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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/34101338
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-calgary-bike-lanes-1.7599932
I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but does anyone else think something is odd..?
this post was submitted on 07 Aug 2025
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No bike lanes "impede traffic". They separate the bikes from the cars so that bikes don't have to impede traffic.
The most generous interpretation is that this is incompetence and idiocy. Not an excuse when they can educate themselves.
More likely, this is a war of culture. Or someone is looking to get useless paycheques for construction buddies.
It's known (at least in Toronto) that this WILL hurt and kill cyclists. Some sick fucks will be happy about that.
I think most people are just so shallow that all they see is mostly empty pavement reserved for bikes, and the only thing they can think of is taking it for themselves. They are stuck in traffic looking at perfectly good pavement, so the bike lane is "impeding" traffic because there could be a third lane right there (which of course is proven to not even help anyway, but they'll clench to it, more lanes better)
A much younger me thought that way, especially my first drive to Montréal, it is a nightmare. But I also fell in love with all the stuff to do everywhere and moved there and forever changed my perspective. I've used the bike lanes much more than I've ever driven in the city, as most of my friends also did. My car got driven so little I had to jumpstart it every time I used it. I just rollerbladed everywhere I wanted to go to.
That's the thing outsiders just can't get in their minds: most of the locals in there don't actually drive or drives very little or for specific purposes like groceries and work. The restaurant, you walk or metro to, you don't even have to worry about holding back on the dinner wine. Even if you have a 45 minutes bus ride, just watch a YouTube video or something, much more enjoyable than dealing with traffic. I usually check my emails and respond to people and pay bills and other things like that.
I'm a very patient driver now. I'm stuck in traffic because I chose to drive, and I know I'll be stuck in traffic so I leave plenty of buffer time and listen to a nice podcast as I waive pedestrians through. Life's too short to be pissed off that bikers are going faster than you.
My sportscar(it’s a BRZ, not fancy) is parked all week and is only time I drive it is once a week to make sure that it doesn’t rust away. The metro does everything else for me and it’s amazing. I don’t own a bike, just a Bixi pass and a helmet. I can walk so many places. If I get caught out late the 350 will take me almost to my front door. I’m even considering getting setup for CommunAuto because my car is smol.
I had to get from Verdun to Hôpital Sacré Cœur for 6:30pm and at the last second I said fuck Décarie and took the metro and a bus and got their faster than if I had taken the car and in much better spirits. Public transit is badass and while I still don’t want to give up my car it’s because it’s a hobby kinda thing and I do not understand people who don’t even really actually care about cares fighting so hard for something that is so bad in a practical sense.
Don't forget spite.