Bike to Work and School Week has rolled in for Langley residents, from May 27 to 31.
This is always a bittersweet time for many people in Langley. Judging by the number of people out for a weekend ride, whether it’s the spandex-clad speedsters on Allard Crescent and Zero Avenue, or the families toddling along their local cul-de-sacs, there are plenty of people who love riding in the Langley area.
And riding to and from work sounds great! Get some exercise and fresh air! Save some money on gas! (An especially attractive prospect right now, with sky-high prices at the pumps.)
But we must acknowledge that for many, it’s still not practical.
If you have a long commute, the prospect of riding to work, even on a nice day, can be grueling. An hour-long commute can mean a three- to four-hour ride for most folks.
Then there’s the issue of traffic. Not every driver is that careful about passing cyclists.
Finally, there’s the issue of the actual infrastructure of our community.
In recent years, both Langley City and Township have made strides in adding bike lanes to some roads, particularly new pieces of roadway.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t do much for existing roads that were built any time up into the 1990s. Riding a bike down 88th Avenue in Walnut Grove or 200th Street in Willowbrook and Langley City is not for the faint of heart.
Get to work on a bike this summer, if you can. If you can’t, because of dangerous roads, lack of transit to bridge gaps, or a need for more bike lanes, consider giving a call to your civic politicians and MLAs, and reminding them that you’d like to have that option next year.
– M.C.