In a race to the legislature by vehicle and bike from communities across the capital region Wednesday morning, there was one clear winner: cyclists
Twenty-one pairs of cyclists and motorists raced from Langford, Esquimalt, Oak Bay and Saanich to the legislature to see which mode of transportation would get there the fastest.
In 18 of the pairs, the cyclists were triumphant, said Samuel Holland, development manager for Capital Bike.
Holland said the commuter challenge demonstrates that cycling is more than just a fun and effective way to get to your destination.
“It’s also about showing that it’s often much faster than driving, especially when you factor in parking.”
Two of three motorists who won were coming from Langford, but one cyclist commuting from Langford was just a minute behind their motorist counterpart, Holland said.
The commuter challenge is designed to simulate a real commute, starting during morning rush hour and ending downtown.
Kristin Kain, Capital Bike’s event manager, said the commuter challenges proves in real time the very real wins in the bike versus car debate.
“Cycling allows you to enjoy your commute and ride right up to your destination, not sit in traffic or search for hard-to-find parking.”
The challenge begins a three-week countdown to spring Go By Bike Week, which runs from June 3 to 9 and encourages people to swap their vehicle commutes for cycling or other active-transportation options.
