Cycling in Waterloo Region

[danbrotherston]

All that I am saying is that with local homelessness, child poverty, opioid and other drug problems not to mention high rates of suicide; freaking out about a delivery van stopped briefly blocking a bike lane and sidewalk seams pretty trivial to me.

You can care about or focus on those issues if you like.  I agree they're important, but please don't trivialize the issues I feel are important.  I respect your right to feel more strongly, or act for the issues you care about, please grant me the same.

I'll also take a moment to tell you why I feel so strongly about cycling and active transportation:

1.  Climate change: Transportation is > 50% of our carbon emissions.  Enabling active transportation is essential to reducing them.
2.  Equality:  Cars are expensive, building a city where it is possible and safe to walk and bike, and a city which has effective public transit gives more equal access to transportation (something of great economic value) than one where you must own a car to effectively get around.
3.  Personal:  I bike, my loved ones bike, I'd very much like for us to be safe when doing so.

I realize that not everyone will agree with or prioritize cycling the same, and that's fine, but it really bugs me when people argue that I shouldn't care about the issues I care about--and that's how I perceived your response.  Like I said, if you feel there are more effective ways to advocate for the issues I care about, let me know, but it feels to me like you're arguing I'm caring about the wrong things.