Re the letter ‘City should end fight with visually impaired over bus stops’ (Dec. 10). The myth that people with disabilities don’t use bike+ lanes needs to be debunked.
People with disabilities are discriminated against when bike lanes are shared with transit buses, or otherwise fall short of all ages and abilities (AAA) standards. Seniors and people with disabilities now ride electric bicycles, adult trikes, and mobility scooters on the protected bike+ lanes. No doubt, some have impaired vision.
The B.C. Motor Vehicle Act was recently amended to incorporate power wheelchairs and mobility scooters on bike+ routes, the city and province just need to agree on a pilot project.
The way forward is to teach people who ride bicycles to stop for people at crosswalks, not to make bike+ lanes unsafe. Giving every child cycling safety lessons in school is the obvious starting point, the kids might even convince parents to stop their cars for people at crosswalks.
Eric Doherty
Victoria
