Hello Gatineau Park Cyclists,
It’s that time of year again where things are heating up in the Gatineau Park, which if you haven’t noticed, are busier than ever before. This is super amazing for the community, but we wanted to take a moment to remind people of ways to stay safe out there on your rides, which as I’m sure you know, is just for fun. If we’re all on the same page, it’s just good for everyone. Share this post to spread the word!
So here they are, in no particular order, some of the top tips to make sure we don’t lose this incredible playground we have as cyclists:
Be predictable with your moves, and communicate where you are, and what you’re doing. “Passing on your left”, “Pothole right”, “I’m standing”, “Slowing, stopping etc”, “Rotating”… you get the picture. Talk to one another and be vocal!
Things can happen in an instant, so being focused and aware throughout your ride, will ensure everyone stays safe.
Keep your group to a limit of 15. That’s the rules from the NCC. Let’s stay in their good books.
Stay in your group. Don’t merge with other groups. Keeping things small, keeps things safe. If you’re approaching another group, either give proper distance or find a safe place to pass.
Please don’t take up the entire road. If you’re in a group, make sure you’re sticking to the right hand side of the lane to allow other people to pass.
Give room to people when passing. You don’t like it when cars zip past you. Slower riders don’t like it either. If you’re in a group, give some room and a heads up you’re approaching. If it’s not safe to pass, then wait until it is.
Do not, I repeat, do not cross the yellow line!!! This is a no go zone and no matter what, the yellow line is NOT to be crossed.
Give ample room between the wheel in front of you. Safety first!
They’re there for a reason. Your safety! You’ll see them at P8, entering the parkway from the top of Fortune Rd and at the bottom of Blacks. Make sure you stop and look both ways.
The park isn’t your personal trash can. If you drop something, pick it up and stick it in your jersey. There are garbage cans at all of the parking lots. Thank you in advance!
This goes without saying but make sure your bike is in good working mechanical order. Skipping gears or brakes that need some love jeopardizes everyone else. Give your bike a once over before hopping on.
This may as well be rule number one… Be kind to your fellow cyclist, there’s always someone slower or faster than you and it doesn’t cost you anything to be nice.
If you see people in your group making unsafe moves or doing weird things, just let them know how they can be better. We all started somewhere, and we don’t know, what we don’t know. Pass the Torch!!!
A big part of sport is community and getting to know your fellow cyclists. There’s no better way for people to meet, connect and get to know your community. We always meet for a beer afterwards, so come on out and say hello to some of your community.
If we missed anything, please send us a DM and we’ll add it to the post!