Letters to The Sun: E

I am hoping municipalities are going to embrace safe, separated cycling and many more slow streets sooner rather than later for all these new cyclists.

It's fantastic that the province is providing a rebate for e-bike purchases. As a long-time cyclist for transportation, commuting and recreational use, I commend the province for this.

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One comment I would make to my new fellow cycling enthusiasts is that everywhere east of Vancouver is much more challenging to ride in and through. These areas (the municipalities know who they are) offer little in the way of safe, separated cycling from cars or pedestrians. In many locations across the Lower Mainland there is often little to no signage or continuity between parks or paths or transit hubs. There are many painted lines on the ground beside cars in traffic or beside pedestrians, but these are neither safe nor comfortable for most, including new riders and children. Safe bike lock-ups are abysmally absent from shopping malls, libraries, pools, etc.

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I have embraced and enjoyed the cycling experience for more than 35 years. I am hoping the municipalities are going to embrace safe, separated cycling and many more slow streets sooner rather than later for all these new cyclists.

Cathy Griffin, Burnaby

Re: Proliferation of motorized bikes may be a disaster in the making

I completely agree with Dr. Frederick Kwong that, "Any existing and new e-bikes must be registered, licensed and insured."

I would even go a step further and have all bicycles licensed. As I recall, bicycles were required to be licensed in the City of Vancouver during the 1940s and 1950s.

As bicycles use the roadways and dedicated bike lanes, the owners should be responsible for contributing to the costs. ICBC could be the governing body.

Ted Roberts, North Vancouver

I’m not sure why Dr. Frederick Kwong thinks licensing e-bikes (he doesn't mention regular, human-powered bikes) is the answer to cyclists behaving badly. It certainly doesn't work with too many drivers — or pedestrians, for that matter. Pedestrians frequently step in front of me onto a bike path while glued by the eyeballs to their phone, or into the street on a red light just as I’m about to cross. And all too often they swear at me when I politely ask them to move.

I was just in the Netherlands where pedestrians and cyclists and drivers seemed to get on amiably. It was a shock to return to Vancouver, where the word that comes to mind to describe how people interact on our roads is "antagonistically."

The answer isn't licensing. It's people, whether in cars, on bikes or on foot, showing consideration for their fellow humans. Attitude adjustments, not regulations.

Cynthia Heinrichs, Vancouver

A recent letter to the editor posed some concerns about e-bikes, but this is my question: Why e-bikes? If the government wants people to bike, how about subsidizing regular pedal bikes? I’m 65, but I’m not ready for an e-bike yet. I ride my old pedal bike everywhere. Wouldn't mind a new one.

Jane McCall, Ladner

On May 27, renal patients in Nelson lost the transport services provided by the Nelson Cares bus to the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital for kidney dialysis treatments. For a year, Nelson Cares had been providing excellent services for dialysis patients, charging $35 round-trip to Trail, but the Nelson Cares application for funding from Interior Health to continue this service has been denied.

Grand Forks has three dialysis stations, and Creston has four. But while Nelson's population is larger than these two locations combined, we have none. This is very wrong.

Interior Health Authority should provide Kootenay Lake Hospital with dialysis machines. But if it continues to deny us dialysis machines, then the health authority should pay for our weekly trips to Trail, which can be as frequent as three times a week for most renal patients.

With the astonishing amount of real estate development occurring in Nelson and the number of new people moving to this city, the Kootenay Lake Hospital must provide more services to meet the needs of our quickly growing and aging population.

Millie Harper, Nelson

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