I don’t want to die riding…

I don’t want to die riding my bike to work.

I’m a provincial government employee, a public servant, and I truly enjoy commuting to my downtown office 3 days a week using the bike lanes on both Bloor and University Avenue. Now that the lanes are pretty much complete, I finally feel safe, I finally don’t grip my handlebars as tight as I used to because of road anxiety. With many other cyclists sharing these amazing lanes, we feel pleasure as we get a little bit of exercise and safely travel to our jobs and back home. Hey, and I arrive at the office in a good mood!

I have seen 6 people die as a result of negligent car drivers and I know this number is going to go up if bike lanes are removed.

I also drive a car in the city and you know what, I appreciate that the new bike lanes separate me from cyclists. It’s a barrier that I feel safer with when I am driving my vehicle because both drivers and cyclists can stay in their own lanes. We know what to expect. If you remove bike lanes, I will end up creating more traffic because instead of using my dedicated bike lane, I will be “taking the lane” with my bike instead of cowering at the curbside while cars squeeze past me.

Please don’t punish bike riders. We are also taxpayers, car drivers, public servants and people who are appreciating the scenery and getting exercise while we head to work.