GuelphToday received the following Letter to the Editor from reader Paul Doughty in regards to bicycle infrastructure:
While I understand the difficulties involved in obtaining a solution that satisfies everyone, I believe separating Auto’s and bikes is the prime objective. I have witnessed atrocious behaviour by both cyclists and motorists alike. I have seen “ road rage” from both parties and witnessed near horrific cycling.
Highway behaviour can be alleviated by education and certainly by licensing all road users, that includes motorists, cyclists and scooter and ebikes.
At the moment there is only one group that is licensed and therefore able to be held accountable. Without accountability bad habits and behaviour will only will only get worse. So cyclists,ebikes and such should be separated by establishing routes throughout the city that keep them from interacting with motorists that maybe not attentive to other users than themselves. Right now non motorists are seldom held accountable for their behaviour and that is due to their anonymity.
I had a situation before my own eyes when a cyclist went through a red light at College and Edinburgh at a speed that must have 60-70kph. He was lucky to not be killed and traumatize all the motorists at that intersection. He had no identification and certainly did not stop to answer for his actions!
If this route was not available to him then the incident would not have happened. I witnessed a four wheel electric scooter hit a pothole on Speedvale outside the Firehall and fortunately the following motorist was able stop and help this person regain his scooter and carry on. Both these incidents are real proof that these non motorist modes of travel should not be on the Main streets of Guelph. Motorists have laws and accountability so once again licensing and education would go a long way to safer highways.
Paul Doughty,
Guelph, Ont.
