Red Deer Advocate, September 08, 2012

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Three parts Hee Haw, one part MICHELIN REVIEW The Carol

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FINDING BALANCE A trip down Vancouver Island’s North Coast Trail

REBELS VS. HITMEN

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Rebels performance in own end lacking in 4-2 preseason loss

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WEEKEND EDITION CENTRAL ALBERTA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER $1.00

SATURDAY, SEPT. 8, 2012

BREAKING NEWS ONLINE AT WWW.REDDEERADVOCATE.COM

New bike lanes forcing Red Deer cyclist and drivers to adapt ‘The attitude that bikes are acceptable on the road is an important piece.’

Welcome to cycle city, Red Deer. By now the freshly painted bike lanes have dried throughout the city giving residents a chance to see what the commuter bike project is all about. The changing of Red Deer’s streetscape to incorporate separated bike lanes will be an adjustment for both motorists and cyclists. So it’s more important than ever to understand the rules of the road so your commute doesn’t become a traffic nightmare. The first step to a smooth ride is to recognize that both bicycles and vehicles have a legal right to be on the road and share the same responsibilities. Drivers of two and four-wheeled vehicles must obey all traffic lights and signs. Experienced cyclist Mike Kozlowski said cyclists should ride predictably and stay in the dedicated lanes. Kozlowski, who has been cycling for 10 years, said many motorists don’t know how to deal with bike lanes. “The bike lanes will be nice because really there’s nothing the motorists have to do but keep driving.” As one of the initiatives under the city’s Integrated Movement Study, city council approved the $800,000 two-year pilot bicycle lane project in its

PLEASE

— Cindy Jefferies, Red Deer city councillor

● Don’t drive, park or stop in a bike lane. 2011 capital budget. Last summer four kms of lines were painted in areas where there were desired routes, wide shoulders on the road and connectivity to existing trails and could be used to promote the larger pilot. In April 2012, city council adopted a more comprehensive plan based on public feedback and recommendations from local cycling groups, ReThink Red Deer and other stakeholders. By the end of the August 20 kms of bike lanes had been painted on city streets creating connections to schools, multi-user trails, recreation centres and the downtown core. There is a mix of bike lane treatments including a solid line and thatched lines. Coun. Cindy Jefferies said bike lanes legitimize a bike’s presence on the road and solidifies the point that everyone needs to pay more attention and share the road.

● Pass only when safe and leave one meter between your car and cyclist. ● Check your blind spot. Always signal your intentions and be careful not to turn in front of cyclists. ● When parking on the street, look for cyclists before opening your door. For more detailed information on hand signals, pavement markings and bike signs visit www.reddeer.ca/bikelanes

Please see BIKES on Page A2

WEATHER

INDEX

Sunny. High 27. Low 8.

Five sections Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C7-C8 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4-A5 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E1-E6 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C6 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . C4-C5 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4-B7

FORECAST ON A2

RECYCLE

Tips for motorists sharing the road with cyclists

LOCAL

CANADA

WHITE JAILED 18 YEARS DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH FOR MANSLAUGHTER IRAN CUT BY OTTAWA A Blackfalds-area man who killed his victim in a vicious knife attack more than seven years ago was sentenced to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter on Friday. A3

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BY CRYSTAL RHYNO ADVOCATE STAFF


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