Bicycles are getting more attention these days. There are some really good reasons for this. Mechanically, there is a lot to love. It is three times easier to bike than it is to walk, not including headwinds and the Grange hill. That is, it takes one third the energy to pedal than to put one foot in front of the other. On a typical day on my not-so-fancy bike, I get about 500 miles per gallon. Without the gallon.
Last year after our roads were put back together, Guelph had a 40% increase in our bike lanes. Stone Road is wonderful. Gordon and Woolwich are awesome. It makes such a difference to get that extra elbow room for both drivers and riders. Planning a route can make a big difference, and www.guelph.ca/bike can get you started. The map needs a little work with a felt marker to bring it up to date with the newer routes. Waterloo is better than Wellington, and Woolwich is better than Speedvale.
Last Friday we had a great presentation on the Share the Road program (www.sharetheroad.ca ). Cyclists and motorists share responsibility for safety. Bikes (and cars) need to stay off the sidewalks. In the battle of the right hand turn squeeze, bikes need to let cars turn and cars need to watch for cyclists. Cyclists do some pretty crazy things around intersections, and cars need to give bikes the 3 foot clearance on straight-aways. We can be in too much of a rush. It’s just the way things are going.
Kids have gone from 85% walk and pedal to school to 85% drive. Childhood obesity is on the upswing. For many of us, the bike was our first pedal toward independence, and gives us some great memories. When we saddle up the years disappear. Elmer the Safety Elephant taught some of us the rules of the road. We have something to pass on, this time with a bike helmet.
As provincial health care costs continue to increase, looking after ourselves can help to take the increasing burden off our taxes. We are not getting any younger, so getting a little more exercise can be a really good thing in many ways. There are economic benefits that come along for the ride. Your business benefits with a healthier workforce by less sick time and better productivity throughout the day. It just takes a little planning, and then some execution. Biking to work can be done. You don’t have to get to work sweaty. It’s not a race.
Once again, Guelph can take a leadership position in being a safe and healthy community. We have some great new roads, beautiful scenery, and not many trips more than 10 km around town. So gear up for summer in a great new way.
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