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I’ve never really understood just what it is that makes riding a bicycle so special. Sure, riding a bike is good exercise and an inexpensive way to get around, but that’s all it is. Cycling’s contribution to our transportation needs is minimal, as is its contribution to improving the environment.

And yet, when they climb on a bike, some cyclists believe they are on a planet-saving moral journey that entitles them to demand special bike lanes and as much government spending as they can get. In addition, they claim a right to ride on sidewalks as required and to ignore the laws that apply to bicycles. All while complaining about drivers and claiming that cyclists are subsidizing motorists.

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The city government encourages this line of thinking by pretending that cycling is a vital part of our transportation network, at least until it comes time to spend money on it. According to the city’s transportation master plan, cycling makes up about 2.7 per cent of the morning commute and two per cent over the whole day. As a means of practical transportation, it is close to irrelevant.