I know it was a complete waste of time, but it made me feel better to at least write the following letter that I sent to the moronic councillor just a few moments ago:
Councillor,
I tried to resist the need to write a response to the remarkably illogical, offensive and utterly foolish remarks you made regarding cyclists recently. I really tried. I know, from experience, that people who cling to such ignorance are generally profoundly bull-headed and small-minded and never consider that their idiocy borders on lunacy, so really, I am likely wasting my time.
But on the off-chance you have a brief moment of clarity, I hope to remind you that cyclists are legally recognized as legitimate users of the road, along with motorists in cars, trucks, buses and on motorcycles and scooters. There are almost 1 million cyclists in Toronto and almost a hundred thousand who ride year round. They do not cause or contribute to traffic congestion that costs the city and the businesses that operate in the city millions per day in lost productivity. They do not cause disastrous pile-ups and countless accidents per day. They are not responsible for the billion dollar costs to our health-care facilities, insurance industry or work-force. They do not cause or contribute to the decay and destruction of our environment nor cost the various levels of government millions per day in expended resources. In fact, there is not a single negative impact upon the city or residents of Toronto attributable to bicyclists. That’s right, your eyes are not deceiving you; not one negative impact.
Cycling is cited as one of the best things we can do for our local environment and for the health of our planet by every respected environmental agency and advocate. Cycling REDUCES motor traffic congestion allowing overweight Neanderthals from north Etobicoke or where-ever to lumber their toxic-spewing behemoths downtown because they’re too lazy and full of themselves to ride a bus or train or ride a bike themselves. You should be congratulating them for making your commute faster and safer.
Almost all adult cyclists are tax-paying citizens of this city. Considering it is property taxes that pay for the maintenance of PUBLIC roads, they are as entitled to use those same public roads as prescribed by law and as the regulations permit as any other tax-paying citizen. If, as you assert, roads are for cars, trucks and buses alone, then you must be in favour of exempting home-owners like me who choose not to own a car anymore from property tax or at least receiving a significant reduction. I don’t pay for what I’m not allowed to use, after all. I expect you to table a motion to council to that effect in the near future if you truly believe the foolishness that you utter.
You should know this, but clearly you require reminding: public roads are public spaces. By virtue of requiring a license to operate your motor vehicle upon public roads, you---as a motorist---are a GUEST upon a public space.
Hundreds of cyclists are killed upon roads in Canada every year and, if you check the police records, you will discover few of them were responsible for the accident that provoked their deaths. Aggressive, impatient, distracted, frustrated and reckless motorists are the overwhelming instigators of serious accidents. To suggest anything else is not only ludicrous, but suggests you are unfit to serve this city in any capacity.
I expect you to not only retract your statement, but issue a full public apology, especially to the friends and families of cyclists who were innocent victims of car accidents, whether they died or not. If
you have any integrity, any credibility, any self-accountability you will address the media today and beg the forgiveness of Torontonians. I expect you to be silent, however.
Sincerely,
JL