I’m a long-time driver, and…

I’m a long-time driver, and it makes sense for us to support bike lanes. I got my driver’s license at 16 to drive to school. I’ve lived most of my life in suburbs. I needed my car to get to work, shops, and activities. I don’t drive as much now that I live in Toronto, but I still drive to see family and for shops and activities where convenient. With less experience biking, I bike only where it’s comfortable and safe.

Sartre once wrote that “Hell is other people”. For drivers, Hell is other cars. I’ve wasted so much time sitting in traffic. My car was totaled after I got rear-ended in stop-and-go traffic. In Toronto, I’ve gotten stuck blocks away from getting on the Gardiner, not even seeing the highway before I eventually gave up.

Even worse are bikes when there is no bike lane. If there’s a bike lane, we can get past each other no problem. If there’s no bike lane, I have to either pass the bike (stressful with other cars around) or crawl behind them if I can’t pass.

We’re all frustrated by traffic and we want solutions. But removing bike lanes could backfire and make driving worse. There will be more cars in our way and it will be harder to get past bikes. If I don’t feel safe biking somewhere, I’ll drive. Others will do the same or will bike in car lanes. Remove bike lanes and people like me might be the car – or bike – you’re stuck behind.