Here we are three-quarters of the way through another summer with many cyclists riding on Highway 19A’s minimum paved shoulder, between the bottom of Shaw Hill.
It seems this area is like the poor relation, with most other areas having at least a minimum of 36 inches paved shoulder to safely ride on, whereas the aforementioned section of Highway 19A forces cyclists to deal with less, plus holes and ruts.
I’m amazed that there hasn’t been more fatal accidents involving cyclists other than the two tourists in Qualicum Beach several years ago.
Really, negotiating this bit of highway should qualify any rider to work with the ‘Flying Wallendas” — it’s that bad.
Hopefully this can be rectified before another fatality happens, or will the “powers that be merely take the easy way out and pass yet another law, banning cycling on the 19A highway, thus losing more tourist dollars for the Nanny province.
Jack B. Marshall
Qualicum Bay
