I live in the Lawrence and…

I live in the Lawrence and Eglington riding in Toronto and commute to work in the downtown core by bike - I also drive a F-150 which makes me a pretty unique commuter cyclist.

Previously, I use to drive downtown to work but with commute times over an hour I thought biking would be a healthier, safe and quicker option. While I live near the subway, I want to get fresh air and biking seemed like the best option.

For the last four years, I’ve been biking to and from work, including last year through the winter.

Bike lanes have saved my life more times than I want to admit. As a truck driver, I know I can’t see everything in front of me all the time and I need to go slowly and be careful. Drivers downtown lose that perspective and will do just about anything to move a few paces ahead or make a light while it’s still green.

As a bike commuter I appreciate having protected bike lanes as it doesn’t make me think twice about if I can take a certain street home. Having protected bike lanes on major roads allows me to safely and quickly get home to see my kids. If I need to take side streets, it takes more time and more time on the road equals more potential time for a car to hit you. As a truck driver I also appreciate seeing the protected bike lanes as they serves as a guide for cyclists and drivers. As a driver, without the bike lanes, I won’t know where to look for a cyclist - maybe they are trying to squeeze by on the left or sitting behind me or on my right.

Ultimately, cyclists will ride wherever they want, the province should be making it safer and easier for them to do so and not place them danger simply for trying to get to and from work.