The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, June 11, 2014 | 6 With summer fast approaching, many residents are switching to bicycles to get from point A to point B. Yes, the season of the cyclist is upon us and with it comes the need for cyclists and motorists to both demonstrate a respect for the rules of the road -- and each other. Too often in recent years, these two users of our roadways have crossed paths with serious, sometimes fatal, consequences. And we all know that when motorists and cyclists collide, it is the cyclist who almost always loses -- while the motorist may face legal consequences. Although motorists may nd the slower moving cyclist frustrating and distracting, the reality is that bicycles are vehicles under the Highway Traf c Act and therefore have the same privileges of using the road and are subject to the same traf c laws that govern cars, trucks and motorcycles. In addition to the action on the road, there are other safety issues to watch for, too. Drivers or passengers opening their car doors in the path of cyclists for instance, contributes to one of the most frequent car-bike collisions, often resulting in serious injury to cyclists. The Town of Oakville, in partnership with CAA, launched the Watch for Bikes program this season to encourage the community to be aware of their surroundings when using roadways. It's handing out Watch for Bikes decals and encouraging residents to help spread the word by picking up the sticker that can be placed on car side mirrors at the Town of Oakville community centres, Town Hall, the Oakville Public Library Central branch and at the Oakville CAA Store at 360 Dundas St. E. (at Trafalgar Road). Oakville is the rst municipality in south-central Ontario to carry the Watch for Bikes decal on the side mirrors of all of our non-emergency vehicles, said Mayor Rob Burton. These decals are a great reminder to watch out for each other and the importance of being alert and aware while driving, said the mayor. The decal comes with information on the program and tips on how to share the road. "Car-bike collisions can easily be avoided with a little care," said Caroline Grech, CAA government relations specialist. "Partnering with the Town of Oakville on this initiative is a great way to get the message across the community." The move was not lost on avid cyclist and Ward 2 Councillor Pam Damoff. "It was almost a year ago that I got doored on Ontario Street and it was something that I was shaken up (from), but it can be a serious, sometimes fatal accident," she said. "The province recognizes how serious it is because they're looking at increasing the nes to $1,000 and three demerit points for dooring. "It's something that will improve safety for cyclists and sends a message to drivers and cyclists to share the road safely," she said. Don't forget, share the road. It's for everyone. Letters to the Editor Share the road... and Watch for Bikes Think of the consequences of voting Hudak Re: It's time for a change, Oakville Beaver, Wednesday, June 4, 2014 In your editorial on June 4, you state "although Hudak's campaign promise of one million jobs is founded on some fundamental mathematical miscalculations, we believe it remains the most detailed plan to return Ontario to its have Editorial "Connected to your Community" 447 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 52 | Number 69 provincial status." Do we really want a Premier who has forgotten his two (multiplication) times table? Or one who pledges to remove 100,000 public sector jobs? Think of the consequences. M.M. Murray, Oakville The Oakville Beaver is a division of Gas plant was a grave threat to Oakville Re: It's time for a change, Oakville Beaver, Wednesday, June 4, 2014 I was dismayed to read your editorial endorsing the Progressive Conservative party for the upcoming election. You seem to have forgotten what a grave threat the now-cancelled power plant posed to certain communities in Oakville. In the end, Kevin Flynn worked very hard to make his political masters realize the folly of the proposal, with no help from other parties. I believe the other parties would not have cancelled the plant and TransCanada would now be making huge pro ts at the expense of the health of residents of southeast Oakville and Clarkson. While the Liberals certainly have to take responsibility for choosing the wrong location in the rst place, and for negotiating a bone-headed contract that allowed TransCanada to proceed to buy materials and build without getting municipal approval (thereby incurring the huge contract cancellation fees), I believe Kevin Flynn has the best interests of his constituents at heart and deserves re-election. M.E. Saunders, Oakville Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS Change yes... but at what cost asks reader Re: It's time for a change, Oakville Beaver, Wednesday, June 4, 2014 When I attended the education debate at White Oaks Secondary School, I was shocked that PC Candidate Larry Scott did not attend, and even more shocked that the Beaver made no headline mention of his absence to its readers. After reading your editorial, and your endorsement of the PC candidate, I understand why. I understand your point about change, but have you considered the cost of such change? Are you truly willing to take away the future of students who may need that help in the classroom? Are we willing to jeopardize our health with less nurses? Are you willing to abandon the elderly who have paid their debt to society with years of productivity with crowded understaffed nursing homes? How would you feel if you had to wait an hour before someone came to help you to the bathroom or you received a phone call that your loved one wandered off because nobody noticed due to understaf ng? Tim Hudak talks about his plan for the future, but aren't we, the youths, the very students he is jeopardizing the future of this province, in fact, this country? By choosing not to invest in us, by cutting university subsidies like the 30 per cent so needed by our middle-class students, by overcrowding our classrooms, by eliminating special education support, there will no future for Ontario. I am a honours university student, Ontario Scholar, who by the way, struggled in elementary school after being diagnosed with a learning disability in Grade 2. If it weren't for special education teachers working with me, I wouldn't be writing this response today. In four years, I will have a degree and begin my journey contributing to my community, my province and my country. Under Hudak, I would have been working in a low-paying job. So I agree, get out and vote. On election day, think about your youths, think about the elderly and think about what is right for our province. Change for change's sake, isn't what is always best. Eric Michael Mariglia, Oakville Editor's Note: The Oakville Beaver covered the Halton riding education debate. We learned Scott told organizers he could not attend the Oakville meeting because of a family member's medical appointment. For more letters, see p. 9 MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 5040 Mainway, Burlington ON L7L 7G5 or via e-mail to; ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.