In this series we stop people along the bike lanes in Vancouver and have chats with them about their thoughts on cycling, their bikes, and more. Have a look at the archive HERE.
Name: Salima
Type of bike:
Schwinn, it’s an older bike. It’s kinda heavy but I’ve added some gears so it rides pretty smoothly now. I’m not too big on naming my bike because I named my first one which got stolen, and I don’t want to get too attached again.
Where are you headed?
I’m headed home after a busy day.
Tell me about it?
After work I helped a friend buy a bike from Bikes for All on 7th (and Main). She is a new biker so I took her around. We went down to Woodland street and then dropped her off at her home in Yaletown.
Do you usually go along 10th Ave home?
Yes, its the street that I use the most because I live on 11th and a work at 8th and Cambie. Its a pretty street, especially seeing people out and gardening and chilling on their balconies.
Do you ride your bike everyday?
If the weather is decent, my bike is my main way of commuting.
Have you lived in Vancouver for long?
10 years, but I bought my first bike in 2008, so I have only been biking for 6 years.
Are you ever worried about bike theft?
I have a good lock, but I am still worried as I've had 3 bikes stolen in the past 6 years. One was locked up at night downtown, and the other two were stolen from my backyard.
Is there anything you would change about biking in Vancouver?
Well let me show you what I bought today [pulls out a bike horn from her panier], its my little attempt to tell the drivers that, “Hey we’re biking here.” I generally feel like I am quite confident riding with the cars and I try to be careful as much as I can, but I have noticed that especially in the new bike lanes downtown that cars are making right turns across the lanes and I feel like they never ever see me.
So your helmet is quite unique. Tell me about it?
About three years ago, I broke my helmet when I was in Montreal, and found this helmet at a second hand store. It’s a horse riding riding helmet, and I’ve since seen two other girls with them on commercial drive. Its beautiful if you are wearing a nice dress and going out, but it gets a little to hot in the summer.
What are you excited about for the summer?
I know it's kinda reckless, but when its hot out and a nice day I like to ride without my helmet. So it would be really cool if there were bike roads that were only for cyclists. You know we have so many roads for cars and it would be nice if cyclists could just have one.
I personally don’t like policing other peoples behaviors, but it would be nice if other cyclists could ride more carefully because we all share the same roads and reckless riding causes car drivers to have a hate on for us. But obviously that is asking for an ideal world.
