‘Why are you shouting?’ Internet reacts to Vancouver City Councillor’s bike lane tweet
It’s hard to tell if it’s the exact response Vancouver City Councillor Melissa De Genova was going for, but it was a response nonetheless.
On Tuesday evening, in advance of an expected decision this week by the City on whether or not to install a bike lane on the Cambie Street Bridge, De Genova invited people to share their input on the plan in a predominantly all-caps tweet.
How do you feel about LOSING A LANE FOR CARS on the CAMBIE STREET BRIDGE for a BIKE LANE? Sign up by 9:30am tomorrow morning to speak to Council. Follow link below and choose “Cambie Bridge Interim Active Transportation Improvements” #vanpoli https://t.co/X4TIWkRCeM
— Melissa De Genova (@MelissaDeGenova) January 17, 2018
And while it appeared to some that the tone of De Genova’s tweet revealed what side of the argument she was on, response to the tweet held a slightly different tune, with many respondents voicing their support of the plan.
HOW’S YOUR ROAD SALT AUDIT COMING ALONG?
— Matt Lorenzi (@stickers66) January 17, 2018
Why are you shouting? Also, I think a lane dedicated for active transportation is an excellent idea, although I confess I mostly still drive. I’m trying to improve that and this lane may help.
— Patti Bacchus (@pattibacchus) January 17, 2018
Losing a lane for cars on the Cambie Street Bridge? As a car owner, transit user, and fair-weather cyclist, I feel that it’s a smart move in the right direction.
— Robyn Hanson (@BCRobyn) January 17, 2018
I FEEL GREAT ABOUT IT, SO GLAD YOU ASKED/SHOUTED.
— Scott M. (@apukwa) January 17, 2018
HEY MELISSA, BIKE LANES ARE GOOD
— 2018 Derek Bolen (@hurrrdurrr) January 17, 2018
Yep me too. Cambie Bridge has way more capacity than it needs. Bottlenecks are at the lights at either end of the bridge, not on the bridge itself. A better bike lane is the right use here.
— Richard Wittstock (@rwittstock) January 17, 2018
I think its a great idea. Might I suggest the next step be a better protected cycling connection up Smithe to the Hornby track?
— Patrick Johnstone (@PJNewWest) January 17, 2018
JUST A REMINDER THAT THERE ARE CURRENTLY FIVE LANES ON THAT BRIDGE FOR CARS AND CYCLISTS SHARE THE SIDEWALK. SEPARATED BIKE LANES SAVE LIVES. THANKS FOR VOTING FOR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.
— Amy Severson (@duckdeux) January 17, 2018
I think a bike lane on Cambie would be a great idea, and expect the success will mirror the success of all the other bikes lanes people initially complained about.
— Chris Mallinson (@cmall) January 17, 2018
You are tilting at windmills. Bike lanes are good.
— Fernando Medrano 🙈 (@wisemonkeysblog) January 17, 2018
🚴♂️🚴♀️👍Brilliant idea, @MelissaDeGenova ! I bike across the bridge all the time. I always do it in the road w cars and trucks zooming by way too close. I don’t want to ride on sidewalks where people walking. So, yup, bring it on! Thanks for asking!
— Rabbi David Mivasair (@Mivasair) January 17, 2018
I’m good with it.
Thanks for asking.
Glad you support it too @MelissaDeGenova
— 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹 (@cambel) January 17, 2018
Sounds great. Can it happen across the entire city?
— Antoni Oko 🔰 (@_basic_research) January 17, 2018
Well that BACKFIRED SPECTACULARLY. #vanpoli https://t.co/L5hSOszboB
— Kai Nagata (@kainagata) January 17, 2018
The bike lane would be found on the southbound side of the Cambie Street Bridge and would involve the conversion of one of the lanes into a dedicated protected bike lane with “removable” barriers on a “temporary” basis as part of a pilot project.
This would reduce the number of vehicle lanes on most of the six-lane bridge span to five.
On the north end of the Cambie Bridge, at the downtown side, the eastbound protected bike lane on Nelson Street would be extended to the new protected bike lane on the bridge.
There would also be a connection between the protected bike lanes on Nelson Street and Beatty Street to the bridge’s new protected bike lanes.