Adventures of Winter Biking
Although for some it might seem crazy to ride a bike in the dead of winter, it is actually a very pleasant activity. It keeps you active, you don't have to depend on buses, and it's completely environmentally friendly. Plus, it's a fantastic way to increase your serotonin levels and keep you happy during winter. With the right gear, you won't feel cold at all--quite the opposite.
Montreal is a biker friendly city--or so it claims. According to the city, these are the parts of the bike path open during the whole year. Bikers, though, are having a hard time riding in the Reseau Blanc. It's not only that VERY IMPORTANT parts of the network are officially closed (Westmount being the most annoying for me personally), but parts that are supposed to be clean (and thus safe) for us bikers are full of snow and (worse) ice. It's actually more dangerous riding on the paths than on the road.
I had a personally frustrating experience last Monday, January 5th 2009. Riding on Maisonneuve, between Fort St. and St. Mathieu, I didn't find only a snowy and icy bike path, I also found garbage in the middle of it. Come on, the bike path is there so we cyclists have our own road and don't have to get in the way of the ''all-powerful cars'' (who usually think they own the roads). Let's keep it clean and safe, please!
If you want to know more about the condition of the Reseau Blanc, read this Gazette article.
During the summer, bikes are already many people's main means of transportation, as proven by the popularity of downtown's Maisonneuve Bike Path. I hope the conditions of all Montreal Bike Paths improve as they become more popular and people start to depend on them even during the winter.
Montreal is a biker friendly city--or so it claims. According to the city, these are the parts of the bike path open during the whole year. Bikers, though, are having a hard time riding in the Reseau Blanc. It's not only that VERY IMPORTANT parts of the network are officially closed (Westmount being the most annoying for me personally), but parts that are supposed to be clean (and thus safe) for us bikers are full of snow and (worse) ice. It's actually more dangerous riding on the paths than on the road.
I had a personally frustrating experience last Monday, January 5th 2009. Riding on Maisonneuve, between Fort St. and St. Mathieu, I didn't find only a snowy and icy bike path, I also found garbage in the middle of it. Come on, the bike path is there so we cyclists have our own road and don't have to get in the way of the ''all-powerful cars'' (who usually think they own the roads). Let's keep it clean and safe, please!
If you want to know more about the condition of the Reseau Blanc, read this Gazette article.
During the summer, bikes are already many people's main means of transportation, as proven by the popularity of downtown's Maisonneuve Bike Path. I hope the conditions of all Montreal Bike Paths improve as they become more popular and people start to depend on them even during the winter.
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