I am a 48 year old mom, and…

I am a 48 year old mom, and my daughter is 10. I grew up biking as a young adult in Toronto, before the bike lanes on Bloor existed. Back then, there was a lot of chaos and it was quite dangerous for cyclists, and cars, because the bikes had no were to go. I know several cyclists who were hit by cars when riding. I have been grazed by a car on Bloor street. There was also a lot of hostility directed towards me as a woman cyclist, mostly men from cars yelling at me and driving agressively. I have also seen male cyclists yell agressively at female drivers who mistakenly cut them off. All these incidents happenned on streets where there were no bike lanes. Bike lanes on Bloor and other main streets have been key to increasing safety for all commuters, especially women and women of colour, who receive a lot of verbal agressiion from men in public society.

When my child started riding her bike about 6 years ago, I was so releived to have her grow up in a time where I know she would be safer as a teen, navigating the city on a bike since there is a bike lane from Runnymede to Yonge steet. We live near symington, where there's a big dip under the bridge that passes over Bloor just east of Dundas west by the UP station. This is a praticularly dangerous passage for bikes. I would not have taught her how to ride on public streets if there were no bike lanes and this would have had a major impact on how we travel as a family and her ability to develop cycling skills, an important form of independance for her as a teen and young woman. I also know families with boys we want all young people to be safe as they begin to explore the city as independent young adults.

Bike lanes are essential in big cities, and they keep everyone safer.