I recently fell of my bike…

I recently fell of my bike in the bike lane on Bloor Street West in Toronto to avoid a vehicle that suddenly pulled over in front of me in the bike lane. Had I not fallen inside the bike lane or veered into the live vehicle lane I would have been run over by a car behind me. This bike lane saved my life.

In November 2017, our current Premier (Doug Ford) maid the following statement on an episode of TVO’s Political Blind Date about his experience riding a bike in Toronto. “You’re nervous when there’s no bike lanes. At least I was. We have to do everything we can to make sure three’s never a death in the city. One death is way too many when it comes to bicycle riders.” Doug Ford TVO, 2017. He was elected as Ontario’s Premier 7 months later in June 2018.

Please, let’s not enact Bill 212 as it will put people's lives at risk for a vehicle congestion problem not created by the presence of bike infrastructure. The overwhelming amount of congestion that takes place is Ontario is on the peripheries of the City Toronto, 400 series highways and the extremely vast and sprawling suburbs of the Greater Toronto Area where bike lanes are not present and people are forced to drive due to lack of safe, frequent and reliable transportation options. Expanding road and highway capacity for cars only induces demand for car trips making congestion much worse than it was prior to expanding road and highway capacity. The last 60 years of extensive road and highway expansion in the GTA has led to a diminished quality of life for Ontarians and will continue to do so long into the future if Bill 212, 2024 becomes formal legislation. I am strongly opposed to Bill 212, 2024 and ask that it be thrown out.

Thank you kindly.