Being in a car does not make…

Being in a car does not make a person's time commuting more valuable than anyone on a bike, on foot, or on transit.

This proposed legislation is designed to turn Ontarians against each other and blame cyclists for their own choices to get in a car instead of on this government's lack of progress on funding transit, or employers forcing return to office mandates.

I was hit by a car while riding in Toronto in 2016 severely injuring my shoulder. I spent 6 weeks in a sling, months doing physio and my bike was destroyed. My wife had to help me dress, shower and cook for weeks while I underwent physio.

My long-term mental health and physical health was deeply harmed by this experience. It took me 2 years to get the confidence to ride again and when I got back on two wheels I stuck almost exclusively to divided and protected lanes.

I ride in Hamlton now, with my children riding on my bike with me. I also drive sometimes. I ride with them to daycare and kindergarten then continue on my way to work using divided bike lanes throughout the city on Bay St and Hunter St. Limiting cities' abilities to build things like this will force families like mine back into their cars - which will actually make traffic worse.

Bike lanes move more people per hour than a car lane can - a single two-way protected bike lane can move about 10 times as many people, and do so using less space, than a single lane of car traffic.