All bikes matter

I love riding my e-bike.

The rule, in my Niagara Falls life, is if it is a 2-minute or less car drive, and a nice day, I pedal.

Twice a week I drive to Williamsville for work. It takes about 40 minutes. I don’t mind it but it is irritating.

If you live in Western New York, almost everything is a 20-minute drive. I used to think that was acceptable.

After all, I have driven to Toronto, and been irritated by traffic on the 405. I have visited Los Angeles and driven in chaos.

Heck, I even hate getting caught in traffic for the Grand Island bridges. I hate wasting 10 minutes more of my life than needed on car culture.

That’s the thing. Tuesday, I left Williamsville to head home to the Niagara Falls Beautification Commission at 5:30 p.m. at the Main Street library in Niagara Falls Tuesday.

I got home at 5 p.m., petted the dog, refilled my water bottle and headed to the library on my bike.

Increasingly, e-assist bikes are everywhere. Mine is Class 1. Pedal or it does not go and the max speed is 19 mph.

Class 2 and 3 go faster. You can drive them throttle only, making them essentially a low-speed motorcycle.

Yolanda Yvette Carr was a homicide victim two weeks ago at Niagara Avenue and 22nd St. She was riding home from work. Her killer has still not been found.

Two weeks ago, Councilperson Brian Archie led a bike ride and memorial which started at the site of the murder and also included a visit to the home of Mayor Robert Restaino.

I did part of the ride but missed the visit to the Mayor’s home. He talked, however, about how the police need to be more active in ticketing cars as well as e-assist cyclists.

There is a certain air of blame and I don’t like it. Yolanda was trying to get home from work. Many people riding bikes are doing so because cars are more expensive. They deserve praise for working, not blame for riding.

We need to raise awareness for motoriists and design bike-friendly streets. Now I am headed through DeVeaux Woods to pick some flowers and grab a treat from DiCammilo's.