A couple of weeks ago, I opened the Vancouver Metro paper and to my delight the front-page story (after the front page ad), was “Fast Lane To Safe Cycling”. The story outlines the initiative by ICBC and the BC Cycling Coalition (BCCC) to implement a province-wide bike-training program. In addition, the Right to Bike was announced at the Velo-City Global Conference in Vancouver and has the support of various organizations and governments.
My shrieks of joy came when I hit the part about the gap between the infrastructure put in place – to encourage people out of their cars – and the gap between the knowledge and experience of a cyclist to navigate in urban centers and heavy traffic. The program will include three different courses geared to different cycle skill levels and should be ready to implement as early as spring 2013.
Because cyclists have the right to bike and must follow the rules of the road, I am a strong supporter of bicycle riding and safety lessons to help avoid bike accidents.
We also need a grass roots program to bring together everyone: drivers, riders, law-makers and law enforcers to bring cyclists into the mix. Once the system is standardized we can only see more harmony on the roads, safer behaviors and a mutual respect between riders and driver.
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