Dear editor,
As spring emerges and bulbs reveal their vibrant colours, so too does the road biking/bike-commuter season get into swing. The past three days of riding I’ve had two near-misses from cars cutting close to my bike as I’ve been riding throughout the Comox Valley. I am a medical doctor in Comox with approximately 1,000 patients as well as hospital practice. I know of at least seven doctors who bike commute to work; there are no doubt many more, as well as nurses and support staff.
Please consider what you risk for our community when you fail to drive safely with bikers.
I would strongly encourage you to consider a few tips while driving:
• give bikes at least half a car’s space while passing (or consider waiting until oncoming traffic is clear and passing as you would another single occupancy vehicle);
• If you do not understand a biker’s hand signal, then give them space until their next move is clear;
• Recognize that curbs and ‘bike lanes’ frequently have debris/glass/rocks that require the biker to ride in the main traffic lane.
The World Health Organization has recently recognized climate change as the greatest threat to human health globally - please do not make our efforts on climate action any more difficult - help us care for our patients by caring for the bikers on Comox Valley roads.
Alexander Nataros,
Comox
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