I want to wish everyone a merry Christmas and again thank you all for taking the time to read and share my petition.

let’s talk about why bike lanes  were put in on hermitage Road. Apparently, we had (my numbers may be off as I’m going from memory) approximately 128 accidents. Majority from turning left on 50 th street in the double turning lanes and parked cars getting hit. We have had very few pedestrians accidents leading to injuries no deaths. So, the city of Edmonton decided to put bike lanes in an area that no one really cycles. by doing this. They have moved parked vehicles closer to vehicles driving down Hermitage Road. Today I saw this vehicle was hit on Hermitage Road. I had an opportunity to speak with the owner. I asked her if she thought if she was closer to the curb if this would’ve happened. She said “it has happened!”

This is not the first vehicle she has had damaged by moving vehicles hitting her parked car. Apparently, last night at 4:30 AM a gentleman travelling in a civic was driving approximately 100 km down Hermitage Road when it struck her vehicle, causing it to hit her husband’s vehicle which was parked in front of her. 

So I guess my question is why? why are we parking cars closer to moving vehicles? obviously there is a serious problem with impaired drivers,  tired drivers and inexperienced drivers in our community. Yet you rarely see a police presence on this road. we do not need bike lanes that are causing traffic congestion. causing road rage. causing vehicles to get hit simply because they’re too close to moving vehicles. 
But I think one of the most serious concerns I have is watching seniors trying to get to their cars. People are getting hurt. Why are they not shovelling paths  between the bike lane and people’s vehicles why are people having to try and step over these one and a half to 2 feet high snow windrows that are just as wide trying to get to their car. Winter just started and people are having issues getting from their homes to their vehicles. it’s obvious if you’re disabled you cannot park on Hermitage Road. This are is no longer  disabled or senior friendly. 

we had an ambulance going down Hermitage Road the other day. There is nowhere for vehicles to move over to let the ambulance pass by. Someone sent me a post an individual remarked ” the guy is gonna be dead before the ambulance can get to them”. We were of course reassured  this would not be an issue that emergency vehicles could get to their destination, but of course we know different. 

If all else fails, I hope my petition at least educate some people on what’s happening in areas that have bike lanes. and well they maybe this is good idea if it’s closer to core areas and I have to admit I do enjoy riding in them with my bike but I would give it all up to ensure that the seniors in the disabled in this community are safer and that people’s vehicles don’t get hit. We need the police in our area. We don’t need more restrictive movements for our community. 

please continue to share this petition and if you see anybody who lives in this area, please ask them to sign it. the majority of the signatures are from people in this area, but it would be nice to get a few more as we’re obviously not getting city of Edmonton council’s attention. at this point I have no idea what it will take to get people to listen to us other than someone dying and that’s ridiculous.