I respectfully submit that…

I respectfully submit that bike lanes are not a provincial issue, and should be left to the municipalities to decide. I know Mr. Ford is a Toronto resident and has a personal interest, but this should not be a political football or become a victim of the notwithstanding clause. Cyclists need the protection of bike lanes. I am not a Toronto resident, but I don't see the sense in ripping out existing infrastructure, and I object to my municipality and those around me having to ask the province for permission to add or augment existing cycling infrastructure. Making cyclists "second class citizens" on the roads is a dangerous paradigm, and will contribute to more cyclists being targeted by drivers, as has happened recently in Dundas. As a cyclist myself, this makes me angry, considering the fact that there were no serious repercussions for the driver in this incident. I know that when I am on my bike I am more vulnerable than those in cars. I think having protected bike lanes reminds our car drivers of this fact.