This is a comment on my…

This is a comment on my experience as a Resident of the City of Toronto - and use all options for transport available to me(car, ttc, go train, bicycle, cabs(uber/lyft)) to get around the city and conduct my affairs.

My primary mode of transport is a bicycle that I use to commute to work, and have been doing so since 2016(when I started working in Toronto). I live on Main/Danforth and my office commute involved me riding a bicycle to Liberty Village for the first few years and currently my office has moved to Dundas West so I've adjusted my route accordingly. I ride around 14 kms (one-way) to get to my place of work and conduct other affairs in the city(shopping, community centres, food/cafes) after work with the bike as well. I do occasionally drive, and that usually involves me having to travel across the city over larger distances and/or have something that cannot be accomodated on a bicycle or transit.

I've been using the Bloor/Danforth route whole time(for 8 years, except during COVID when we were WFH). Before the bike lanes were a thing on this route, I've had frequent incidents where cars would cut me off(causing near-collisions multiple times), I've had cars/trucks parked on the street, open doors without looking (again causing near-collisions or forcing me to swerve into traffic), I've had 3 incidents where I've been swept off my bike by car who "genuinely didn't see" me. Ever since the protected bike lanes have been established, I haven't had a single incident(since late 2022) when I started commuting to the office again.

I understand that, traffic across the city has gotten worse over the years and I sympathize with the folks who drive. I also own a car and drive occasionally(as I mentioned before) and do not enjoy being in traffic. However, traffic congestion has always been a thing in Toronto with it getting worse every year, even before the bike lanes were put in. I've opted to commute by bicycle because I can RELIABLY get to work on time compared to TTC(multitudes of issues related to incidents) and car(issues with traffic, parking, cost), and have been making that choice for the entire time I've worked\lived in the city.

Currently, my commute times are fairly same accross all three options(bike: 46 mins, car: 43 mins, transit: 45 mins - and yes, this is during rush hour). If my commute via bike gets more difficult/longer/risky, I would have to consider driving or TTC. Personally, I would chose to drive over the TTC, because if something happens on transit, I'm stuck in limbo (has happened multiple times) while the systems sorts itself out. I, as a single occupant, will add another car to the mix contributing to traffic as well - not to mention the cost of driving more(gas, insurance, parking, maintenance). Right now, because of the bike lanes, I can CHOOSE to commute via bike and I'm fairly confident that I can come back home to my family safe and not narrate incidents on how I survived the bike commute(this was a common thing before the bike lanes).

I really hope that the proposal will take into consideration my access to equitable modes of safe transportation.