Protect your melon…and more amazing bicycling tips you can’t live without!

Sea to Sky, Whistler, Pemberton

2023-06-23 09:00 PDT

Sea to Sky Whistler RCMP Members love biking, and we know you all do too!

With the beautiful summer weather upon us, biking traffic on the Valley Trail and connecting roadways has increased.

The Sea to Sky Whistler RCMP has and will be continuing to work in partnership with the Resort Municipality of Whistler Bylaw Officers and local schools to provide education to our local and visiting cyclists. The goal of this education will be to ensure the safety of both the bicycling public and the pedestrian and animal traffic that utilize the amazing trail and road network systems in Whistler.

Safety tip #1: Let’s start with helmets.

It is the law in B.C. that helmets must be worn when travelling on roadways, and it is the law that a parent cannot allow a child under 16 to operate a bicycle without a helmet. Helmets are boring, you say? Or perhaps hot and sweaty? They might wreck your hair? What if we said that helmets can reduce the severity of head and face injuries after a crash, they can protect your eyes and, with reflective material, make you more visible to vehicles on the roadway. We think these are pretty good reasons to sport a bad hair day after you reach your destination. To ensure your helmet fits correctly, follow the tips in the photo below.

A larger photo of a male youth wearing a bicycle helmet five wrong ways and one right way

Safety tip #2:  Use a bell or your voice to alert pedestrians before passing.

Let’s face it, everyone could use a cool bicycle bell, but if you can’t afford to buy one, using your voice to call out to others using the roadway or trail is just as cool as a bell! This can be especially important when passing pedestrians with mobility or hearing challenges, pedestrians using mobility devices, pedestrians walking dogs (or cats – your preference!), small children, or large groups of people travelling together.

Safety tip #3:  Avoid travelling at high rates of speed.

Can speed be fun? Yes. Is it more fun to be courteous and considerate to others using the trails and pathways? Absolutely! The valley trail network and connecting roads are utilized by all forms of pedestrian traffic (see safety tip #2 above) and this includes people who may not immediately see or hear you. An unpredictable reaction from being passed unexpectedly could cause an unnecessary crash and injury to both the pedestrian/animal and cyclist.

Safety tip #4:  Parents, help us help you avoid having kids with biking injuries!

We are looking to you to help us reinforce safety for youth on bikes, which includes the safety tips mentioned above, but most importantly, by wearing your own helmet to set a good example for the youth of our community.

You can expect to see our very own Sea to Sky Whistler RCMP bicycle officers out on the local trails in the near future, helping to educate those who haven’t read the safety tips provided here.

A larger photo of a Sea to Sky Whistler RCMP bicycle officer

The Resort Municipality of Whistler website is also an excellent resource for tips on riding safely in Whistler.

www.whistler.ca/services/transportation/cycling/cycling-safety-tips/

Released by

Cst. Katrina Boehmer

Email: katrina.boehmer@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

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