Editor:
The bicycle touring season is now in full swing on the Sunshine Coast. Our close proximity to Vancouver brings cyclists over for day rides or weekend overnighters. We also get a fair number of long distance cycle tourists, travelling the Coast as part of a much longer journey. As an avid cyclist who has toured by bicycle in several areas of North America and Europe, I know how satisfying and rewarding it is to explore somewhere new and interesting by bicycle. I also know how much cycle tourists are at the mercy of good drivers and safe roads.
While cycling the Sunshine Coast highway is rewarding, it is also challenging with its rolling hills, blind curves, and narrow, sometimes non-existent, shoulders. Narrow shoulders and heavy vehicle traffic mean that cyclists can quickly find themselves in life-threatening situations if they encounter hazards such as gravel, loose sand and overgrown vegetation. When traffic is heavy, there is little or no room to manoeuvre around the hazards without putting one in direct conflict with vehicles.
So why, with the cycle touring season well underway, has no effort been made to sweep Highway 101’s shoulders of rocks, sand and overgrown vegetation? Several sections of Highway 101’s shoulders between Sechelt and Langdale are in terrible shape.
Something as simple as ensuring the shoulders of Highway 101 are safe for our cycle tourists is a small but important way of ensuring their safety and making them want to come back.
John Sampson, Roberts Creek
