National Post: Oh, those tenacious cyclists: War of the wheels continues

Alex Nevitte, 16, wrote in these pages last Friday about the hostility and obstacles she faces trying to commute from North Toronto to her summer job in Rosedale. ‘‘What is the deal,’’ she asked, ‘‘with motorists, specifically car and SUV drivers who think they are entitled to the entire road under all circumstances?’’ Some motorists fired back in Wednesday’s paper. Today, three cyclists have their say.

Jasper Martin, Toronto, writes:
I have been cycling for close to 35 years since I gave up my car that long ago.
I am continually amazed how many cyclists have no respect for the rules of the road or for themselves. They go through red lights, do not stop behind a streetcar when the doors are open, ride on the sidewalks, do not signal, and feel they are doing so much for the environment and the good of mankind. What really makes me laugh is when the gear they are wearing cost more than the bike and they think they’re really cool. Listen up, fellow cyclists: Safety is what’s really cool.
Malcolm T. Baron writes:
I have been a avid bike commuter for years, in downtown Toronto and in other places. I don’t think this makes me a more virtuous person than drivers.

I have had a few near-death experiences while riding my bike, but they have several things in common. A helmet, didn’t, or wouldn’t, have helped in any of them, and they all happened while I was obeying the rules.

I don’t usually obey the rules because experience has taught me that it will get me killed. My philosophy is to ride like no one can see me, which is basically the truth. This means I don’t automatically go straight through intersections on green lights because I have the right of way (this has resulted in several near-death experiences).

It also means that I do run red lights and stop signs if there is no one coming. Waiting for the light to turn green so that you can fight your way through the intersection with the cars can result in you being forced off the road and into the curb on the other side of the intersection, or getting cut off by people who are making right turns (resulting in several other near-death experiences).

Tina Orton writes:
I have been riding in the city for over 30 years. I live in the Annex and cycle along Bloor Street to Avenue Road to the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music Building. Mostly I find car drivers to be courteous. Now and again someone will drive too close to me usually when they are on their cell and not really paying attention — driving and cell phone use do not go together.

The roads are in a tremendous mess. Howland, Albany, Brunswick, to name three, are full of potholes. But the worst is Bloor Street — one of the busiest roads in the city. It has lots of patch-ups which break up and leave large cracks and holes — very dangerous for cyclcists. I think more and more people will ride bicyles as they are definitely good for the environment, save time, money and are easy to park.

But … cyclists cannot just complain about motorists. Every day as I wait at a red light other cyclists pass me and ride through completely ignoring what the red light means. Even if there is no traffic coming from either direction the red light should not be ignored. The other day I saw a cyclist riding along Bloor in the middle of the road the wrong way. How mad is that?

Perhaps Toronto can have more pedestrian and bicycle areas where cars cannot go. The Yorkville, Cumberland, Scollard area would be a great start. Lots of European cities have these areas. I think we are behind the times in this respect.