HALIFAX—Kelsey Lane knows how important it is to get more Haligonians out of their cars and onto two wheels.

Lane, a former executive director of the Halifax Cycling Coalition, now works for the Ecology Action Centre as its sustainable transportation co-ordinator. As a top voice for cyclists, Lane is calling on Halifax to be better and put more money toward infrastructure. It’s partly why she agreed to be guest editor.

In a recent interview, Lane discussed her safety concerns riding a bicycle, her first-ever collision with a car and tips for wannabe riders looking to start pedalling.

How safe do you feel as a cyclist in Halifax?

I don’t feel very safe, and I look around and I see a city that has so much potential. But when you’re riding the streets you can see you’re not supposed to be there.

When you talk to people in a community or people who have moved here from other places, it’s not that they have never used a bicycle for transportation, but they come to Halifax and say, ‘I used to live in a city where I’d bike to work everyday, then I came here and I don’t ride anymore. I get around using a car or another form of transportation because it doesn’t feel safe.’ To me that’s a huge signal that we have so far to go to make it a safe place to ride a bike.

Have you been hit by a vehicle while driving your bicycle?

I rode from Calgary to San Diego last year and went on all types of roadways, in communities both large and small. They had incredible cycling infrastructure.

The only time I was hit by a vehicle was in Halifax a couple of weeks ago when I was approaching a bicycle lane. I had the right-of-way, and the driver ran a stop sign and didn’t see me going through that intersection.

I love riding a bicycle, but it’s really a stark reminder that we are vulnerable road users. We have a right to be there. We have a right to be able to get around safely, yet there’s no space made available for us to do that.

Were you seriously injured in the crash? What went through your head at impact?

There was no time to think. I was on my city bike, so I was going fairly slowly. But before you know it, you’re on the ground. You don’t have time to react. Luckily, I was going at a pretty slow speed so the impact wasn’t very significant. I think the first thing that goes through your mind is that you hope you are OK.

It was an interesting experience afterwards, because I’m very familiar with the Motor Vehicle Act. I know all the rules of the road and regulations, but it’s still a very traumatizing experience. If I didn’t have two witnesses to back up the incident that happened, the person that collided with me may have not received any offence. At the end of the day you can’t count on enforcement; we need infrastructure that will make sure that incident didn’t happen in the first place.

I was lucky that something more severe didn’t happen, but I really want a city where we’re not banking on luck, we’re banking on best practices.

What do you say to critics who speak out loudly against improved bicycle infrastructure for Halifax as a waste of taxpayers’ money?

I would say they haven’t really done their homework. When you look at the facts, bicycle infrastructure is an incredibly fruitful investment.

Not only are there serious steps that need to be taken to reduce our (greenhouse gas) emissions, of which approximately 30 per cent in HRM are coming from the transportation sector, but it’s also a lack of recognition that we need to start making our city a place that is accessible for everybody.

Really, we are not building infrastructure for the people who already bike, even though that will make it safer for them to get around. It’s actually an investment to encourage more people to ride.

What would you say to someone who wants to start riding a bicycle in the city?

It’s such a fun way to get around. It really makes you feel like a kid again. You arrive wherever you are going feeling a lot more happy most days. It’s a great experience to connect to the city and people around you.

A really great tip if you are unsure is to take the intro urban cycling course run by the Halifax Cycling Coalition and Ecology Action Centre.

But if I was to provide one tip, I’d say ride with a friend who is more confident. Riding with somebody else is a great resource to ask questions, it’s more fun riding with other people, and it can make you feel safer and more confident if you’re riding for the first time or in a few years.

How about buying your first bicycle? What should people look for?

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It is about individual preferences, but if you are starting to ride ... a step-through, upright bike is a lot more comfortable. You can sit up straight, you are a lot more visible and you are able to shoulder check and signal a lot more clearly.

That being said, it doesn’t have to be expensive. There are a lot of shops and resources around town that provide bicycles at a very reasonable price. Those work just as well to get around as a more expensive bicycle.

Some answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.

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