Conservation Comment: Cycling in winter

Winter will soon be upon us and it is a great time for cycling.

Most days are fine and even when it is cold, we warm up along the way and arrive toasty at our destination. You may want to wear your gloves, especially during the mornings and on downhills. Gumboots are great for the very wet days. You won't look out of place.

Evenings are generally calm and after dark there are fewer cars around; it is a great time to ride. Do remember your bike lights though. Some newer bikes now have permanently attached lights and these are ideal.

Most of us still use removable lights and it is easy to forget those when you leave home during daylight hours. Make sure you keep them in your bag or backpack, so that you have them available when needed.

High viz clothing or reflective clothing or strips are recommended as they help visibility even if your light runs out of battery, which they inevitably do at some point during a ride.

Let's Go Whanganui will start their annual Light Up campaign in May. Remember that it is not just you who is in danger when you are not lit up, but also the people who share the road with you.

Also great during winter are the views of snow-capped Mount Ruapehu and when the sun is out we appreciate it.

The council is continuing to improve cycling facilities. Some new and changed roads are worth checking out. Last month the new Fitzherbert Ave extension was opened. This now runs all the way to Mosston Rd and it has cycle lanes. So hop on your bikes and go check it out!

Both Dublin St and Glasgow St intersections with Victoria Ave were improved recently and they now give cyclists more options to cross safely.

More than 7000 students have already benefited from Ma Ake — Let's Go, the council's cycling education package, which is now in its fifth year. It is great to see so many ride along Te Tuaiwi to and from school!

It has been noted though, that some cars park on Te Tuaiwi while they wait for their offspring to come out of school. This is unacceptable behaviour as it obstructs students and other path users. It would be good for your kids to walk a bit so please, parents, park in legal parking areas if you want to pick up your young one(s).

It was Bike Wise Month recently and a Covid-limited programme was run. Kiwi Kids Bike Races were replaced by Kiwi Kids Bingo, which could be done without getting near one another. Tour de Whanganui has always been a do-it-yourself activity and successfully so. Most other activities ran as planned or were adapted to avoid interactions.

The main complaint from cyclists is that drivers don't give them enough space. Although physically they take up much less space, to ride safely they need the same amount of space as a car.

This is to avoid "dooring" (being hit by a car door opening), as well as rubbish, loose gravel and glass (and at this time of year, acorns, chestnuts, etc), which tend to accumulate on the side of the road and also the wind that can blow them into traffic. They also need to avoid potholes, bumps and manholes.

So, before you pass someone on a bike next time, ask yourself: would I pass this person if they were in a car? If the answer is no, please stay behind. Delays are minimal and you could save someone's life.

Lyneke Onderwater used to run Whanganui Bicycle Users Group, lives car-less and loves riding her bike.