Cyclists accuse Toronto mayor Ford of 'war on bikes' (BBC)
By Jason Margolis
PRI's The World
Toronto's tough-talking mayor has never hidden his disdain for cyclists. Now they are accusing him of trumping up a war on two-wheeled commuters. Bike lanes have been removed but are the city's streets any more dangerous to ride?
Rob Ford cruised to victory as city mayor a year-and-a-half ago pledging to end what he dubbed "the war on the car". He argued that bike lanes were taking away space for cars.
"And what I compare bike lanes to is swimming with the sharks. Sooner or later you're going to get bitten," said Ford speaking in 2010 as a Toronto city council-member.
"And every year we have dozens of people that get hit by cars or trucks. Well, no wonder: roads are built for buses, cars, and trucks, not for people on bikes.
"My heart bleeds for them when I hear someone gets killed, but it's their own fault at the end of the day."
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more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17914504
ETA:"Fifteen years ago, Bicycling Magazine named Toronto North America's best city for cycling. Now, Toronto is the bike collision capital of Canada, with more accidents per capita than any other major Canadian city."
= new reply since forum marked as read
maybe the gigantic fat ass should get some exercise on the bicycle himself.
I hope the bastard dies of choked arteries and major heart attack.
"Boorish behavior is nothing new. In 2006 security removed a drunk and belligerent Ford from a Maple Leafs game after he yelled insults at an out-of-town couple. When the man asked Ford to be quiet, Ford responded with “Who the fuck do you think you are? Are you a fucking teacher?” He next targeted the man's wife with “Do you want your little wife to go over to Iran and get raped and shot?” Ford later apologized."
"Talking about respect. A Toronto woman named Ottilie Mason was driving with her 6 year old kid when she spotted a van with "ROB FORD" on the customized plate. The mayor was nattering away on his cell phone. When Ms Mason rolled down her window to ask him to get off the phone, Ford flipped her the bird. Not a casual finger... a very deliberate finger. Check out this video to hear it in Ottilie Mason's own words."
"The problem is more basic. There is a crisis in leadership because the Toronto mayor's office is host to an overgrown ten year-old. Rather than acknowledge his critics with a degree of maturity, Ford dismisses them as "lefties"... snubs them, cuts out, sulks and resorts to put downs."
Frpm:
http://www.drivebyplanet.com/2012/03/rob-ford-torontos-notorious-big-loses.html
