CANADA, May 23 - As warmer weather arrives and bicycles emerge from winter storage, 82-year-old Sharon Creiger is getting ready to explore Prince Edward Island on her e-bike.

“I can’t recommend biking strongly enough to maintain your health and even improve it,” said Creiger. “When we bike anywhere, we always look for bike lanes or we prefer the trails. I take my bike frequently to run errands. It saves me .30 cents a mile over the operation of an automobile.”

Bike Friendly Communities (BFC), a not-for-profit cycling advocacy group, is rolling into summer with safety tips and words of encouragement for cyclists of all ages. 

A new seven-part video series, produced in collaboration with the PEI Active transportation Fund, provides strategies for a safe commute or simply enjoying a bike ride.

BFC Hub Member Mitch Underhay is challenging Islanders to scope out a safe route to enjoy exercise or an affordable and environmentally friendly commute to work or school.

“If you’re planning to commute, I suggest you ride the route the day before,” said Underhay. “When you’re ready to go, you will know how to get there safely. You can avoid traffic and take quiet residential streets. Finding your way through new neighbourhoods is sometimes tricky. There may be dead ends or weird twists and turns and cul-de-sacs so ride it when you’re not in a hurry.” 

If you don’t feel comfortable cycling through intersections, dismount from your bike and walk across like a pedestrian would.

Here are some safety tips to keep in mind when cycling in the city.

• Wait your turn and use proper hand signals
• ride one metre to the left of parked vehicles and watch for doors opening 
• make sure your bike has a working bell, lights, and rear reflectors 
• When possible, ride single file and close to the right side of the road with traffic. 

PEI’s extensive network of trails and pathways also offer physically separated lanes that provide safe spaces for pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchairs, rollerblades, and e-bikes. 

“The Confederation Trail is an active transportation superhighway providing a tip-to-tip connection for the entire province,” added Underhay. “It offers many cross-town routes for cyclists and pedestrians commuting to work or school. If there is an active transportation lane near you, take it 
for a spin. You may find takes you someplace you’ve never been.”

Islanders can also take advantage of provincial bike rebates at the cash register when purchasing a bicycle from participating retailers. New and non-powered bicycles qualify for the $100 rebate including children’s bicycles, adult bicycles, cargo bicycles and tricycles. A $500 rebate is available on e-bikes. 

Creiger is a longtime cycling enthusiast and welcomes the added focus on cycling. She hopes more people will have the confidence to choose cycling as a mode of transportation.

“Try it out. Go with your friends. That’s another thing about biking in general, it’s intergenerational,” she says.  “Take your grandkids, nieces and nephews, take a picnic.”

Media contacts:
Stacey Miller
Transportation and Infrastructure
samiller@gov.pe.ca

Cheryl Young
Communications Coordinator
Bike Friendly Communities Co-operative
www.bfcpei.ca