I love to cycle. My partner, Mike, likes to race and go out for a casual cycle with friends. I like to race too. I also like to cycle for transportation, including commuting. I cycled to and from work everyday all year round when I lived in Victoria, British Columbia. Now that I’m living in Barrie Ontario, I don’t cycle to and from work. There are a few reasons why I’ve stopped cycling for transportation, but one of the main reasons is fear of the road. Fear of the road manifests itself in many ways. Imagine this... You're on a bike early in the morning when the sun is not quite up yet. Your phone said rain, but it seems to be holding off. You are approaching an intersection and stop at the red light. You see there is no longer a bike lane on the other side of the intersection. You think, "I'm going to have to get up to speed and then shoulder check to make sure there is no vehicle behind me that might try to squeeze by me". You know shoulder checking changes your center of gravity when you're cycling and makes your bike move towards your gaze. You're always having to be mindful when shoulder checking to not let your bike drift too far from the side of the road. You really hope it doesn't start to rain. Then you have to worry about traction a bit more; more emotional load is not what you need! The freeze and thaw seasonal temperatures looks like it's damaged the road ahead. Can't swerve out around grates or holes too much or you might get hit by a car that expects you to stay right up against the curb. Hitting a bump the wrong way might give you a flat; doesn't happen often, but always a possibility... These challenges and uncertainty manifest in a level of fearfulness and stressfulness that I don’t believe anyone wants at the start of their day, myself included. As we move towards a more cycle friendly culture in Barrie, here are some tips to consider so we can all (cyclists and motorists alike) foster safer and less stressful cycling for transportation for everyone. I’m not going to get into bike safety details such as making sure you get a bike that fits you or what to carry on your bike or wearing a helmet. There are tons of references for these considerations; I’ve also put a little list down at the bottom for quick reference. My tips below will focus on confidence while cycling and ways cyclists and drivers can shift culture to a more cycling friendly culture in Barrie. I'm also assuming adequate bike lanes will be available at a minimum! (See less than adequate proposed cycling infrastructure for Barrie) Cyclists:1. Practice Defensive Cycling and Communicate with those around youIf you’re unsure, always assume that the driver of a nearby car hasn’t seen you. Waive your hand around until the driver has seen you and then move into the lane. Once you have moved, take up the lane. Stay in the left portion of the lane until you have finished your turn or finished crossing a narrow bridge etc. Being right in front of the driver (left side of the lane) lets them see you better and conveys to them that you are using the lane. If you ride a motorcycle, you know what I mean. I would also suggest learning hand signals and practicing them all the time so they become a habit. 2. Use Google to map the safest cycling route possible to your destinationMap out your bike route for predictable routes you plan to take where there are bike lanes. Barrie is horrible for bike lanes (see Google maps screenshot photo below of the Barrie area cycling lanes - or lack there of). 3. Cycle with AwarenessTry taking deep breaths through your nose while you cycle. The only way I can relax and breath is if I am completely in the moment and aware of everything going on around me. Listening to music while cycling is a death wish. I can anticipate so much and react quickly when I can see and hear what’s going on around me and I'm focused. 4. Give yourself permission to take your timeTake your time when it’s raining. Take it easy on yourself. If you are too stressed and you fall, you are more likely to injure yourself than if you were more relaxed. 5. Start with small manageable cycling distancesMy suggestion is to keep your cycling commute manageable; commute 30 minutes max one way and maybe 45 minutes once you get a hang of it or if your life commitments permits. If you have a longer commute to work, try biking for shorter trips to the local store or the park on occasion and drive or take public transit for long trips. 6. Get your workplace to support a more sustainable lifestyleVouch for covered bike racks, showers and lockers at work. If it’s raining outside or super hot, you’ll want a quick shower. Try and streamline your wardrobe so you can leave shoes, deodorant, shower sandals etc. at work. Quick dry towels are your friend. Physically active people are more productive and collaborative. Drivers:1. Acknowledge cyclists who are communicating with you and communicate with themProvide cyclists with direction when you see them. Waive your hand and acknowledge you’ve seen a cyclist. This makes everyone feel good. 2. Giver yourself permission to take your timeIf you do need to squeeze by a cyclist because oncoming traffic is too heavy, do so at 20km/hr or less and maintain 1m distance between your vehicle and the cyclist. Try not to look at the cyclist because your vehicle will move towards what you look at. Anticipate the space needed before you pass, line yourself up and look straight ahead while passing. 3. Give yourself permission to drive the way you want to feel (safe)If there’s the opportunity to move into the oncoming lane to pass a cyclist, please do so! Don’t feel like you have to stay in your lane. Cyclists will appreciate you giving them more than 1m breathing room and you won’t have to worry about hitting them. 4. Drive with AwarenessTake deep breaths through your nose. This helps you relax. 5. Get your workplace onboard to support a more sustainable lifestyleVouch for bike racks, showers and lockers at work. Bikes should be racked and not locked to fences or railings. You might be a runner or walker and not a cyclist and might appreciate a quick shower on occasion for your own circumstances. Everyone will be less stinky and healthier. 6. Put yourself in the cyclists' shoesTry riding a bike to and from the local park on the road (with a helmet on during the day); you’ll naturally be more understanding of cyclists in the future when you’re driving. As of November 12, 2021 I was hopeful about the City of Barrie's plan for bike lanes (see below map and legend): For those like me who weren’t up on the legend terminology, see links for references for buffered bike lanes, cycle tracks and in-boulevard pathways. The same City of Barrie site has a different proposal now which is not nearly as suitable as cyclists cannot map out a connecting route (see map and legend below): We truly need the cycling infrastructure as a starting point to foster a more inclusive cycling culture in Barrie. Then, we need to make the choice every day to support less stressful, safer transportation. What do you think is needed to help make Barrie cycling friendly? Bike tips: 1. Get a bike that fits you so you’ll be comfortable riding it. 2. Always have a spare tube with you (if your bike needs tubes), small tire levers (x2) and an Allen key set. At the very least, have a tube patch, small pump and/or CO2 canister for quick repairs of your tube. Your tube can be changed out later at home. 3. Front and back lights! Red light at the back and a white light on your front handlebars. USB chargeable works well for me; I would charge every month or so depending on the weather. 4. Always wear a helmet! Always. I sometimes want to feel the wind in my hair when I’m riding like Meg Ryan, but that can get you killed, so refrain. 5. Dress for the weather. You’ll want a few different outfits to suit outdoor conditions. There are super light and easy to pack jackets to support small changes in temperature between beginning and end of day. I’d recommend not just looking at cycling jackets because prices can reflect niche markets where niche is not always necessary. You can find a good compact jacket at a more reasonable price without the added cost of a “cycling” jacket. 6. Get an economical commuter bike with room to store items on it. I learned this lesson the hard way. Getting an expensive bike means you don’t want to leave it anywhere, which defeats the purpose of having a bike for transportation. 7. Check your tires every time you get on to make sure they are at the right pressure. Once you get in the habit of checking your tire pressure, you’ll find it easy and not time consuming to do 10-15 pumps per tire every couple days. 8. Change your tires (outside tread) when they no longer have the traction necessary to keep you from slipping (once every 2-3 years pending how much you ride).
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