Bikes v cars: backlash after Ontario premier threatens to tear up cycling lanes in Toronto
Bikes v cars: backlash after Ontario premier threatens to tear up cycling lanes in Toronto
Doug Ford plans to rip out bike lanes on busy streets, citing ‘insanity’ of gridlock he says they contribute to
Summary
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s plan to remove key Toronto bike lanes, citing congestion, has sparked backlash from city officials, cyclists, and safety advocates.
Critics argue there’s no data proving bike lanes worsen traffic, pointing instead to their role in reducing accidents and supporting safe commutes.
Removing the lanes could cost C$48M and disrupt years of planning. Advocates claim Ford’s stance is political, appealing to suburban voters while endangering cyclists.
With rising cyclist fatalities, opponents warn the move risks worsening safety and intensifying tensions between road users.
For those of you unaware, Doug Ford is a shitbag of a human being who only does things when it's of personal benefit to himself. He hates Toronto with a passion ever since his druggie of a brother, who was mayor of Toronto, got busted doing drugs (which was an open secret) and ended up dying from health complications. He tried to run for his brothers seat but Toronto essentially told him to fuck off. He then ran for Premier and won and one of the first things he did as Premier was to slash the Toronto city council by half as a gigantic middle finger to them. He seems to enjoy screwing over Toronto because of how petty he is. Oh and did I mention that Doug used to sell crack to teenagers before he became a politician?
The shorthand for the above is "conservative"
What makes the Toronto vendetta even worse is that, being leader of the provincial government, his decisions have ripple effects over the entire province. That's 13.6 million people. The city council where I live is in a panic that this law will sabotage the master plan to build a cycling network connecting the city together. It's only half done at this point. In particular, it would entail removing a car lane along certain bridges which the province could easily disallow, but that is critical to connecting key parts of the city for cycling commuters.
Every time I read some stupid thing Drug Fraud has said, this scene pops into my head.
Well I agree. Give them the roads and block cars