Bells & Whistles

Some people are very “gear oriented” and have to have the latest bells and whistles for whatever they do. Cyclists are no exception, though one does not have to get all the latest gear to cycle safely. The most important thing is to have a well maintained bike of good quality. Next to that a helmet, which is required by law. (I will devote another article to this crucial though sometimes controversial piece of equipment)

Also required is a bell or some other sort of signalling device such as a horn. Great for letting pedestrians know that you are sneaking up behind them so they don't get startled as you pass them!

For night riding a front white light and rear red light visible for at least 150 meters and red reflector are required.

Though not required by law, I find one of the best pieces of safety equipment is a mirror. This really helps to keep an eye on traffic approaching from the rear and give better situational awareness. Even if you have a mirror, it is crucial to still do a shoulder check before changing lanes or turning!

The other gear that is a good idea is bright or reflective clothing. As mentioned in previous articles, visibility is a key factor in safe cycling. Wear clothing that is comfortable and that will help regulate body temperature as well as keep you dry in wet weather. Modern synthetics can do an amazing job of this. Don't forget to tuck in or strap up loose pant legs on the chain side of the bike so you don't' get it caught in the chain or covered in grease.

Make sure you do regular maintenance yourself or bring the bike into your local shop for a check and tune-up. A trained bike mechanic can catch potential problems before they develop.  I have seen a kid's bike brought into the local bike shop that had a loose wheel nut, and if weren't for the kind offer of a quick safety check from the bike mechanic, it would have gone un-noticed until the wheel fell off with possibly very serious results.

Before getting on your bike, do a quick ABC check. A= Air (tires at an appropriate pressure) B= Brakes (Functioning properly to be able to stop the bike fully loaded. You should be able to skid the tires if you hit the brakes hard enough) C=Chain (lubricated and running smoothly with gear changes)

I would also add a D (ABCD) D= DoNut ( Do make sure da Nuts are tight!That is the wheel nuts on the front and rear wheels)

Changing Driving Habits and Informed Decisions; The Auto Industry

I am pro cycling, but that doesn't mean that I am anti-automobile. After all I do drive a car. In fact I drive a car many more miles than I ride my bike. In trying to promote cycling I do not want to be anti automobile, but rather focus on the advantages of cycling. However, today I have a beef against the automobile industry.

I have been researching devices that can help you monitor fuel consumption costs and help improve your driving habits. (See my previous blog) These devices are available for just about every car manufactured after 1996, using the cars' on board computer. There is all kinds of information that is tracked with these computers. It seems to me that the North American auto industry feels they should keep this information away from the average car driver. (Some of the European Auto manufacturers like VW have been making basic fuel  consumption info available for years)

Imagine if all cars showed you how efficient you were driving in terms of fuel efficiency and what each trip cost you. Maybe people would improve their driving habits, use less fuel and even drive less altogether!? The auto and oil industry wouldn't like that! Anytime the "Check Engine" light comes on you need to take the car to a mechanic, and they plug in one of their computers to tell you what is wrong.  (usually charging you significantly just to do that) These devices like the Scanguage can give you that same information. Don't tell me that it would be too expensive to include all this type of information in the standard gauges at the time of manufacture.

Why do the auto manufacturers feel they cannot trust a car owner with this information? Seems like another example of keeping information away from the consumer, and not letting people make informed decisions.

I would like to suggest to our politicians that they enact new legislation that requires all new automobiles to have these gauges incorporated into the standard instrumentation of all vehicles. I have already spoken to the Green Party about this and it has been received very positively. What about our other political parties? I will be interested to see which one is willing to take on the auto giants!


I will be ordering a Scangauge for myself and will be happy to lend it to people to see how it works.

If you read the reviews of the aftermarket devices available now (Like Scangauge and Econodriver) you will see that people find it changes their driving habits for the better. It's part of the solution!

Sharrows

Here are a couple of articles from Mia Birk's Blog regarding Sharrows. Timely as we hope to see what the District of Sooke will be doing regarding Sharrows and Bike lanes. The plans for a bike lane on Rhodonite were nixed by residents, and council was supposed to be looking into trying sharrows.
Here are  the two articles; Seattle's Sharrows; Love Em or Hate Em? and
Four Solid Uses for Sharrows

A $ way of encouraging people to ride a bike

There is technology out there that will help people see what each trip they take in their car costs. Check out the Scangauge and EconoDriver. Scanguage is available in Canada here
Can you imagine how it might change people's habits if they had a cab meter in their car and they could see their money spent on gas vaporizing each trip they make?! It could be a great tool to compare cost of public transit to a private vehicle. After all we can't convince everyone to ride a bike because it is fun and healthy for you. Some people will react better to the dollars and "sense" approach.

Making your Intentions Known

A crucial aspect of cycling is to make your intentions known to motorists as well as pedestrians and other cyclists. This along with predictability helps to ensure safe and smooth traffic flow. It is all the same reasons why automobile drivers learn to use turn signals, and to follow the rules of the road.

Using turn signals is also very important for cyclists. Most of us know the standard signals, though they have changed somewhat. It used to be left hand out for left turn and left hand raised up for a right turn. Riders are being encouraged to use their right hand outstretched for a right turn. This is simple and leaves no room for ambiguity. The other day I saw a cyclist making the old right turn signal, and I couldn’t be sure whether they were turning or waving to someone in the car next to them.

As well as signaling, make sure you do a shoulder check before signaling, then once again after the signal. Never compromise control of your bike by removing your hand from the handlebar if it is unsafe to do so. The act of turning your head to look beside and behind, often indicates to drivers that you might be planning to make a move.

Having made your intentions known, it is prudent to confirm that the drivers have seen you. Eye contact is an effective way of doing this. Don’t assume that just because someone is looking in your direction that they see you. Communicate your intentions clearly and drivers will appreciate it and respect your right to be sharing the road with them.

Pedal Points; Visibility Part 2

Being seen is crucial for road safety, for all road users. Cyclists have the added advantage of being able to hear motor traffic. (that's why it is a bad idea to wear earphones and listen to music while riding)  Motorists generally cannot hear a cyclist which makes it particularly important to be seen.

In addition to bright clothing and lights as mentioned in my previous article, a crucial aspect to being seen is how you position yourself on the road. Many riders on a road tend to stay as close to the right as comfortable for the conditions. The rules of the road actually say that a cyclists must ride as near as practicable to the right side of the street, except when turning left from a left-turn lane.This is not always the safest approach. By riding far to the right, a cyclist often cannot be seen as well by intersection traffic because they are hidden by parked cars or vegetation. A driver tends to be looking for other cars in the middle of the road, not for cyclists in the shadows of the shoulder, or even worse, on the sidewalks (More about that on a later article) Another danger is being in the drivers' blind spot such as pulling up along a cars' right side in an intersection

Do everything you can to make yourself visible, but ride like you were invisible. Never assume a driver can see you!

Pedal Points; Visibility Part 1

One of the most effective ways of keeping safe on a bicycle is to make sure that you are seen! This can be accomplished in various ways.

Most obvious is to wear bright coloured clothing or a reflective vest. At night front and rear lights must be used. Even during daylight hours using some of the bright flashing LED lights can help in separating you from the background visual clutter that a motorist is dealing with. Making yourself stand out from the rest of the scenery helps to put you on a motorists “radar screen” a lot sooner, therefore helping them adjust their speed and path to minimize any conflict.

Statistics show that most accidents involving a motor vehicle and a bike are not where the cyclist is hit from behind, but frontal and side collisions. Hence the importance of a front light, even during daylight hours. (Use a bright light in flashing mode)

You don't have to buy the latest in bright lycra cycling garb to make yourself visible, or wear an ugly bright neon green jacket like I often wear. (Hey, I got a good deal on it and people do notice me!) Wear comfortable, normal clothes and use bright fashion accessories like scarves, backpacks, fanny bags, helmets or just throw on a reflective vest.

Pedal Points; Bicycle Safety Articles

This week the Sooke News Mirror published the first of a series of articles that I am writing on Cycling Safety. Here is a copy of that article; 


Thanks to Jim Sinclair of the Mirror for the idea "Pedal Points" as the name for the column.

This will be the first in a series of articles to help both cyclists and motorists understand practices that will lead to safer roads and better understanding of each other.

While most of what I will be sharing is generally accepted, proven and taught widely, some of it will be my personal opinion. No doubt there will be difference of opinions. In fact, in some areas, the cycling community can be quite polarized as to the best ways to go about navigating our highways and byways. On one end are the pure “Vehicular Cyclists” that say a cyclist has the same rights as, and therefore should act as any other motorist. On the other end of the spectrum are those that believe cyclists have special rights and are not subject to the same rules of the road as motor vehicles, and therefore act in various, often unpredictable manners. It is my belief that neither of these two extremes is a smart way to act.

Part of the reason these articles are being written is that there are many misconceptions about safe practices for cyclists using public roads. I will be covering things such as visibility, positioning in traffic, sidewalks, hazards, equipment and riding with children .

An excellent resource is the Bike Sense manual published by the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition. If you would like a copy for yourself or your organization, contact The Juan De Fuca Cycling Coalition at 250-664-6492 or look us up on the internet. Copies are also available at Sooke Mountain Cycle.

One of the most effective ways to increase safety and awareness for cyclists is to get out there! Statistics show that the more cyclists are out on the roads, the more aware motorists are and the safer the roads become. So get out there, be safe and have fun!

Stephen Hindrichs

Seattle using Trilogy 3-Bike racks

I am in Seattle this weekend and have been seeing the Trilogy 3 bike rack all over! The driver I talked to seemed to be quite pleased with the way they worked.

Scooter Safety

Many people are starting to use electric bicycles and scooters for transportation. I think this is good! Not everyone is able to use a "push bike"( as the term is used in other parts of the world.) It is a much more sustainable way of getting around compared to the automobile in most cases, but there are some safety concerns. Here is an excellent article on Scooter safety by Britt Santowski

Response by our Mayor and District staff to concerns from a visiting cyclist

Take a look at this post from Average Joe's Cycling Blog. We are not impressing visitors that come by bike!

Life Cycles Film in Sooke Friday Oct 8th

Check out this film! Friday Oct 8th at EMCS theatre. Admission$10. Lots of door prizes. Amazing cinematography!

Cyclists the problem on our Roads!?

This letter to the Editor appeared in the Sooke News Mirror in response to the letter I sent in at the beginning of September. Here is a copy of that letter, and after that is my response to Mr Makowsky's letter sent in to the editor this week.

Our driving habits have to change

I wish to thank Don Brown for his letters concerning his near misses on Highway 14. We need to make more people aware of the very narrow margin of error we have to deal with each time we drive the highway. We can come very close to having our lives, or those of other people forever ruined or completely snuffed out, and it can be a matter of inches.
I would love to see all of Highway 14 and Otter Point Road paved with wide shoulders.This is not going to happen right away. It does need to happen for the safety of both cyclists, pedestrians and motorists, but it all costs money. Unfortunately, our government is still not giving cycling and public transit the priority it should. However, even with wide shoulders accidents can still happen. If people drive in an unsafe manner, all the best roads and infrastructures won’t help.
So this is the key. We need to look at our driving habits and realize our responsibility as motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. Education and awareness is very important.Contrary to the belief of some motorists, cyclists do have a right to be on the roads. It is the responsibility of a motorist to slow down and pass a cyclist only when it is safe to pass. Sometimes a cyclist will have to move away from the shoulder and into the main lane to avoid obstacles, so it is best to give a good 1.5 metre clearance.
One of the worst offending groups are truck drivers. (speed and unsafe passing) They are not all bad. Some of the drivers are truly professional and don’t let safety sit in the back seat to productivity. It seems the pressure is on them to get as many loads as possible. Perhaps some of the blame lies with the companies hiring them, but it is ultimately the drivers responsibility, and it will be the driver who will have to live with the fact that they just wiped out and killed someone.
On the drive to Victoria from Sooke, even if you had to slow to pass 10 separate cyclists, how much longer would that take? Maybe two minutes at the very most? Is that too much to ask yourself for a more relaxed drive and knowing that you didn’t risk your or someone else’s life today?
Stephen Hindrichs
Juan De Fuca Cycling Coalition

I would like to respond to Mr. Makowsky's letter to the editor of last week.

First of all, I would agree with him in regards to the statement that our cycling habits need to change. There are certainly many cyclists out there who don't have a proper understanding of what is required to cycle safely on our roads. Some just don't know, some are young children who don't have the experience, and in some cases there are a few who just don't care. (Look for upcoming articles in the Sooke News Mirror on cycle safety)

I do however, take exception to the blanket statement : “It's cyclists not the drivers who are the problem” Mr Makowsky, I would suggest that you qualify your statement and give examples of what you mean. By sharing your concerns and observations perhaps some people can learn from their mistakes. I also would ask whether you could make that same statement to families and friends of cyclists, pedestrians and motorists killed or injured by people driving automobiles in an unsafe or reckless manner.

How many people do you know that have been killed by cyclists or pedestrians?

The reality is that people driving thousands of pounds of steel at high speeds have much more potential for doing harm than someone riding a bicycle, hence the requirements for a certain level of maturity and proper licensing. This does not mean that a cyclist cannot injure other people. The potential is there and it does occasionally happen, though usually not with serious or fatal results.

Unfortunately there are still some people who think that cyclists should not be on the roads. Some of those people show their ignorance and disregard for peoples safety by purposely driving too close to bike riders or they try to intimidate them in other ways. This happens all too frequently. I certainly hope that this is not your view Mr Makowsky.

If you would like to discuss this further, feel free to visit the Juan De Fuca Cycling Coalition blog or Facebook page. Thank you for bringing up this subject.

Pave highway shoulders for cyclists, Ontario urged

Pave highway shoulders for cyclists, Ontario urged.
Some interesting statitics!

Great videos on Cycling infrastructures

Pedal Power - Doc Zone | CBC-TV

Pedal Power - Doc Zone | CBC-TV
Bicycles and automobiles have to share the same roads - a recipe for conflict - and many potential cyclists just won't ride in the city because they see it as too dangerous. Add in the plague of bike theft and a lot of cyclists are simply leaving their bikes at home.
Check out the Documentary!

Getting Serious about Bicycle Safety

Here is a link to a good article on bike safety from a blog done by two women. They talk a lot about how to be stylish on bikes and dress normally, but they also have good insights into safety since they are out there everyday on their bikes. This is their web; Let's Go Ride a Bike
I think it is true that we need to make it so that more people are comfortable riding our roads, not just young males in tight lycra shorts! You should feel comfortable sending your children out on their bikes or your grandmother on her 3-wheeler. The more of us out there the better for everyone, even the motorists!

Encouraging people to drive cars less

Here are some ideas floating around that I believe have merit for helping to encourage people to drive less.

Pay as you drive auto insurance; This would pro-rate your premiums based on how much you drove in a year. Check out this website and sign the petition if you think it is a good idea.
Some opponents say it is too complicated and requires sophisticated tracking devices in vehicles. Not so! It can be quite simple. When we lived in New Zealand we had to pay road user charges for diesel vehicles based on mileage. It was a simple card that was purchased and displayed in the windscreen and based on odometer readings. Here we could just have the insurance broker check the mileage. This can work!

The other idea is to have a scanguage or similar device installed on all new vehicles and to have some incentive to have people retrofit existing vehicles with one. What this does is to help you monitor your fuel economy and to put an actual fuel cost to every mile or trip that you drive. It would raise people's awareness of the cost of driving and hopefully encourage them to bike, walk, or use public transit!

Pedestrian & Cycling Master Plan Public Meeting

ANNOUNCEMENT:

The Regional PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLING MASTER PLAN is beginning to take shape!

NOTICE OF THE NEXT ADVOCATES’ SESSION:

Thursday, September 16^th, Ambrosia Event Centre (638 Fisgard Street)

5pm to 7pm – Drop In Information Stations

• Unveiling of the Draft Regional Networks
• Ideas for Transit Integration
• Proposed End of Trip Facilities

7pm to 9pm – Special Presentation and Workshop

• Keynote: Jessica Roberts explores ways to market walking and cycling to CRD residents

Bike Valet Parking

Really Good Eats

Fabulous Prizes

Nice People

Questions? Call Sue Hallatt at 250 360 3156 or email her at shallatt@crd.bc.ca

HWY 14 road works

Many of you will have noticed that work has begun on HWY 14 between Sooke and Luxton.
We will not be having bike lanes all the way, but here is what will be happening as per Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure;

The Asphalt Resurfacing contract which is about to get underway will be focused on specific areas which the ministry has identified for asphalt resurfacing. In these locations shoulder widths suitable for the area will be constructed or rehabilitated as needed. The areas under the current Major Works contract are;

· Fullerton Road to west of Luxton Rd.

o 2 meter paved shoulder

· Gillispie Road intersection area

o 1.5 meter paved shoulder

· Ludlow Rd (Coopers Cove) to Kaltasin Rd

o 1.5 meter paved shoulder

· Kaltasin Rd to Charters Rd

o 1.8 meter paved shoulder

At the approaches to Sooke River Bridge the following improvements are planned;

· Asphalt shoulder to be widened to 1.8 meters in width, the most noticeable improvement in this location will be seen east bound from the bridge to the bus pull out near the new park-n-ride where there currently there is little to no existing shoulder.

· Replacement of the existing low concrete roadside barrier at the approaches with a newer standard Concrete Roadside Barrier with proper approach flares/offsets approaching the bridge.

· The project has requested advice on and will implement additional signing which will alert both cyclist and drivers that the shoulders are narrowing at the bridge and to alert drivers to watch for cyclists.

I have also requested that the drainage grates on the bridge be fixed, since the way they are now, they can easily catch a cyclists tire. This will be looked after when the paving contract is complete.

Globe & Mail Article on Cycling Infratructure in Vancouver

This article shows that we need politicians and municipal officials with vision and guts to move things in the right direction for our future!

Follow up to proposals to Victoria Transit Commission regarding Bikes on Buses and increased carrying capacity

Well...I was able to find the minutes to the May transit commission meeting and their response to our proposals. They seemed to take it seriously and did some research, however they are not going to implement any of our suggestions. Rather disappointing!

Here is a copy of the original proposal

In my view there are many reasons why these ideas might be difficult to implement, but if there was the demand for such services and people spoke loud enough, I am sure solutions could be found. There just has to be a full committment to really integrating cycling and public transit. Yes it will cost money in some cases, but some of it will involve nothing more than a shift in thinking and setting different priorities.

Here is a link to the Victoria Transit Commission report. Decide for yourself if this item is dead in the water or not! I personally feel that we need to keep pushing for this!

An idea to encourage people to get out of their cars, and to Cycle, Walk or use Public Transit

Just about everyone agrees that we need to start weaning our society of our excessive use of the personal automobile. We need to encourage use of public transport, car pooling, cycling and walking.

I believe that one very effective way of doing this is to start making people aware of the cost of each trip that is taken. Most of the population is still more likely to be motivated to change their habits when there is a direct impact on their wallet.

The technology for this has been around for a while now. One such device is called a Scangauge. It can measure your actual fuel economy at the moment or averaged over a trip. The current cost of fuel can also be programmed to give a cost per kilometer or per trip. These devices can be very useful in helping people adjust their driving habits to improve their fuel economy. (Volkswagen has been making this sort of gauge as standard in most of their vehicles for years) If the cost per kilometer is displayed it would act something like the meter in a cab, making people very aware of the cost of a trip. This tool could help someone see that it might be cheaper to take public transport, or perhaps instead of spending $2.50 in gas to go to the grocery store, to take a bicycle instead. Even many small trips of only a few blocks end up getting costly over a period of time. The short 5 minute trip we make to drive our daughter to school costs us about $0.80 round trip. That adds up if we were to do it every day!

I believe our government should take the step to legislate the auto manufacturers to make these sort of gauges standard equipment in all new vehicles. This could have a huge impact in fuel savings as people start to adjust their driving habits, and it could potentially improve peoples health if it encourages them to walk or cycle! For existing vehicles there could be some kind of promotion and subsidy to encourage people to purchase and install them on their vehicles.

We must start changing our habits of the free and easy use of motor vehicles. I believe this is one way the government has the power to make it happen.

Stephen

BC Transit Proposals

Transit Commission Meeting; On March 9th I made a presentation to the BC Transit Commission and presented 3 proposals;

1. Pilot project to allow bikes on board buses on the Sooke-Victoria and Victoria- Swartz Bay run during summer weekends.
2. Retro-fit these same routes with racks capable of carrying 3 bikes
3. Create a policy of allowing folding bikes on board all buses

Here is a link to the actual proposal

All of these proposals were received very well and John Luton was there as well, speaking in support of improving the Cycling/Transit interface and supporting our proposals.

It looks like they will try the Pilot Project and allow folding bikes as well. We should know by the May Transit Commission meeting. The 3 Bike racks have some technical challenges but they will be looking into this as well, though it might take a bit longer to implement. The BC Transit staff was given direction to look into all these proposals and report back in May.

Park N Ride Bike Boxes are Here!

We now have secure storage for up to 4 bikes at the Sooke Park N Ride. Rental is $10/Month, and you get your own key. Anyone interested contact JDF Cycle Coalition via email or phone.

Proposal to BC Transit

We will be making another presentation to BC Transit on March 9th.
Here is a link to the proposals that we are presenting.
Please take the time to read them, then if you support these proposals, print, fill out and sign the Letter of Support, and then scan and email back to jdfcycle@gmail.com or send via snail-mail. Alternatively, you can post the Petition at you place of work, and get many people to sign. That can be sent back via email as well, or contact Stephen to arrange a pick up. I would like to have all our names back by the 1st week of March.
Note; If you want to print any of these documents, it is better to download them to get the proper formatting as a Word Document. (Google Docs loses some of the formatting)

Juan De Fuca Cycling Coalition
2179 Henlyn Dr.
Sooke, BC V9Z 0N5
250-664-6492

The more people we have showing support for this, the more likely it will happen. These initiatives have benefits for all communities served by BC Transit

Age of Stupid at Sooke Awareness Film Night Feb 17th

The term ‘peak oil’ is the buzz word that has been gathering attention from circles as diverse as environmentalists and big business. It’s a future whose reality will soon be upon us. The February Awareness Film Night will take us in for a deeper look at both the ramifications and possibilities. ‘The Age of Stupid’ is being co-sponsored by the Juan de Fuca Cycling Coalition. This film is a hindsight look at global warming. The film takes place in a futuristic world (2055), a world that didn’t heed the warnings of global scientists. Our narrator shows us the path that led to the catastrophic effects of global warming using a series of vignettes; a string of news clips and reports from modern day. All strung together these vignettes give a portrait of a convoluted issue, revealing the social, political and environmental issues that surround our oil dependence. It’s not just a matter of turning off the carbon tap; it’s redefining how the global village interacts.

The Juan de Fuca Cycling Coalition sees some definite opportunities for cycling in new and old forms taking a role in adapting to more sustainable transportation. Taking a closer look at the possibilities the future holds, the intent is to bring together concerns for the age beyond peak oil and ideas for sustainable communities. Armed with knowledge and ideas, we can in fact create a future to bestow upon our children with deep pride. We're in the very enviable position of having Guy Dauncey speak after the film. Guy is sought after as a keynote speaker globally. You'll understand why when you hear his presentation. It's called profound insight and the ability to stir people’s deepest dreams into action. This film leaves one with a feeling of being overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude and complexity of an issue that’s rocketing the planet ever closer to the point of no return. Guy Dauncey's talk and his inspiring vision replaces the sense of overwhelm with concrete initiatives and fills us with the strength of a vision that can take us beyond the tipping point into a bold new world that has broken it’s fossil fuel bonds. A packed theater and attendance by our community leaders for fruitful discussion afterwards is something to look forward to.

Guy’s new book; The Climate Challenge; 101 Solutions to Global Warming will also be available at the film presentation.

EMCS Theater, Sooke.

Wednesday, Feb.17, 2010

7:00PM

Admission by donation.

Click here for a MAP

Rally against HST on Bikes

March 3rd, at the legislature. Check it out
http://www.squeakywheels.ca/

New Sooke Park N' Ride

Check out the article from the Sooke Mirror. I also had a good meeting with Manuel Achadinha this past Friday. There seem to be some technical challenges for getting a 3-Bike rack on the buses, but they are open to ideas and looking for alternatives. We also hope to get approval to allow folding bikes onboard the buses. The other big plan is to start a pilot project of allowing regular bikes onboard buses on certain runs. It would start out to be weekend runs between Victoria and Sooke, and possibly Sidney and the Ferry Terminal, this summer. That would allow larger groups and families to come to Sooke with their bikes to pedal the Goos, explore the Potholes and town area as well as Mountain Bikers to come ride in the hills! It would also allow folks from Sooke to take their bikes downtown for a day in the big city!

Sooke Park N Ride

Mark Ziegler and I attended the official opening of the new Sooke Park and Ride. We will be getting 2 bike lockers with a total storage for 4 bikes, sometimes by the end of the month. The plan is to first have them painted by our local High School students.
There is also a small bike rack next to the shelter. The plans are for getting some covered bike racks as well in the near future.
I am very pleased with the enthusiasm and interest all the BC Transit staff are taking in encouraging the Cycle/Transit interface infrastructures.
I also hope to be meeting with the head of BC transit soon to discuss some other projects. He is also very keen on improving the ridership by encouraging people out of their cars. I believe he has a very good vision of how things will hopefully become; much more pedestrian and bike friendly in all our communities.

New Approved Bike Signs in the US

Here is something that we might want to start seeing on some of roads to help drivers share their precious road space!
This comes from The Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTDC) in the US

CAN BIKE II Course

Bike to Work Victoria is putting on a 2 weekend Can Bike 2 Course. This is a fairly involved course for those serious about cycling safely on our roads. The dates are Feb 13/14 & 20/21. Cost is $150.
I will be taking the course if I can get the time off. Also there will be single day adult bike courses available later in the spring in conjunction with Bike to Work Week.
If anyone is interested contact;
Marsha Petty-Johnson
Bike to Work Victoria
Bike Skills Course Coordinator
250-744-4073 Home office
250-360-6362 Cell
250-920-5775 Office (leave message)