original article: http://www.montrealgazette.com/travel/Letter+Roads+cars+bike+paths+bikes/9870529/story.html
Murray Hickman wrote a letter to the City of Montreal, hoping to ban cyclists from using public roads. His controversial letter was recently in the Montreal Gazette, angering many cyclists. In his letter, he claims that cyclists are “as dangerous as drunk drivers” and that they often make the roads unsafe for cars. He complains that he often has to undergo dangerous maneuvers in order to pass or evade cyclists. He also claims that cyclists are a very small percentage of the population, but keep gaining attention and depriving motorists of their rights. Overall, the man seems to be angry with cyclists in every sense, wanting to completely ban them from using public roads.
I think this man comes across as senseless and one who lacks empathy. Bikers have as much a right to use roads as cars. They should not be discouraged from using this healthier, more environmentally-friendly means of transportation. Clearly, the man who wrote this article has never tried riding a bike to work. I do agree that there are safety concerns that go with biking, which should be taken care of. Additionally, bikes indeed should not be allowed to go on highways as Murray requests, since there is no way that the average cyclist can go 80-100 km/h, and their being present on such roads is definitely a risk when turning tight corners on narrow stretches. However, rather than banning cyclists from using roads, better bike lanes should separate cyclists from motor vehicles. Cycling should be encouraged, as drivers will get more used to cyclists if more of them are present on the roads. It would create a greener, less polluted environment. This would also make the city feel that they are addressing a wider population group in building the bike lanes. Society would only be going a step in the backwards direction if they ban cyclists from using roads.
No comments:
Post a Comment