I Want To Ride My Bicycle

We woke up to sunshine on February 1. Quite a shocker for us here in the Pacific Northwest this time of year. If we weren’t already feeling a strong yearning for spring, we certainly are now. I confess I’m not one of those die hard bicyclists that ride year round, rain or snow. When the weather turns nasty my bike goes into cold storage, so to speak. But after experiencing sunshine for really the first time in weeks, I’m itching to “saddle” up and ride. That also means though that I need to make sure all my safety measures are in tip top condition before I hit the rode on my two wheeler. As our city continues to grow and automobile traffic becomes heavier it is even more important to take extra safety precautions. In fact, in a recent survey a whopping 37% of Seattle’s frequent bicyclists said they don’t feel safe while riding in the city. That’s a clue not only for Seattle, but for other metropolitan areas as well, that city governments need to create a more user friendly street atmosphere for bicyclists in their communities. There are a lot of us out here that would love to commute this way, doing our part to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution, all while getting some much needed exercise, but we’re held back from doing so for fear of bodily harm.