsterdam bike riding problems" and it's pretty shocking many of the comments. An example:

"I've been living here for a couple of years, but throughout my whole life I've cycled through the city plenty of times before moving in completely. I really enjoy cycling and I therefore always opt for it whenever I have to go somewhere.

During the past few months however moving around in a bike through the city has started feeling like a progressively more dangerous activity. Every day, whether it is commuting early in the morning or leaving my job late at night, I come across plenty of cyclists that plainly disregard the most basic conduct rules, like the appropriate path for each direction, through which sides to take over or the priority in crossroads.

I've even been in life threatening accidents, where a visibly high scooter driver nearly T bones me by driving on the wrong side of the road in a crossroads where he wasn't visible. I've discussed this with other friends and they also agree that the roads are becoming less safe and in general they agree that there is a rage inducing behaviour amongst cyclists."

" In cities where cars are more frequent in the city center they are very careful around pedestrians. They adapt the speed to the number of people and the traffic situation.

In Amsterdam there cyclists apply full speed. It’s like “since I have the right I will apply maximum velocity and enter tunnel vision mode” "

And I love bike riding - have been doing it all my life. But it is totally out of hand now in many countries.

When will we smarten up????