Dear future winner of the Tour de France in 2026,<\/p>\n
First, let me congratulate you on your bike handling expertise, tactical racing intelligence, climbing technique, mental resilience and time trial proficiency, all of which were on full display this morning in the Dundas Street bike lane in Toronto. <\/p>\n
Well, not quite \u201cin\u201d the Dundas \u2013 do we still call it \u201cDundas\u201d or has city council finally changed it to \u201cLord Fentanyl Avenue\u201d \u2013 bike lane, as you spent most of your time popping in and out as you passed one slower cyclist after another.<\/p>\n
Tour de France winners all have nicknames. Belgian Eddy Merckx, who dominated the 1970s, was \u201cThe Cannibal.\u201d Spanish star Miguel Indurain, who won five consecutively in the 1990s, was \u201cBig Mig.\u201d Italian legend of the 1940s and 50s Fausto Coppi was \u201cIl Campionissimo.\u201d<\/p>\n
I guess if I had to give you a nickname, it would be \u201cThe King of Pop\u201d because all you do is pop in and out of the bike lane and into traffic with dangerous manoeuvres to \u201cbest\u201d normal, well-adjusted people trying to commute to work.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re not the first lane-popping cyclist I\u2019ve encountered. Just the most aggressive. I\u2019ve decried the phenomenon<\/a>. Poppers vault out of the bike lane to pass a slower rider. From what I\u2019ve witnessed, they usually don\u2019t signal to either vehicles or to the cyclist being passed. <\/p>\n Legally, drivers need to give at least one metre of distance between their vehicles and cyclists. How is a driver supposed to do that when a cyclist pops out of the bike lane right next to them? Today, you left me (and all the other drivers you popped next to) around a foot of space. How is this safe? <\/p>\n Why do you feel compelled to use the bike lane as if it was a racing lane? You realize that no one is impressed. right? <\/p>\n Look, if you want to occupy the \u201ccar lane\u201d then occupy it. Place yourself in the centre. You have that right and that is the safe thing to do, you are visible there and drivers can give you the appropriate amount of space. Popping next to automobiles travelling at speed reduces not only the distance but the amount of reaction time available to the driver. That\u2019s how tragedies happen. I know it\u2019s important for you to pass the guy in front of you but is it worth the risk?<\/p>\n I\u2019m not absolving drivers of their responsibility to look out for cyclists. This is absolute. I am keenly aware of the risks and I religiously give space and priority to cyclists. I lost a friend who was a diehard cyclist to an 18-wheeler<\/a>. I know what\u2019s at stake.<\/p>\n You and I both know that drivers can be terrible. They speed, drink and drive, are distracted by their mobile devices or by the coffee they are drinking. Do you really want to add to that? <\/p>\n