I am writing after reading the very well-written letter from Tom Brown in last week’s Letters to the Editor section: “Why cyclists are in the way.”
I ride an e-bike, I live downtown, and I follow the rules of the road and try to be responsible and aware of my surroundings. I can no longer ride on the “bike trails” due to the mixed-use of pedestrians, horseback riders, runners, walkers, bicycles, scooters, unicycles and, of course, e-bikes.
Nobody is safe.
There is no speed limit and no policing.
Every single paved trail just ends.
There are lights, medians, narrow bridges, pedestrian bridges, underpasses, and major roads to try to safely cross to continue.
Take the dikes they said—they go nowhere, either. You still end up on a major roadway to continue your ride.
So, because of the frustration of trying to be a responsible rider, I have decided to eliminate the trails to use for my destination choice and ride on the main roads.
I find the vehicle drivers, for the most part, courteous and easier to deal with than the aforementioned traffic on the bike trails.
I can go from point A to point B with few interruptions.
However, this marked bicycle shoulder ends as well at the Brackendale Art Gallery, so I’m back on the main road.
I won’t repeat everything already written in Tom’s letter, but he did mention the poor maintenance on the separate marked bike trails on most of the main roads.
I often ride to Brackendale, and at this time of the year, there are leaves, fruit and other detritus, including gravel, on the road, which forces me to ride on the road with the traffic for safety reasons. I see very few signs of shoulder sweeping this past year on any of the roads.
This should not be advertised as a bicycle-friendly town with lots of wonderful trails. Believe me, It’s not that friendly.
Pennie McNutt
Squamish
