Where's Waldo?

Just like the previous election campaign and the four years in between, Dalton McGuinty has not made an appearance in the Brant riding during the current campaign. In fact, I don't think he has ever been here. It's like we don't even exist. But of course, if he were to make a public appearance here, he might have to explain the handling of native protesters in Caledonia, tell what his opinion is on the ownership of disputed lands or ,heaven forbid, be confronted by native protesters as many of us have been.

Dave Levac might be a decent guy, but I can't understand why anyone in this riding would ever cast a vote for a provincial Liberal given the way we have been ignored. But then I can't figure out why anyone in Ontario would vote for McGuinty given his record of promising not to raise taxes during an election campaign and then after being elected doing just that. Twice. And it will happen again. Just ask Mr. Levac about that carbon tax that he had the nerve to tell us was coming before he was forced by McGuinty to reverse himself.

If you do vote Liberal, enjoy the much higher electricity prices that we will get, the windmills that will appear near your home, and the skyrocketing taxes and greatly increased provincial debt. I know I won't.

Bicycle Madness

It seems that in Brantford, bicycles are not required to follow any of the rules of the road. They are ridden on the wrong side of the road, on sidewalks, without lights at night, and never stopping at a stop sign.

On one of my infrequent trips downtown recently, I was almost hit by a bike as I exited a store. A male and female were riding their bikes side by side at a good clip on the sidewalk and I was just able to stop in time as was the cyclist. I said to him that he was not supposed to be on the sidewalk and he replied that I was not looking. Of course, it was my fault. I ignored that safety rule: "Stop and look both ways before crossing the sidewalk". And then yield to bicycles. Being the hero that he is he called back a few choice names as he sped off, still on the sidewalk. The mayor touts the advantages of downtown and how safe it is but I didn't see a policeman in sight or anyone trying to enforce traffic laws. Those laws don't seem to apply to bicycles in Brantford and are about as useless as the no shark fin bylaw. I doubt that I will be in the downtown again any time soon.

The City has spent a great deal of money lately at intersections doing away with curbs to help the handicapped, but what this has really done is make it so much more convenient for bicycles to barrel through crosswalks without even slowing down.

Also earlier this summer at a four-way stop, after stopping, I started to go when an approaching bicycle didn't stop and almost collided with my car. When I pointed out that he was required to stop the same as anyone else, he replied that he would kick my car, which he did and then sped off, crossing the road and going on the sidewalk. How mature! Kicking an old man's car then scurrying away. In both incidents the rider was in his twenties. And I'm not the only one that I have heard about who has had their car kick by a cyclist.

Probably the worse thing is the number of bikes that I encounter at night without lights. Do cyclist not realize how difficult an unlit bicycle is to see until the car is almost on top of them? If a collision was to occur, the one going to the hospital would not be the car driver. Dalton McGuinty seems to like to play nanny, maybe its time that he passed a law that all bicycle sold in Ontario must be equipped with a light. But then, like lots of smoke detectors, most would probably end up battery less.

There has been criticism lately about the new electric bike, but maybe it's because there are so few around so far but those that I have seen were all being driven on the road and were obeying traffic rules. And they do have lights.

Maybe it's time that the police started to enforce the traffic laws on regular bicycles. It might just save a life, or two.