Dear Editor:
I don’t know Heather Drugge but am sure I’d like her. How could you not like someone who describes herself as a “sustainable transportation advocate who has used her bike for transportation for 20 years”? But I strongly disagree with her piece (Safest Thing for Cyclists to Do is Stay Home, March 27).
I’d go with the view that “responsible exercise” is a key step to fight the virus. Dr. Jack Taunton, who with Dr. Doug Clement launched sport medicine in Canada, advocates cycling as one of several things we can do communally - while keeping social distance. You could listen to his 14-minute podcast or just know that he says exercise primes our immune systems, which helps combat the virus. Other forms of exercise he advocates that we can do communally yet responsibly are walking, running, hiking, and kayaking.
Jack is with me a founding director of the National Health and Fitness Institute, a strong advocate of cycling. NHFI encourages cycling and other exercise not only for physical benefits but also to combat isolation and depression. If we can get people out cycling while retaining physical distance, we’ll be sending a message that people can still get out and be healthy, even while in general staying at home. That’s good for physical, mental, and spiritual health.
So I’d say, let’s roll, let’s keep our distance, but let’s skip the group stop at the coffee shop afterwards. If you want to ride, maybe I’ll ride with you, but a little further behind than normal.
John Weston
West Vancouver
