It’s time to save on exorbitant gas prices and use the power of pedal to get around this week.
Bike to Work Week is underway in 17 communities across B.C., including the North Okanagan.
It’s an opportunity, and excuse, to get more people out of their cars and into a healthier, more sustainable mode of transportation.
Many people think cycling to work would take 10 times longer than driving.
But that is simply not the case.
Monday’s kick-off event to Bike to Work Week proved that theory wrong in the car versus bike challenge.
The bikes won, coming in close to two minutes ahead of the cars.
Now obviously the route gave the cyclists a bit of a benefit, being downhill and all. But the reality is that most routes around our fair city wouldn’t take that much longer on a bike than they would in a car. And in some cases, it might even be quicker.
The city has and continues to establish bike lanes and trails to make cycling an easier and safer transportation alternative.
Then there are all the winning benefits to riding on two wheels versus four: increased physical activity, numerous health improvements ranging from respiratory to mental (the ride to work is proven to be less stressful on a bike than in a car), fewer greenhouse gas emissions polluting our atmosphere and just think of all the money you’ll save with gas prices at $1.29 a litre.
If, for whatever excuse, you can’t ditch your car for a bike, at least have the courtesy to share the road with cyclists and keep everyone safe.
