Dear editor,
The Comox Valley Cycling Coalition (cyclecv.com) thanks the contributor to Beefs and Bouquets on July 25 for his/her commentary regarding the new paving in the valley. We (the Coalition) have expressed our very serious concerns about the effects of the paving on the use of the roads by people on bicycles to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and the Regional District. The paving of the driving lane only has created an uneven edge between the driving lane and the hard shoulder in many places. As the surface and width of the hard shoulders are inconsistent it is necessary for a person on a bicycle to move between the driving lane and the hard shoulder and this edge creates a dangerous situation where the person may lose control. As the writer in Beefs and Bouquets so rightly states, people on bicycles are now more likely to ride in the newly paved lanes, as they are legally entitled to do, to avoid the risks associated with trying to change their ‘line’ over an uneven surface.
The roads affected at the present time include Ryan Road, Anderton Road and Little River Road. We courteously ask people driving cars and trucks to be aware of the increased challenges now faced by people riding bicycles and to allow them the space and time they need to be safe. Remember that the person riding a bicycle may be a father, mother, brother, sister, son or daughter and they are just trying to get home.
If you have experienced the increased risk on these roads please let your concerns be known to the Comox Valley Cycling Coalition at CycleCV@gmail.com
Margaret Harris,
president,
Comox Valley Cycling Coalition