Now in its fourth year, the Share the Road Challenge still has important messages for commuters. (And it's not just that cyclists overall, as they were this year.)
Although it’s billed as a race, an important principle of the event is that it’s also a normal commute. So, more of a challenge, not the Gastown Grand Prix. Everyone respects of the rules of the road, follows their regular route, and cars and bikes are parked and locked — as usual —prior to check in at the finish.
Share the Road started in 2009 and is becoming the kick off for Bike to Work Week; both are organized by HUB. It’s a simple formula: take a motorist, a transit user and a cyclist who all start from the same spot and see whose commute to work is the fastest and most enjoyable.
Last week I cycled in HUB’s Share the Road Challenge for the second time.
I wasn’t quite speedy enough to win, but I did reach my workplace just one and a half minutes behind the driver on the Kits Commuters team. Our transit rider enjoyed the relatively rare experience of having a bus pull up and open its doors just as she arrived at the bus stop, but took an additional eight minutes to make it to the finish line.
For the other teams, the experience was very similar. The winners were split roughly 50/50 between cars and bikes, with the difference generally being less than two minutes.
A notable difference was the fun factor, however. Cyclists arrived with big smiles on their faces, reporting that they enjoyed their rides in spite of the chilly fog that lingered in the streets. Drivers and transit users both reported more delays and general frustration.
Laura Jane, HUB’s Event and Sponsorship Manager for Bike to Work Week, laid out the many reasons the Challenge is important. Originally based on a similar challenge that took place in New York City, cycling has consistently proven the most advantageous mode of transport in the Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»version. Commuter routes over the four years of the Challenge have run the gamut from a few blocks across downtown to as far afield as Richmond and the North Shore.
“Cycling is not only great for your health and extremely fun, but it’s also really fast and convenient,” said Jane. Heather Harvey, who cycled from East Van to the Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»Public Library with the HUB team, arrived seven minutes before the driver — and she did it in a skirt and heels!
“You don’t need a lot of special gear to bike to work. It’s easy and fun,” said Jane.
I hope all my commuting readers had a great Bike to Work Week and if you missed it,  don’t worry, it’s a bi-annual event and will be back in the spring with all the usual prizes, celebration stations and more. HUB also uses information gathered from Bike to Work Week to plan improvements to cycling in Vancouver, so your participation helps cycling for everyone.
RECORD RIDING:Â
The number of cyclists who registered for Bike to Work Week grew by nearly one third this year.
Despite the frigid weather the week of Oct. 28 to Nov. 3, a record 3,242 cyclists rode in the bi-annual HUB event, an increase of 28 per cent from the fall of 2012 and 38 per cent from the fall before that, according to a HUB news release.
A new benchmark was also set by the 268 cyclists who were commuting on two wheels for the very first time.Since the first Bike to Work Week in 2007, over 8,000 riders have tried cycling to work for the very first time.
Kay Cahill is a cyclist and librarian who believes bikes are for life, not just for commuting. Read more at , or send a comment to [email protected].
