Northern Light
Superstar
The disconnect is that people don't know how to build consensus and win people over for change.
If you don't understand the issue with tone, you don't understand human relations, especially in the context of politics.
Activists, of any stripe, don't get this to a remarkable extent, even if their objective is noble.
On the one hand, I agree that its important to know your audience, and to be able to sell the change you seek to them, even though they may not initially agree with your take; and that requires persuasion over aggression.
On the other hand, I don't see describing Lawrence Avenue East as 7 lanes (it is) or deadly ( it is) as inherently inflammatory. The statement doesn't target drivers, or driving, nor does it target businesses or really anyone else.
it describes the problem, more or less accurately, in a way that is indeed intended to capture public attention. Remember, Hafeez went out of his way to show a design option that didn't actually reduce the number of travel lanes for cars.
This is hardly the most radical of proposals, it contemplates narrowing of lanes, partial removal of the 7th lane (a turning lane) in favour of medians, and generally seeks a crowd-pleasing solution.
Admittedly, describing Birchmount as a highway is overkill in my judgement. However, there is endemic speeding and there have been deaths caused as a result of the way Birchmount is configured, and the speed it facilitates. That speeding
might 'only' be 70km/ph, not 100+; but on a road that really doesn't function well from a safety perspective when drivers exceed 50km/ph.....
I don't think the language overall is that inflammatory. Could it be softened a tad, or have a smidge of hyperbole redacted......yeah, sure. But this doesn't strike me as overly strident car-war stuff.
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