The Toronto cycling community was not impressed after Premier Doug Ford expressed his candid views on the recently completed bike lanes in East Toronto on Tuesday. The fresh infrastructure project is designed to link bike lanes throughout the city, particularly on Bloor Street, with the goal of enhancing safety for cyclists navigating Toronto.
TFord’s word war on bikes
During a press conference that had nothing to do with bikes, Ford mentioned how he hoped the mayor of Toronto would do something about the new bike lanes. It should be noted that Ford has nothing to do with municipal affairs, being the premier of Ontario, but his words may galvanize the anti-bike community.
BREAKING NEWS: Mayor of Toronto Doug Ford declares he does not support extending the Bloor Street bike lanes into Etobicoke
Oh wait… pic.twitter.com/KzNXV5U3rD
— Cycle Toronto (@CycleToronto) October 31, 2023
Already there is a petition that is asking the city to re-evaluate the lanes. In it, which was posted Monday, there were several complaints, including what one man called “noticeable congestion due to lane reductions, and the observed scarcity of cyclists.” It also suggested that first responders might be impeded, something that has been debunked several times.
Rally for support
David Shellnutt, a.k.a. The Biking Lawyer announced there would be a rally in High Park on Sunday to support the lanes. High Park has been the epicentre of all kinds of cycling drama, including police officers ticketing cyclists for going a few kilometres over the outdated speed limit, and ignoring motorists who did the same.
I guess she got advice from cycling expert Doug Ford pic.twitter.com/Bed3vTSFen
— TDot Resident (@TDotResident) July 11, 2023
“Sometimes you just have to grab your bike; put rubber to pavement to demonstrate the overwhelming support for safe infrastructure,” Shellnutt posted. “This Sunday, cyclists from the Greater Toronto Area will take to the new Bloor Bike Lanes en masse!”
Important to fight back
He also added that mobilizing as a community is important when there is anti-bike rhetoric being thrown around.
Sometimes you just have to grab your bike & put rubber to pavement to demonstrate the overwhelming support for safe infrastructure. This Sunday cyclists from the GTA will take to the new Bloor Bike Lanes en masse! #bikeTO pic.twitter.com/zM4WpgrI7N
— The Biking Lawyer (Dave Shellnutt) (@TheBikingLawyer) November 2, 2023
“It’s important to push…
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