I moved to Toronto 8 years…

I moved to Toronto 8 years ago from Barcelona, Spain. Initially, I was shocked and appalled at the lack of protected cycling infrastructure in Toronto. I had become so used to protected cycling infrastructure, that I never thought twice about using Barcelona's public bike share (Bicing). Bike share is a normal default mode of transport for thousands and thousands of people there. Everyone I knew owned and used (to some degree) a bike share card. It was the perfect compliment to their bus / metro system and really eliminated the need for a car.

After arriving in Toronto I bought a bike, but, I found myself becoming very hesitant to use it. I felt like every time I got on the bike, I was dancing with death, the little cycling infrastructure I had close to me didn't take me anywhere near the majority of places I needed to go. The result, I got in a car and drove almost everywhere. I eventually gave the bike away. The inaccessibility of safe cycling infrastructure is a major reason as to why Toronto's streets are so congested. Cycling is not seen as a normal activity to many residents of this city because it has historically not been safe and accessible. To see that Toronto had begun modernising by adding and connecting protected bike lanes gave me hope that this city was following the lead of the majority of other modern congested major cities.

During covid lockdowns I bought a new bike and made an effort to once again normalize cycling to myself. I now ride my bike 3.5km to work 5 days a week, 11 months of the year. There is no cycling infrastructure to take me to work. Sadly, there is not a month that goes by where I don't have close calls with impatient / distracted / entitled motorists, they are normally a weekly occurrence, but somehow the financial, as well as mental / physical health, benefits of cycling seem better than driving / taking the bus. Protected cycling infrastructure saves lives, it encourages people to get out of cars and use other forms of transport.

I have worked as a postal worker (yes, driving a van) all over downtown & the west end of Toronto for the last 4 years. Driving and delivering in areas with separated cycling lanes has caused me, at most, a minimal inconvenience. Removing bike lanes which not only save lives (hello vision zero!), but also encourage people to get out of cars seems absolutely criminal, not to mention such a monumental waste of money. I currently deliver around Bloor and Christie Pits, if that lane is removed many people will stop cycling, some will be injured by cars and a small number will probably be killed. An extra car lane is going to do nothing to solve congestion, getting people out of cars and providing them with safe alternatives on the other hand, just might!

I do not consider myself a 'cyclist'. I am a human who uses cars, bikes, buses, trains and vans for transport.