Dear Editor,
The recent accident where a car struck six cyclists, killing one rider and scattering bikes and bikers into ditches — coming after a previous fatality a week ago — underlines that it is time for more action on providing safer bike lanes for cyclists.
Newspapers tell us that more than a million people are going to move into B.C. in the next 25 years. If all of these people use cars to commute, be prepared for serious gridlock, an increasing number of accidents and significantly higher transit taxes.
The city of Copenhagen is aiming for 50 per cent of commuters to be cyclists by 2020. They are already at 48 per cent.
What is our cyclist goal in Richmond? Should we aim to raise the Richmond goal to one per cent?
Richmond is flat and easily bikeable. It’s time to choose whether motorists want 60 cars in front of them or 60 cyclists on a separated bike path.
We need to stop thinking of cyclists as annoyances with limited rights on the road and recognize that, unless a lot more people take up biking, commutes are going to get more and more dangerous and unpleasant.
At the moment, there are still too many disconnected and unprotected bike paths, which creates danger for cyclists and frustration for motorists.
How many more dead and injured cyclists do we need to scrape off the roads and car doors before we take the time and effort to create a safe cycling space for everyone.
Thank you to the many drivers who give bikers space when they pass and who are careful when opening doors.
Richmond is a model of diversity...I think we can handle this problem, too.
Brian Roodnick
Richmond
