Hell on Wheels

For years after I first moved to Toronto at the age of 18, I was a die-hard, year-round cyclist. I had my handlebars shortened so I could more easily manouvre in downtown traffic, I knew every alleyway and shortcut south of Bloor, east of Yonge and West of Dufferin. I rode daily no matter the weather – be it a heat wave or a snow storm. I never rode in a car, and rarely used the TTC, as my beloved bike got me where I needed to go in almost every situation.

But since I began driving a car in the city - about 15 years ago – I have become increasingly irritated with the number of arrogant, law-breaking cyclists that seem to be taking over the roads, as bicycles rightly become thought of as a truly viable method of transportation in the downtown core.

Today, I had yet another close call with an idiot on two wheels: I had stopped at a four-way stop, and as I pulled away to turn the corner – after checking carefully (I am always aware of the possibility of a bike and take extra care to check) – out of nowhere, and speeding like a bat out of hell, comes a bike… nearly avoiding a serious crash into the side of my car. As he veered around me, he shot me a look like “What the hell?!”, and my blood started to boil. You see, as I mentioned – I was at a FOUR WAY STOP. This cyclist did not even slow down, much less stop. There seems to be a certain element of the cycling community who believe they are above the laws of the road – though God forbid a car ever tried to drive the way they do! They don’t stop at red lights or stop signs…they ride three feet out from the curb on the roads, or up on the sidewalks – often the wrong way down a one-way street (in the middle of the street, even when there are cars coming)…wanting to be considered vehicles, pedestrians or bike riders, depending on what suits them best at the time. But this rule breaking is not what really gets under my skin. It is the aforementioned arrogance they display when you have a near miss with them, even when it is their fault! The disdain they have for drivers is palpable, so much so that they seem to think they are innately innocent of any wrongdoing, simply because they are on two wheels instead of four.

I am not expecting to see bikes coming to a full stop at every stop sign…but if you zoom through an intersection and have a near miss (or worse) – don’t blame the driver! You should be the one flashing the car an “I’m sorry! My fault!” wave, not cursing them for being in your way…

There are definitely as many idiots on four wheels as there are on two (which is one of the main reasons I switched to a car as my main method of transportation once I had kids)… but that doesn’t excuse the irresponsible bikers.

So please…don’t assume everyone driving a car is an asshole who ‘doesn’t get it’ about biking as transportation…and either respect the rules of the road, or TAKE THE TTC!