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Like them or not, bike lanes make riding safer

I have been riding a bike for more than 60 years in this city. The only time I do not ride my bike, is when it is -5 C, then it is too cold for even me. And still manage an average of 500 kilometres a month.

There sure are a lot of folks in our city whining and moaning about the wonderful new bike lanes and upgrading of essential civil and structural infrastructure of the city. Water, sewer systems, sidewalks and bike lanes that benefit everyone living here.

Anything that impedes their progress whilst still in their precious vehicle or is in direct competition for road space is immediately condemned and considered another Lisa Helps disaster.

Thanks, Lisa, the bikes lanes are fantastic.

I do not go on a ride anywhere in Greater Victoria without using the dedicated bike lanes that are available. I ride some portion of the Galloping Goose, or the Lochside Trail, every day.

I do not even mind riding through downtown now, an area I had avoided for some time. Bike lanes make it much safer for everyone concerned.

We all know exactly where we belong. And if everyone, cyclists and motorists, follow the law of the land, I’m pretty sure we can get along.

I can hardly wait for the wailing and gnashing of teeth when Shelbourne Street between Cedar Hill and Hillside gets fully launched.

Jay Bowles

Old cyclist

Esquimalt

Local councils should set better priorities

Much discussion and angst have resulted from the latest announcement of additional bike lane projects.

It is clear many councils are not ­prepared to expand and improve funding for our police services, citing affordability. Given the clear and substantial increase in crime, especially violent, destructive and material, this is an anathema to me.

From my experience with private business, the budgeting process must sacrifice less essential (and often vanity) projects in return for maintaining an essential element of the business.

Downtown Victoria is slowly dying, businesses are suffering and many of us no longer choose to spend our time nor money there as a result.

The cost of bike lanes, hard concrete barriers, poles, new intersections and traffic lights needs to be made public.

And what is the cost of the latest ill-advised scheme to change the speed limits around the region?

I remain concerned that so much time, effort and money is spent on projects that do not benefit the majority of users and commuters in the region.

Want to reduce carbon footprint? Make public transport more available and accessible rather than strangling our streets and adding dangerous concrete dividers. If the intention of these concrete blocks is to make cyclists feel safe, well note they now make me feel less safe as a driver.

Want to reduce crossing accidents? Add crosswalk lighting before somebody gets hurt. (Saanich, I’m looking at you specifically: The two crossings on Mount Douglas Parkway are begging for this.)

Finally, I’d like to point out that bike lanes and speed reduction was never a mandate nor election issue. Focus upon the declining social conditions, housing and safety and leave these unessential projects for another day.

Chris Drake

Victoria

Bike lanes are needed to serve more people

I have ridden bikes in Victoria for 30 years. During the past five years, I have used nothing but an e-bike. Since the bike lane was designated, I have had no problems with Fort Street.

May I suggest that this probably million-dollar change is part of a plan to accommodate the anticipated increase in population and city planners’ idea to upgrade Victoria to be like Vancouver?

Do not paint a false picture. Do not pretend this waste of money is for cyclists. It is for changing our once beautiful and quaint downtown Victoria into part of the megalopolis.

Or as we long-time residents of Victoria refer to the new plans: VICCOUVER.

Earleen Roumagoux

Victoria

Make downtown Victoria brighter and cheerful

It is evident to anyone who walks downtown Victoria that the area is in desperate need of cheering up.

Since nothing is better for businesses in the area than plenty of foot traffic, may I suggest remedies that might encourage people to visit once and often.

Invest in a few pressure washers and people to use them on filthy, filthy sidewalks, concrete and masonry.

The result will astound and brighten our days.

Soap and water and paint on storefronts, many of which have become dark and uninviting.

Even the waste receptacles on the sidewalks need either replacement or paint.

As for stores awaiting new tenants or buildings soon to be demolished, plywood and talented muralists would go a long way toward creating interest and cheering passersby.

Jeff Bray of the Downtown Victoria Business Association could do more than talk to business people downtown. I would be happy to join him on a walk so that he might see downtown through a shopper’s eyes.

Grant money is available. I would like to see it spent so that it will lift up downtown in lasting ways and raise the spirits of those who visit.

Joy Robinson

Victoria

We worry about whales, and we welcome ships

I shook my head at the irony of two articles in the Islander in Sunday’s sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½.

One article outlines the demise of the southern whales compared with the northern whales along our coast. Near the end of the article: “… Tennessen said the latest study provides more evidence that reducing surface disturbances from boats is key to helping females recover their ability to hunt. And that, she said, is critical for population recovery.”

I turned the page and what hits me smack in the face is a full-page photograph of a cruise ship next to the full page list of 2023 cruise ships scheduled to visit our waters.

What are we doing?

Patty Johnston

Fairfield

Recounting a close encounter with an orca

After reading the article in the Islander and squirming every time the writer described an orca as killer, I’m reminded of a friend’s scuba dive off of Port McNeill.

He was in 20 metres of water and saw a seal scuttle past him quickly.

He thought nothing of it, until a glint of white entered the side view of his goggles.

He turned to look and coming right at him was a very, very big orca. The orca had him dead to rights. Instead, it swam to within a metre of my friend.

They looked at each other, then the orca swam slowly beneath him and with a couple of flicks of its tail was gone, undoubtedly after the seal.

My friend told me of his encounter a couple of days later and he was still enraptured by the experience.

Lets erase killer from every text, obelisk, pamphlet and mind and give the orcas their due respect.

Steve Hoffman

Victoria

Get tough with coyotes or face more problems

Apparently, the Vancouver Parks Board has seen fit to tell the public to get along with the Stanley Park coyote population.

Saskatchewan has just brought in a bounty of $50 a pair of paws to get rid of the overpopulation that is hunting farm animals of any size that the pack can sink its teeth into.

In five years the Stanley Park coyote population will be large enough to be very dangerous to other wildlife in the park including small children if left unguarded.

I think the parks board should rethink the issue.

Colin Cameron

James Bay

Let’s bring in doctors, forget about the deer

The chances of a successful outcome to Parks sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½’s plan to eradicate the ­fallow deer on Sidney Island are unclear.

But there is a $6-million cost to the taxpayer. Further, those of us who have property on Sidney Island would be surprised to hear there are 500 fallow deer on the Island.

Since there has been no scientific count and since we hardly ever see these animals that number might be a significant exaggeration.

Rather than waste $6 million on an experiment I would rather Parks sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ funded some family doctors for Victorians.

Robin Bassett

Sidney Island

Those tents on streets aren’t full of saints

While we criticize the police and bylaw officers for sweeping the streets of tents, let us not forget that the unhoused who set them up are not all saints who have just fallen on hard times.

Many of them made bad decisions and did bad things to get where they ended up. They are the ones stealing the bikes.

They are the ones smashing store windows.

They are the ones breaking into cars. They are the ones using the streets as toilets.

They are the ones shooting drugs in front of children. They are the ones threatening public safety.

They all need help. They all need to get off drugs. They all need a home. They all need jobs. They all need respect.

They all need to rejoin society before it gets any worse.

C. Scott Stofer

Victoria

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