I'm both a car commuter and…

I'm both a car commuter and an avid cyclist from Guelph and I'm concerned bill 212 will endanger me without leading to any noticeable improvement in congestion. It is not true that eliminating a driving lane in order to free up space for bike lanes causes congestion. I know this because I both drive and bike, during rush hour, on local roads that have already been put on a "road diet" to reduce from 4 lanes to 2 lanes + 1 turning lane + 2 bike lanes, and I can tell you there is no slow down or congestion that I can see. Much congestion is caused by left-turning vehicles and the middle turning lane does a great job at diverting the turners out of the way of the ones going straight. Adding bike lanes, even at the expense of a car lane is a win-win because as a cyclist I get a few feet of space that is vital to my safety and the drivers are motoring right along in their lanes with no slow downs. My own street that I live on has bike lanes and I see many cyclists pass by from my front window even in the winter months. By contrast, without a bike lane I feel nervous, vulnerable and I constantly have to wonder if the driver approaching me from behind is paying attention. After seeing that an elderly Guelph woman was recently killed while riding her bike on a 4 lane road with no bike lanes, bill 212 feels especially upsetting to me. Biking to my grocery store, doctor's office and hair salon has brought me exercise, a noticeable improvement in mental health, fresh air, a social outlet, affordability (my gas bill actually went down!) and a deeper bond with my neighbourhood. I truly believe bill 212 will take these benefits away from me without any tangible benefit to me or my fellow Guelphites.