I use bike lanes in my city,…

I use bike lanes in my city, Hamilton every day. I use them to get to work, to bring my kid to and from school, to run errands, and to get around the city. I use the bike lanes in Toronto several times a month to visit family, shop, go to events, and get around the city. Bike lanes allow me to do all these things safely and easily. My partner is not an experienced cyclist, and bike lanes allow her to get around the city safely and comfortably. When my kid is a few years older and riding his own bike, I hope that we can bike together - I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that without bike lanes.

I am an experienced cyclist and I know that I would be able to ride anywhere, but I wouldn't feel as safe without a network of bike lanes throughout the city. People who are less experienced and less confident definitely won't feel safe riding without bike lanes. Bike lanes and routes on secondary streets are great for some trips, but they don't go to the places that most people want to go, and they make commuting and errands take longer. I don't think it's better for anyone if I drive a car instead - more cars on the streets will create more traffic. The only way to reduce traffic is to give people other options for getting around - and that includes a connected network of safe lanes for riding bikes.