so 592 riders are going to dictate how the traffic is in PG.. Are not bicycles supposed to be considered another vehicle on the road.. Why do they get special rights and lanes ?

When is the last time you saw a bike rider being ticketed for not wearing a helmet..but not wearing a seatbelt gets a fine every time.
Time for the cops to come down hard on the bikers.. play the game or pay the fine..

I would like to know how many riders were out there for the other 51 weeks of the year???

592 is the number of cyclists that registered, the actual number of cyclists is much higher. As for special rights? None that I am aware of as P Val you are correct, a bicycle is considered & bound by law as a vehicle. Special lane? You bet, as long as the morons in their 2 ton coffins drive like idiots, bicycles should be protected. I agree,fines for all offenders.

I realize you’ve got some kind of bee in your bonnet about cycling, which surprises me because you’re pretty quick to jump on Harper not doing enough about Global warming yet you seem against promoting cycling., but here’s a quote

“When Dr. Meghan Winters, assistant professor of health sciences at Simon Fraser University, used the tool to crunch some numbers for Toronto Public Health last year, she found that city’s cycling levels prevented 49 deaths per year, representing between $54 and $200 million in health care benefits.”

Every person who regularly cycles creates more room in the healthcare system for those who don’t exercise, so think of it as a method to make sure you or someone you love can get a spot in the heart by-pass line because the 100 or so PG regular bike commuters likely won’t be in the lineup – that’s my estimate – could be higher.

When you look at our ballooning population (and I’m not talking increased numbers – think girth), an inverted population curve, a planet that is apparently dying because of carbon, we have to look at transportation alternatives that reduce the impact on the healthcare system – cycling being one of them. Ironically the big knock on clearing the bike lanes is it would cause motorists to have to WALK a little further – like they couldn’t use the exercise.

If 6 months of the year you could get an average of 200 cars off the road by making cycling easier and safer, you’d remove 600 metric tonnes of carbon from the PG air shed.

As for the RCMP – they can’t even stop people from texting and driving, you want them to chase down a cyclist for not wearing a helmet. How they going to catch them? Foot race vs bike race? Also, the “cyclists” that you refer to, are generally drug dealers/users/parolees/economic disadvantaged individuals who care very little for any of our laws or by-laws. They’re not the people who commute by bike.

I am for everyone sharing but when those mountain bikers moved in. Signs came up saying snowmobiler and quadders must stop using their trails they have been using for 40 years. No sharing there at all.

This 2 Ton Coffin of mine, helped me build my House, from Concrete Form to 2×6 ,Plywood, Shingles and all the Things you need to build a House, non off it fit on my Bike and I do like riding my Bike and are aware, I only have my Skin for Protection , so Defencive Riding is #1 and made it in a large City for many Years. We do have many Dodo Birds in Cars and on Bikes, so take Care riding , dead Right gets you no-where fast.

X-it, which trails are you referring to? The Pidherny area is a designated mountain bike park (only a portion of the area) & motorized vehicles are asked to stay off of single track trails. There are signs up that warn cyclists that it is a multi-use area & to be aware of other users including motorized traffic. Otway is a X-Country ski area that has single track trails that are also multi-use & no motorized vehicles are allowed at all (except for maintenance). Forests for the World & the Greenway trails are designated multi-use, again with a ban on motorized vehicles except for maintenance. As for snowmobiles using the same trails as mountain bikers? Where? The only area that really sees winter biking traffic is FFTW & the Greenway trail system & as mentioned above, is off limits to snow machines.

Dying of carbon, say what. I guess you have no idea what your body is made of.

I think I said “because of carbon” not of carbon. But to be more specific – carbon dioxide – a by product of burning fossil fuels. I’m not actually convinced about global warming, it just served my purpose for arguing all things good about cycling and all things evil about driving. I find it interesting when someone who decries global warming in the next breath condemns cycling – one of the few transportation options that doesn’t contribute to global warming – if climate change is actually true.

When Dr. Meghan Winters, assistant professor of health sciences at Simon Fraser University, used the tool to crunch some numbers for Toronto Public Health last year, she found that city’s cycling levels prevented 49 deaths per year, representing between $54 and $200 million in health care benefits.”

Well that is some lousy tool she is using if there is a 150 million dollar swing in her research..

“Every person who regularly cycles creates more room in the healthcare system for those who don’t exercise, so think of it as a method to make sure you or someone you love can get a spot in the heart by-pass line because the 100 or so PG regular bike commuters likely won’t be in the lineup – that’s my estimate – could be higher.”

Or it could be none.. that is my estimate.. just because they ride a bike doesnt mean they lead a healthy life..

Well for every bike rider that gets a head injury for not wearing a helmet has a huge impact on our medical dollars… and I see only %10 with helmets.. so they are gambling with our healthcare dollars..how selfish is that..

“Also, the “cyclists” that you refer to, are generally drug dealers/users/parolees/economic disadvantaged individuals who care very little for any of our laws or by-laws. They’re not the people who commute by bike.”

So you lump poor people in the same group as drug dealers.. how ignorant of you.

I do apologize for lumping in the economic disadvantaged – but not for the rest of them.

The complete article, if I was into posting links, talks about how they are just starting to develop more accurate measurement tools, but this is the best they got – and it’s worst case was a $50 million win.

And if you want to talk about law abiding – 95% of vehicles are breaking the law every single day. Average car – 10 km over the limit – coming to a full stop – almost never, singling when changing lanes or turning – becoming a dying art. Texting when driving – standing at the corner the police station, I counted 1 in 20 with their ear to their phone. Lots of crappy driving habits out there. And if you don’t wear your seat belt and get catapulted from your car – we have to pay all the health costs related to you not wanting to comply.

According to my doctor – who won some sort of prize for being the smartest guy graduating in his class at UBC medical school- healthy people live longer – but more importantly live better. They consume way less healthcare dollars because they fall prey to far fewer chronic illnesses. When they die, it’s usually quickly.

According my psychiatrist friend, he said at a most recent psychiatric conference, the only treatment they are sure helps prevent/reduce Alzheimers – was cardiovascular exercise. The rest, only have anecdotal proof.

So cycling, is one of the many tools that can be used to keep people healthy, and consuming less health dollars, and keep working longer. So I think it’s worth investing some money in it.

Heck, if I remember correctly PVal – you thought the Winter Games was a great investment – and that only lasted a few weeks and cost how many millions? At least bike lanes last a little longer than a few weeks.

P Val; “Well for every bike rider that gets a head injury for not wearing a helmet has a huge impact on our medical dollars… and I see only %10 with helmets”. Didn’t you argue last week that the cycling community in PG was “non-existant” & “next to nothing”? Sooo…10% of non-existant & next to nothing is… ;)

592 for the week.. Average that out per day… Somebody on council is stoned

Detoe44 exactly..

What’s the number for January? What’s the ratio between cars and bikes?

Regarding the savings to the Toronto health care system, it’s all lying with statistics as usual. The GTO health system expenses make Northern Health here look like cheapskates.
The city of PG has always been supportive and spends big bucks on recreation infrastructure, but bike lanes for the hobbyists interfere with parking and traffic flow for all taxpayers. The soccer moms who park on Ospika pay lots of taxes.
Just like soccer, tennis, or jogging, riding a bicycle is just another fair weather recreational activity.

Contractor, the whole idea behind bike lanes is safety. Cyclists wouldn’t need their own lane if some motor vehicle drivers obeyed traffic laws, paid attention to their surroundings & showed a little respect to other users. As for the paying taxes rehash, as has been pointed out multiple times on this site (&others) cyclists own vehicles & pay taxes as well, in some cases a lot more than average. For some people cycling is a lifestyle choice for a variety of reasons, not a fair weather activity.

Endless arguing gets us nowhere.

If you drive on Ospika any school morning, or afternoon you will see maybe one or two bikers. Other times of the day none.

Once they posted the **No stopping** signs, no one parks on Ospika, by the school. Guess what???

No cyclists, no pedestrians, and no parked cars. If anyone wanted to take the time and do a traffic count in this area you would see very quickly that this is a gross under utilization of valuable parking space.

My solution is to bring in a bylaw that allows cycling on sidewalks. That way when a cyclist is approaching an area and is blocked by a parked car, he can go to the sidewalk and then back on the street. Pedestrians would of course get the right of way, however there are very few of them in this town.

Cyclists in Prince George are as scarce as hens teeth. This whole issue is a farce. We are trying to solve a problem we do not have.

Removal of parking along both sides of Ospika Blvd in the area of Lac De Bois school has improved safety for all users of this 4 lane road.

When vehicles parked on both sides, picking up and dropping off children…. the 4 lane roadway was essentially reduced to a 2 lane roadway due to doors opening and closing and children running and playing.

I applaud the city for increasing the safety of all in the area of Lac De Bois school.

Ospika Blvd has another dangerous situation in the area of the soccer fields and CN Centre. Hopefully the city will discourage street parking along Ospika with similar signage.

Considering the majority of sidewalks are built with a back slope making these sidewalks awkward for walkers, joggers, wheel chairs many of these users prefer the road. Give the sidewalks over to bike riders.

So is there an example of any of those 49 lives saved.

Palopu & Seamutt, both excellent points on sidewalks. Maybe you both are onto something, unfortunately the problem of bad motor vehicle driving habits puts a whole different user group in more danger. My issue isn’t so much with bike lanes or none, it is with the disrespect & outright dangerous habits that some drivers show towards other users.

The six pillars of a brain-healthy, Alzheimer’s prevention lifestyle are:
1.Regular exercise
2.Healthy diet
3.Mental stimulation
4.Quality sleep
5.Stress management
6.An active social life

Seems ski’s psychiatrist friend has a different opinion.

BTW, my 90 year old mother who has done all that to get there fell and broke her hip which is basically one of the worst think that can happen to a person that age. If she had not been actively gardening (which is one of the activities promoted for the elderly) she would not have fallen.

The thing is, we all meet our end one of these days. Whether one uses more or less resources than one has produced over their lifetime when one lives long is a matter of opinion. There are more resources to be used up than medical resources. As a matter of fact, it may actually be one of the lower costing resources we use when we produce less than we use.

I know, we typically do not look at those kind of measurables. We are humans. Out lives are worth much more than any measurement we can conjure up.

Norm2 wrote: “When vehicles parked on both sides, picking up and dropping off children…. the 4 lane roadway was essentially reduced to a 2 lane roadway due to doors opening and closing and children running and playing.”

Drive by there some time around 3pm when the rush is on to pick up the children.

Here is what I found today …..

1. vehicles parked both sides of Ospika on at least 3 block, including where Rainbow lodge is. Don’t know who was parked where for what purpose, but when bikers ride their bikes, they still encounter cars in the same region of Ospika. The only difference is that the children get to walk further and get more exercise.

Maybe they can reduce the number of gym class hours and do more learning about logical thinking so that when they sit on future Councils and work in future City administrations they can make smarter decisions … :-)

Think you mean Parkside, Rainbow Lodge is on Liard Drive not Ospika Blvd S