Last week we saw a great "urban scrawl" by Alex Nevitte about her bike commute through the city and the aggressive drivers she faces (and we all face) on a daily basis:

Talk about trial by fire! I’ve encountered several greedy and unreasonable motorists who never hesitate to take far more than their share of the road and who waste no time screaming at any cyclist willing to demand their fair piece of the road as well. Bicycles are vehicles and so are entitled to a lane of their own just as any other vehicle is.

Usually — and generously — cyclists move to the side of the road to allow faster moving vehicles to pass. Why do motorists never show the same respect for cyclists?

The hostility I’ve encountered on the streets of Toronto as a cyclist is astonishing. Once, biking home from the beach a car sped by so closely that its side-view mirror actually brushed my thigh! If this idiot had pulled any closer to me, I would have been knocked off my bike. And for what? So he could be the first to wait at the red light 100 metres away?

This week we see a backlash against Nevitte and all cyclists in the Post by drivers who think that cyclists in Toronto are the selfish ones:

‘‘Ms. Nevitte’s view clearly demonstrates the dangerous sense of entitlement that many of her fellow bicyclists in Toronto share. Why is it that so many bikers seem to proclaim the same rights as motorists, yet are not willing to abide by the same obligations? Approaching a red light, motorists will have to stop. More often than not, bicyclists go right through, creating dangerous situations for themselves and motorists alike.‘‘The other day I had a terrifying experience. While waiting to make a right-hand turn, I did not notice the bicyclist who — at a very high speed — came riding up on my right. Consequently I almost ran him down. Why could the bicyclist not wait to cross, in his/her spot behind a car in the road? Sadly this behaviour is far too common.”

To be (somewhat) fair to the Post, they do precede the letters by saying "The piece prompted a flood of responses, many of them in support of Alex’s position that bicycles are good for Toronto and its environment. Many others disagreed."

So it sounds like supportive letters may have actually outnumbered the negative ones, but the Post only chose to publish the negative ones?

You all know that I support Alex's position. When I can ride to work (only a 20 minute ride) and feel safe doing it, then I won't complain about drivers. When they stop going more than 40 km/h within 3 feet of me (which is the minimum legal clearance we're supposed to get), then I'll quiet down.

Oh, and I'll listen to any breaking the law arguments from a driver who doesn't break the law. Is there anyone that doesn't slowly roll through stop signs or NEVER breaks the speed limit?

I didn't think so.



[photo credits]

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