It’s 8:05 on a Thursday morning, and I’m sitting on the steps of my condo, wolfing down a bagel with peanut butter and going through my daily set of mental gymnastics:
“I could call an Uber, but that's a $15 treat that I usually save for the exam period.”
“If I drive, I might be able to snag a 3-hour free parking spot so that I can make it through Intellectual Property without sprinting to move my car at the break.”
“If I catch the 7B, I should be able to get to Weldon exactly on time, but more often than not the bus is delayed, and I would rather walk into traffic than be late to class.”
I slip on my shoes, sling my bike lock across my chest, grab my helmet, and wheel my bicycle outside to face what I’ve been dreading: the steep hill that starts my daily commute.
The daily cycle of cycling
My legs – already burning from practice with the Dalhousie rowing team on Lake Banook earlier that morning – carry me to the top of the hill and the rest of my 22-minute commute is smooth sailing. After locking my bike up outside Weldon, I change in the first-floor bathroom while (futilely) attempting to detangle my hair with one hand and slide into IP with two minutes before class.
Why start biking?
I started bike-commuting out of necessity when I graduated from my undergrad without a driver’s license, cycling up to 30 kms daily. After living in various non-cycling friendly places across Canada and the US, I bought a bike from Liv Cycling, a women’s cycling brand, when I was living in Winnipeg. I was shocked at the ease of riding a frame designed specifically for women (the lack of hills in the Prairies also helped) and chose my condo in Halifax specifically with the intention of bike-commuting to Weldon.
Biking to school provides me with the flexibility to avoid early morning traffic jams and costly parking fees all while forcing me to do 45 minutes of cardio daily. It’s not, however, a stress-free experience. I’ve experienced multiple close calls with inattentive drivers turning into the bike lane without checking for cyclists, and I regularly need to “educate” drivers parked in the bike lane. While Halifax has some cycling infrastructure (divided bike lanes, solid bike racks – even on ferries!), these services are not ubiquitous, leaving a patchwork of coverage across the HRM. Additionally, fall temperatures mean that I frequently stuff multiple layers into my backpack to ensure my fingers don’t freeze to the handlebars on the way home.
The privilege to be able to bike
Cycling is also not an option for all: I’m lucky to be able-bodied with no care responsibilities and to have had the flexibility to choose housing a reasonable distance from my school and workplace.
There may come a time when I’m unable to hop on my trusty bicycle and dart around town as fast as my legs will take me. Until then, I’m going to enjoy the ride!
Safe cycling on Halifax's city streets
If you do choose to try cycling in Halifax, here are some safety tips to keep in mind:
Map out cycling routes to utilize bike lanes and avoid uncontrolled intersections
Wear reflective gear and lights from dusk to dawn (and a helmet!)
Follow the rules of the road – yield to pedestrians, obey signs and road markings
Stay alert – and make eye contact with drivers and use open-ear headphones if listening to music
Comments