06-22-2015, 03:44 PM
Mississauga is poised to allow cyclists on suburban sidewalks. It makes sense in areas where not many people travel on foot. It really doesn't make any sense in dense urban areas where there is congestion even just some of the time on the sidewalk. In those areas, too, motorized traffic isn't traveling much faster than cyclists can, and so it's not as dangerous as trying to bicycle in mixed traffic on a stroad where cars may be passing you at eighty kilometres per hour.
Notwithstanding the fact that this author seems to be an avid cyclist, usually people who say "cyclists, get on the sidewalk" are principally motorists whose priorities are to get the street cleared for them rather than have to pay any attention to more vulnerable users. And they obviously could not care less about the people on foot who will be endangered and inconvenienced if their five feet of the right-of-way is expected to accommodate bicycles as well.
Notwithstanding the fact that this author seems to be an avid cyclist, usually people who say "cyclists, get on the sidewalk" are principally motorists whose priorities are to get the street cleared for them rather than have to pay any attention to more vulnerable users. And they obviously could not care less about the people on foot who will be endangered and inconvenienced if their five feet of the right-of-way is expected to accommodate bicycles as well.