The taxi executive says drivers in Ontario are a much bigger problem than bike lanes

Government of Ontario introduced controversial legislation in October, if passed, would require municipalities to get provincial approval before installing new bike lanes, which would eliminate traffic lanes.

As part of the legislation, cities like Toronto would have to show that proposed bike lanes will not negatively impact vehicular traffic. The legislation was quickly criticized by cycling advocacy groups and activists in the province, who argued the new rules would harm vulnerable road users.

An Ontario taxi executive says bike lanes aren’t the problem, but “selfish” drivers who “think their time is more valuable than others” and continue to put others at risk of injury.

Wednesday, operations manager at Beck Taxi, Kristine Hubbardresponded to a set of photos shared by MPP for University-Rosedale Jessica Bell of Rally & Ride for Road Safety.

In the tweet, Hubbard argued that cars and drivers are the main obstacle when it comes to keeping roads safe and traffic flowing, not bike lanes.

Cars and drivers are the problem. I drive by bike lanes every day and am very grateful for them. Number of bad, selfish drivers? That’s the problem. Driving skills decreased, private vehicles receive orders for people and food. https://t.co/OLNKW6QCIZ

— Kristine Hubbard (@KristineHubbard) October 24, 2024

“I work in an industry that is part of the Toronto road ecosystem. Everyone must have their place, especially the most vulnerable road users. This is just common sense – it’s safer when everyone knows where everyone else is and/or should be. Hubbard told blogTO.

The taxi executive says a number of other factors are actually creating traffic, including the province’s approval of a hybrid insurance product that has reduced blanket coverage designed to protect the public, making it easier for anyone to “get in a car to try to do. money in a commercial vehicle” that does not come with commercial insurance costs.

Hubbard also notes that the City of Toronto ignored its own commissioned report that indicated the city had enough passenger vehicles to maintain an adequate balance between service, supply and driver income.

This, Hubbard claims, invited more than “100,000 vehicles to cross our streets, empty half the time” and diverted people from the TTC to single-occupant vehicles.

In addition, the taxi director says the city has removed important requirements such as driver training and vehicle inspections specific to passenger vehicles, which has exacerbated the safety issues associated with flooded streets.

“Qualified drivers are a thing of the past thanks to the lowering of what is required to obtain a driver’s license and/or license and insurance to use your car for commercial purposes,” Hubbard told blogTO.

“How do you allow our streets to be flooded with drivers who make little money, encouraging them to make risky driving choices, preventing them from being able to maintain their vehicles, creating congestion and pollution and blaming the bike lanes/cyclists ?”

The taxi driver says he drives daily along the Eglinton LRT route from Bathurst to just east of the Don Valley Parkway and constantly witnesses drivers running through stop signs and racing against lights.

“Drivers will stop and block a single lane unexpectedly or park in cycle lanes. They may stop at stop signs, but only for the sake of stopping, often ignoring the person hoping to cross without being run over. Drivers’ close calls. which I testify is astounding,” Hubbard said.

“What happens when cyclists don’t have a lane? They’ll be on the pavement or in traffic. Furthermore, people will assume that these routes will have less traffic, encouraging more cars to use them, and we’ll all be stuck. yet, but cyclists and pedestrians will be at even greater risk of injury,” she continued.

“The most vulnerable people are so often the most adversely affected by policy at every level of government.”