Cyclists do not belong on sidewalks, period

Re Make room for sidewalk cyclists, Aug. 4 Writer Brian Dexter says cyclists should be allowed on sidewalks because that would be safer for them. What about the pedestrians for whom the sidewalks were built? Would they be safer, too?

I make it a rule to walk in a straight line on a downtown sidewalk since I’m often passed by cyclists coming up silently behind me and pedalling by — on either side. If I were to take a step sideways for any reason, I’d be seriously injured by these thoughtless fools.

A year ago, when I was about to exit a drugstore, which had sliding front doors, a cyclist illegally sped by me about a foot away from the building. Had I been a second or two earlier, I would have been injured, if not killed. And there was a brand new barricaded bike lane at the edge of the curb. Ross Gentleman, Toronto