Doug Ford seems determined…

Doug Ford seems determined to ruin all the good Toronto has; now it's bike lanes with which I am only 50% in agreement, but I would rather keep them than add more car lanes. Add lanes = more and more cars; there will never be enough room to move!

While I find it quite challenging to cross (and yes, I jaywalk when it's quiet) Bloor Street in the Bathurst-Spadina area, I truly believe bike lanes help cut emissions and allow those who wish to pedal a way to move around faster than by car or TTC. Some basic riding rules could be observed, but I digress.

Walking is always a great choice, but comes with its own hazards due to bike lanes, which is why I hesitate to praise them too enthusiastically. For example, there are 6-8 obstacles to visually check when crossing this strip of Bloor, legally or otherwise: the first bike in both directions; making sure you don't trip/fall over a raised section e.g. parking island while looking for a gap in the first lane of cars; looking at the second lane of cars; then checking the next possible trip hazard; looking both ways on the next bike lane; the checking the destination sidewalk for pedestrians, locked bikes and trees to run into as well as cyclists on the sidewalk. Bloor West may not be the walking street it once was, but leave the bike lanes as is, please. Maybe we can reduce some of our environmental damage by so doing.

If the bike lanes are removed, where does DF think cyclists will ride? Right! On the sidewalks where they are a silent and serious danger to pedestrians. (Why do so many riders refuse to use their bells or vocal chords to warn us of imminent collision?)

Such a waste of taxpayer money; wake up and leave well enough alone. Hands off the Greenbelt; hands of the Bike Belt.